A Bourdieusian Perspective on Translator Training: Sociological Reflections and Implications

Abstract

The advent of sociological turn in Translation Studies has yet less been felt in translation pedagogy. An immensely influential sociology already informing translation (studies) is that of Pierre Bourdieu's. From the perspective of Bourdieu's concept of field within his power and practice theory, translator training is a social field with characteristics shared with other social fields. The present article, taking a sociological approach to translation pedagogy, attempted at exploring and applying elements of the field analogy, along with its accompanying notions, in the field of translator training. The findings particularly point to the role of habitus, capital and position-taking in understanding the practices observed in the field of translator training as well as how Bourdieusian sociology can inform this dynamic social space. Agents' socialization, here that of trainee translators and translator trainers, which is closely linked with their academic specialization and different types of identities, draws on their habitus and capitals, consisting of dimensions and types. Besides, capital conversion accounts for some practices in the field of translator training.