“I think it is a wonderful job” On the solidity of the translation profession
Helle V. Dam and Karen Korning Zethsen
Aarhus University
ABSTRACT
The literature tends to draw a rather negative picture of the translation profession. It is widely believed to be characterised by low degrees of professionalisation, status and recognition, and the working conditions of practising translators are much lamented. Nevertheless, research indicates that translators are surprisingly satisfied with their jobs. The present article sets out to explore this apparent paradox by looking into the sources of translators’ job satisfaction and, ultimately, into the factors that motivate translators to stay in a profession that seems to be offering sub-standard working conditions. These motivators, we argue, may contribute to creating a solid core in a profession that is otherwise believed to be porous and unstable. The study reported on in the article draws on inductive content analysis of the narratives of 15 seasoned translators, and the analysis shows that, just as translators have a shared understanding of the downsides of being a translator, they are also in agreement on the attractions of the job. The findings are discussed in the light of Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus and capital(s).
KEYWORDS
The translation profession, translators, occupational status, job satisfaction, habitus, symbolic capital, cultural capital.