Gaps in translation technology education: A case study of Jordanian universities

Abstract

Globalisation and the advent of translation technology (TT) have revolutionised the practice of translation in Jordan during the past two decades, resulting in the creation of a more developed industry that uses a proliferation of translation tools and that is based on a complex set of user and client dynamics. To be able to compete in today’s contemporary workplace, graduates of translator training programmes must be equipped with the skills and technical knowledge needed by the translation industry. Therefore, this study investigates to what extent undergraduate and postgraduate translator training programmes at public and private universities in Jordan have integrated TT in their study plans. To this effect, the study plans and the course descriptions adopted by these programmes are examined, and the feedback received from graduates and faculty is investigated with the aim of identifying the relevance of these programmes to the market needs. The results of the study reveal that despite the fact that training programmes have incorporated courses that introduce students to TT, these modules remain limited in scope and fail to expose trainee translators to a wide range of technology-related skills employed in today’s ever-changing translation working environments. The study suggests that a greater focus on TT is essential for the programmes to remain competitive and relevant to market needs. Increased collaboration among stakeholders is needed to ensure that technology becomes a core component of translator training.

Keywords

• translator training programmes
• translation technology
• translation industry
• jordan