Is the past worth studying? An analysis of lecturers' views about the relevance of the history of translation at UK universities

Abstract

The history of translation has generally occupied a secondary position within translation training programs, despite the fact that numerous scholars, such as D’Hulst, Woodsworth and Malmkjær, have argued that it is relevant for the education of translators. In the same vein, attempts have been made to highlight the link between theory and practice, outlining the contribution that more comprehensive approaches would make to tackling the limited professional recognition faced by translators and the discipline as a whole. In order to assess to what extent the integration of the history and theory of translation should be pursued in the design and improvement of translator training programs, this paper presents an exploratory study in which lecturers at a number of UK universities have given their professional opinion on a range of relevant issues, focusing particularly on the role and status that the history of translation should have within translation degree programs. The results reveal the existence of different approaches to curriculum design and the limited presence of history in translation degree programs; nevertheless, the majority of lecturers acknowledge the potential benefits of the history of translation for the education of translators-to-be.