Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Special Issue on Translation No.5 May, 2016 Pp. 232- 248
Is Self-assessment a Credible Indicator of Translation Competence?
Falih S. M. Al-Emara
University of Leeds
Leeds, United Kingdom
Abstract:
In his inverse translation competence model Campbell (1998) investigates self-assessment as an element in the monitoring of translation into the second language. Relatedly, the current study attempts to test the applicability of that model on translating into the first language through a conceptual replication experiment. Thus, it presents a quantitative methodological analysis of multiple translations produced by student-translators. Hence, this paper, as a part of a larger study, reports on the replication of only one of the two dimensions of monitoring (self-assessment and real-time editing). Specifically, it investigates whether the student-translators’ general assessments of their own ability to translate relate to their translation competence and, if so, to what extent do they specify it. The results of this study lead to the conclusion that self-assessments, based on the participants’ awareness of their output, are less credible in estimating translation competence than the general assessment of the tutor, and of quality assessment by multiple raters.
Keywords: quality assessment, self-assessment, translation competence, tutor’s assessment