An integrated approach on translation evaluation: Describing the situation of translator training programs in Turkey

Translation takes place in communication situations between different languages and cultures as well as in various areas of expertise. Thus, target texts are evaluated directly or indirectly in different subject areas or environments and by different individuals or institutions. Along with aforementioned differences, the fact that the concept of evaluation is comprehensive by nature and it can lead to uncertainty and complexity in some cases. Hence, it has become a significant question that how diversity and inclusiveness inherent in the act of translation is reflected in the concepts and courses for evaluation, especially in translator training. The aim of this study is to set forth the current situation through a comprehensive evaluation approach within the framework of approaches to criticism and evaluation concepts of translator training programs at the undergraduate level in Turkey. In the first part of the thesis, we discuss the concepts such as criticism, quality assessment, assessment & evaluation and analysis at the word level and within the framework of theoretical perspectives. As the starting point of the diverse evaluation methods, we set forth text type classification. In the second part, we tried to solidify the connection of an integrated and inclusive evaluation course with the main courses in translator training. In the third chapter, we tackled the question 'In the basis of an evaluation course, do certain translation courses in Turkey have integrity and comprehensiveness as a whole? A general table is drawn on similar and separated aspects as well as certainties and uncertainties based on the evaluation courses. To that end, we formed a corpus of texts from course titles and definitions from Turkish-English Translation and Interpreting and Translation Studies departments in Turkey (2018). As a result, it is seen that there are diversity and uncertainty in some cases as in the evaluation concepts in translator training. It is stated that, course names are taken form according to context of act of criticism, visibility of criticizing of texts in translation industry especially in courses such as project, editing and proofreading, even if these texts are not focused on technical translation in general. With the determination of this diversity, criticism and alternative evaluation courses' existence in curriculum is a significant step for integratedness. This step is interpreted as a slice of intersection of translator training and translation industry. Keywords: translation evaluation, translation criticism, translation quality, translator training, integrated evaluation