Who is the better survey translator? The impact of translator background and translation technologies on questionnaire translation quality

• Applicant: Dr. Dorothée Behr
• Subject Area: Empirical Social Research ; Applied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 502005913

This project looks into questionnaire translation methodology in cross-national and cross-cultural survey research, with the goal to identify and subsequently disseminate comparability-enhancing methods. Within cross-cultural survey methodology, it is frequently deplored that empirical data on good translation practices is lacking even though translation problems are among the great barriers to comparability in comparative research. We will investigate two potential key drivers of translation quality, namely, the human translators themselves and machine translation. More specifically, we will investigate (1) how the background and experience of the human translators (translation practitioners vs. social scientists) impacts translation quality; and, against the backdrop of the current technological transformation of the translation and survey industry, (2) how the usage of machine translation as a basis for post-editing impacts translation quality. The project will take a uniquely comprehensive perspective on translation quality that comprises expert evaluations, survey-based quality indicators, and the link between these two. As the social sciences are eagerly taking up digital/AI resources, we will be investigating the impact of their use on translation quality. The project is thus firmly embedded in the DFG’s calls for embracing the digital turn in the Sciences and Humanities (2020). While the chief project aims are empirically driven translation recommendations for researchers in comparative research, the field of translation studies will equally benefit from this project, since the project will further the knowledge on competences needed when it comes to translating specific text genres. In an era where machine translation available at the fingertip of everyone, the question is ever more pressing for translator training institutions on how their students can be optimally trained to maintain their position in the value chain translation. The project will conclude with an interdisciplinary online project workshop, allowing for in-depth discussion of project results, cross-links to other research, and visions for future developments in questionnaire translation. The project will be situated in the context of open science, making use of translation tools that are freely available so that other researchers can adopt procedures from this study for their questionnaire translations.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Dr. Clemens Lechner