Abstract:

Our study aims to describe how becoming a translator has changed in the past decades in Portugal and, more specifically, whether access to the profession has changed in terms of formal, informal and non-formal education. Moreover, we aim to discuss the role of technology in translation and in accessing the profession.

Informal education has been at the core of translation in Portugal. There is still no legislation on access to this profession, which would contribute to it being recognized as requiring specialized training and skills. Currently, though, and considering that most translators work as freelancers for several (international) agencies and that translators are required to master both linguistic and technological skills, formal education gained relevance.

University programs on translation are relatively recent in Portugal. The first bachelor’s program in translation and interpretation dates from the early 1990s and was taught at a private university, Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa (UAL). Since then, many other programs have been created, though the number of diploma and non-diploma programs is still rather low.

Though UAL no longer offers the bachelor program in Translation and Interpretation, it maintains a Post-Graduation in Translation, in place for more than twenty years. The fact that it is an online program, together with its student and practice-oriented perspective (including a course on Computer-Aided Translation Tools, i.e., computer programs that allow human translators to translate faster and more efficiently) have attracted students from different points of the globe and different degrees of professional experience.

Ours is an exploratory study using semi-structured interviews analysed in terms of thematic categories. We have interviewed professionals from different age groups who are or were linked to the Post-Graduation in Translation. We consider it key that we can collect different perspectives, backgrounds and experiences and understand how the profession has changed over the recent decades, as well as the role CAT tools have played in those changes.

We aim to widen this study to other professional activities in which informal education has been dominant and formal education is now viewed as relevant. Additionally, we aim to study the role of technology in the changes that have occurred in the past decades in terms of access to those professions.

Keywords:

Formal education, informal education, non-formal education, translation, technology, CAT tools.