THE ROLE OF TEXT ANALYTICAL COMPETENCE IN TRANSLATOR TRAINING AND EDUCATION

There is a lot of ongoing debate as to whether translators should spend time trying to analyze a source text before translating it or just go ahead with its translation once the source text is readable. The goal of this study is to assess the role of text analytical competence in translation performance.An evaluation of the text analytical mastery of 50 advanced students in translation in Advanced School of Translators and Interpreters (ASTI) was conducted in order to raise awareness of the actual source text comprehension challenges facing trainee translators. The study posits that text analytical competence contributes significantly to translation achievement and poor performances in translation largely result from poor or inadequate understanding of the text to be translated. The empirical study takes the form of a protocol test of a 300 words translation into English administered to 50 advanced students of the ASTI, University of Buea in Cameroon. The results demonstrate that professional translation is not a simple substitution of terminology and somebasic knowledge of grammar.  Professional translation involves analyzing the situation and function of the text in relation to the focus ofits translation. These specific characteristics of the translation process are what determine the type of text analytical competence requiredfor producing optimal translations.  The study proposes a text analytical course programthat is tailored to respond to these new professional profiles of the translator.