Rethinking Translator Competence in the Machine Translation Era

Abstract

This study readdresses translator competence in light of the transformation in the translation profession, with a particular focus on Türkiye’s “National Occupational Standard: Translator/Interpreter—Level 6” (“NOST/IL6”). Motivated by the need to readdress translator competence given the technology-induced transformation in the translation profession, the study argues that embracing ‘entrepreneurship competence’—which is versatile, unstable, and based on ‘adaptive expertise’ and ‘lifelong learning’—in translator competence is crucial for translators to provide value-added products and services. The study suggests that incorporating entrepreneurship competence into translator education may bridge the alleged ‘skill gap’ between industry demands and translator education and contribute to a demand-oriented, functional, and added value-focused education prioritizing innovation, value creation, and entrepreneurship. In this regard, the study also analyzes the “NOST/IL6”—reported to display, as a standard, the required translation-related knowledge, skills, and attitudes and reflect the current needs and future trends in the translation market on the education system in Türkiye—with a focus on entrepreneurship competence. The analysis results indicate that the document underrepresents entrepreneurship competence and may not suffice to address what is brought by automation and digitalization, not attributing a proactive stance to translators. Hence, the study concludes that a reconsideration of the standard document, with an emphasis on entrepreneurship competence and considering the evolving roles and areas, could instigate a pivotal mindset shift. “In a new turning point where new questions come to the fore” (Bengi-Öner 1997, 8), such a transformation could help view technology-induced uncertainties as opportunities rather than threats, potentially restoring ‘human’ at the core of translation—a field increasingly perceived as ‘dehumanized’ due to growing technological domination—and significantly contribute to building a strong professional self-concept among translators for them to enjoy the opportunities that are likely to arise in the unpredictable and unclear future.