Terminological competence in specialized translation: Definition and measurement proposal in translation students

Abstract

Terminology management is one of the greatest challenges in specialized translation, since terms condense specialized knowledge and ensure the conciseness and precision of the discourse. Therefore, it is essential that translators develop terminological competence in order to solve terminological problems during translation and to develop their own terminological resources. This research, on the one hand, theoretically defines the terminological competence of the specialized translator and places it within the pacte translation competence model; and on the other hand, proposes two instruments for measuring terminological competence in translation. The instruments, a specialized translation task and a retrospective semi-structured interview conducted post-translation, were evaluated through a pilot study with 5 advanced translation students. The results of the application of the instruments allowed to evaluate its effectiveness in measuring each of the six skills into which terminological competence was operationally subclassified, as well as to identify the level of achievement of the participants in each of these skills.