Abstract
While both translation process and product have been the subject of abundant research, in the Translation Studies literature there seems to be a lack of focus on the role of the translator (Dam, Helle V. & Karen Korning Zethsen. 2009. Translation studies: Focus on the translator. Hermes Journal of Language and Communication Studies 42(1). 7–12). The implication here seems to be that there is a general consensus – though not supported by much empirical evidence – on the inferior status of translators (Sela-Sheffy, Rakefet & Miriam Shlesinger (eds.). 2011. Identity and status in the translational professions. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing). Nevertheless, the perception of and expectations from translators are a rather relevant issue, particularly in the field of legal translation (for an overview, see Pym, Anthony, François Grin, Claudio Sfreddo et al. 2012. The status of the translation profession in the European Union (DGT/2011/TST). Final Report. Luxembourg: European Commission) where the responsibility placed on legal interpreters and translators is extremely high. This paper aims at investigating the perception of legal translators – mostly in terms of professional requirements and translation quality – in both academia and the professional environment, based on the findings of a survey carried out within the QUALETRA project (JUST/2011/JPEN/AG/2975) and a study carried out at the University of Trieste on the role of translators in local criminal proceedings.
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