Kääntäjän ammatin arvostuksen myytit: faktaa vai fiktiota?

Kirjoittajat

• Minna Ruokonen Itä-Suomen yliopisto

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61200/mikael.129496

Avainsanat:

kääntäjän ammatin arvostus, kääntäjän näkymättömyys, toimijuus, kääntämisen sosiologia, kyselytutkimus

Abstrakti

One of the central myths about translation is probably the notion of translators’ low occupational status or prestige, often accompanied by three further myths or beliefs: that the lack of status is linked to 1) low income, 2) outsiders’ ignorance about the expertise required to translate and 3) translators’ invisibility. This article explores to what extent these myths are supported by previous empirical research and the author’s pilot survey of translation students at Finnish universities. The questionnaire used in the survey is based on Dam and Zethsen’s (2008–2011) questionnaires for Danish business translators. Both previous research and the author’s survey indicate that translators’ occupational status is considered middling or lower by respondents within the field. More research, however, would be needed on outsiders’ views. Low status also seems to correlate with low income and invisibility. Nevertheless, while visibility emerges as a positive influence in previous research, students’ comments highlight that visibility can also be injurious to translator status. Previous research and status-improving measures suggested by students further indicate that information about translators’ expertise still needs to be disseminated outside the field, possibly accompanied by limitations to practicing the profession.