Translation Competence Development among Learners: A Problem-Solving Perspective A thesis submitted to The University of Manchester for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities 2017 Si Cheng School of Arts, Languages and Cultures Table of Contents List of figures and tables ·········································································· 5 Abstract ···························································································· 6 Declaration and copyright statement ····························································· 7 Acknowledgements················································································· 8 Chapter 1 Introduction ············································································· 9 1.1 Research rationale and objectives ················································ 10 1.2 Structure of the thesis ······························································ 13 Chapter 2 Reconceptualising translation competence ······································· 15 2.1 Conceptualising translation competence: profusion and confusion ········· 15 2.1.1 From and beyond bi-lingual competence ·································· 16 2.1.2 The prevalence of multi-componential models ··························· 18 2.1.3 The emergence of process-focused conceptualisation ··················· 27 2.1.4 The need for a re-conceptualisation of translation competence ········ 30 2.2 Re-defining translation competence ············································· 32 2.2.1 The notion of competence: debates across contexts······················ 32 2.2.2 The nature and scope of translation competence ························· 37 2.2.3 Constructing a definition of translation competence ····················· 43 2.3 Re-modelling translation competence ··········································· 44 2.3.1 Translation as a problem-solving process ································· 44 2.3.2 The translation problem-solving ability ···································· 53 2.3.3 Towards an integrated model of translation competence ················ 55 2.4 Re-conceptualising translation competence development ···················· 57 2.4.1 Current understanding of translation competence development ······· 57 2.4.2 Translation competence development: a problem-solving perspective 61 Chapter 3 Conducting a longitudinal study: methodology and data······················· 74 3.1 Developing the research design ·················································· 74 3.1.1 First pilot study ································································ 75 3.1.2 Second pilot study ····························································· 77 3.2 Research design ···································································· 78 3.2.1 Main research instrument: translation task-based interview ············ 79 3.2.2 Supporting research instruments ············································ 84 3.3 Research implementation ························································· 85 3.3.1 Research participants ························································· 85 2 3.3.2 Schedule and participation ··················································· 89 3.3.3 Translation tasks ······························································· 90 3.4 Analytical Method ································································ 113 3.4.1 Data sources ··································································· 113 3.4.2 Analytical strategies ························································· 113 Chapter 4 Mapping individual competence development paths ·························· 119 4.1 Wang: from linguistics-oriented to translation-oriented ····················· 119 4.1.1 Regained confidence in Chinese writing ································· 120 4.1.2 Towards a personal philosophy of translation ···························· 122 4.2 Tang: checked progress ··························································· 124 4.2.1 Sharpened awareness of the translation situation ························ 125 4.2.2 Motivation and confidence ················································· 127 4.3 Shan: practice plus reflection equals progress ································ 130 4.3.1 Towards a more defined translation strategy ····························· 131 4.3.2 Curiosity and self-reflection ················································ 133 4.4 Gong: the plateau period ························································· 136 4.4.1 Practice, experience and accumulation···································· 137 4.4.2 The stagnation of competence development ····························· 139 4.5 Wu: the (waning) influence of interpreting ···································· 141 4.5.1 From prior knowledge to online resources ······························· 142 4.5.2 Reduced speed and increased potential ··································· 146 4.6 Liu: moderate progress ··························································· 147 4.6.1 Increased attention to the translation situation ··························· 147 4.6.2 Strengthened confidence in translation decisions ······················· 149 4.7 Individual differences in competence development: summary ············· 150 4.7.1 Describing individual differences ·········································· 151 4.7.2 Possible reasons for individual differences ······························· 152 Chapter 5 Identifying shared patterns in translation competence development ········ 156 5.1 Towards an expanded perception of translation problems ·················· 156 5.2 Analogical problem solving: emerging awareness ··························· 159 5.3 Cultivating information literacy and creative independence ················ 163 5.3.1 Enhanced information literacy: the need for further information ····· 163 5.3.2 Enhanced information literacy: the credibility of online resources ··· 166 5.3.3 From reference to inspiration ··············································· 169 5.4 Evaluating solutions: considerations beyond the language level ··········· 172 5.4.1 Increased attention to extra-linguistic factors ···························· 172 3 5.4.2 Evaluating the peer translation: from compliments to criticism ······· 174 5.5 Justified decisions and emerging strategies ··································· 176 5.5.1 More justified translation decisions ······································· 177 5.5.2 Emerging translation strategies ············································ 178 5.6 Shared patterns in competence development: summary ····················· 180 5.6.1 Describing the shared patterns ············································· 181 5.6.2 Possible contributing factors ··············································· 182 Chapter 6 Conclusion: reviews, revisions and reflections ································· 185 6.1 Revisiting the theoretical framework ··········································· 185 6.1.1 Relevance and strengths of the theoretical framework ················· 185 6.1.2 Possible revisions to the theoretical framework ························· 188 6.2 Reflecting upon the empirical research ········································ 191 6.2.1 The research design: review and future suggestions ···················· 192 6.2.2 The participants: cooperation and unpredictability ······················ 193 6.3 Implications for translation research and pedagogy ·························· 195 6.3.1 Implications for translation competence research ······················· 195 6.3.2 Implications for translation pedagogy ····································· 198 6.4 Conclusion ········································································· 203 References ························································································ 207 Appendix 1 Questionnaires ···································································· 216 Appendix 2 Focus group questions ··························································· 220 Appendix 3 Example of interview transcript (Participant Shan, 3rd session) ·········· 223 Appendix 4 Example of translation problem-solving process description (Participant Shan, 3rd session) ······························································· 232 Appendix 5 Example of translation and revision products (Participant Shan, 3rd session) ············································································ 239 Appendix 6 Back translations of the peer translations ····································· 240 Appendix 7 Screenshots of Youdao Dictionary ············································· 245 (Word count: 72652 words) 4 List of figures and tables Figure 2.1 PACTE translation competence model (PACTE 2003: 60; 2017b: 41) ........ 21 Figure 2.2 Göpferich’s translation competence model (Göpferich, 2009: 20) ............... 22 Figure 2.3 EMT competence framework for professional translators (EMT, 2009: 4) .. 24 Figure 2.4 Kiraly’s three-dimensional model of incipient translator proficiency: the interplay of sub-competences (Kiraly, 2013: 208) ....................................... 30 Figure 2.5 Instantiated competence in an expert translator’s translatory moment (Kiraly, 2013: 209) .................................................................................................... 30 Figure 2.6 An illustration of the proposed model of translation competence ................. 55 Figure 2.7 PACTE’s model of translation acquisition (PACTE, 2000: