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Top1. Introduction
In Translation Studies (TS), although the past two decades have witnessed a huge revival of interest in discussing translator competences, a fuller picture will not be obtained if the perspectives of clients, who are important stakeholders initiating and commissioning a translation task, are not taken into consideration. Unfortunately, the voices of translation clients have been relatively under-researched empirically in spite of the fact that their roles have been emphasized by TS scholars for decades (Nord, 2018; Orlando, 2016; Prunč, 2007; Risku, Pein-Weber & Milošević, 2016). In Europe, some empirical studies were conducted to examine clients’ viewpoints. For example, the Optimale Survey (2012) identified the competence that clients (translation services providers) expect when seeking to hire translators. Lafeber (2012) explored the decisive elements, including the combination of skills and knowledge that inter-governmental organizations (IGOs) look for in candidates during the recruitment process. Risku et al. pointed out that the “client–translator relationship is seldom researched in TS and cannot be easily distinguished from its specific real-life context” (2016, p. 995). They thus conducted a case study to compare the views and expectations of a translator and a client regarding an actual translation process. Comparatively speaking, in Asia, clients’ voices have received limited attention. Little knowledge about how clients perceive translators, such as their professionalism and competences, has been gained.
In TS, analyzing clients’ opinions is quite a challenging task. One of the reasons is that “client” is a “rather dangerous blanket term” as noted by Chesterman and Wagner (2014, p. 49). Because “the relation between the reader, the client and the author can vary” (ibid), they identified three types of clients: (1) those who are authors. For example, these clients may have written a text in their first language or in a foreign language and are having the text translated; (2) those who are middlemen between readers and authors. They may work in translation agencies or are responsible for hiring translators in a company; and (3) those who are readers who need the translation because they do not understand the source language. In recent years, due to globalization, clients’ demand for translation service has continued to increase. The Common Sense Advisory (CSA) predicted that the language services industry keeps growing and the market will increase to US$56.18 billion by 2021 (Globalization and Localization Association, 2019). The global translation service markets are predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.7% during 2021–27 (Market Watch, 2022). In particular, the pandemic boosted the need to communicate across languages and cultures for information exchange and therefore has led to a rise in the number of both translators and translation service providers (TSP). However, there are very few published results about the opinions of TSPs or those who work in translation agencies responsible for hiring translators in a company (the second type of clients according to the classification of Chesterman and Wager). In the literature, Optimale Survey (2012) is one of the most seminal empirical studies investigating the way TSPs perceive translator competences in the workplace. The survey, in which over 680 people took part, identified the competences requirements within the European translation industry. However, the focus of the survey was mainly on Europe, and it was conducted in 2011. The findings may not be able to reflect the current situation because translators are now expected to be highly competent multitasking agents possessing excellent language skills, advanced information literacy, and great technological and instrumental competences (Enríquez Raído 2016, p. 970). As a result, it is worthwhile to replicate the Optimale survey so as to understand the current competences that the second type of clients in Asia look for when they seek to hire translators and to discover whether there are changes in translator competences expected by clients over time. The information will not only be useful for academics involved in offering translator training but also for translators to enhance their professionalism.