Exploring Online Collaborative Translator Training in an Online Discussion Forum

Abstract

An asynchronous online translation discussion forum was created and used to post texts to be translated by participating English-Arabic student translators from different countries. Volunteer translation instructors read participants’ translations and gave communicative feedback on the location and types of errors. Errors were color-coded. No correct translations were provided. The participants revised their translations and re-posted them for further feedback. Each translation was subjected to several revisions and re-submissions before it reached an acceptable level. Translation tips were given. The participants had access to a variety of online dictionaries and resources. At the end of the semester, participants responded to a questionnaire regarding their online collaborative experience. Participant views and further reflections on online translation instruction are given.