Translation as a Profession (Benjamins Translation Library)

256 Translation as a Professiontition would very quickly disappear, though this would still not necessarily solvethe problem of poor quality work.When all is said and done, common sense could solve the problem. Thesituation might be as follows:– inanycase,access to the practice of translation on a professional basis wouldrequire full compliance with all applicable tax and social security obligations;– thetitleofprofessional translator wouldbeawardedtothosegraduatingfroma university course or on the basis of prior professional experience, accordingto standard, internationally recognised procedures;– those translators who feel that the title is important because this wouldguarantee their competence and the quality of their work would seek tobecome ‘state registered’ or chartered translators.The system could be implemented smoothly and fairly, even in the context of globalisation,without resorting to further regulations or restrictions. There would justremain one thing to be done: all those in favour of consumer protection or protectingwork providers’ interests should logically be in favour of introducing a translatingaptitude test for anyone wanting to practice translation professionally. Thiskind of test would simply be designed to weed out the budding translators whoare clearly unable to meet certain minimum quality criteria (at least temporarily,as the test could obviously be re-taken at regular intervals).Whichever way you look at the issue, therefore, there does seem to be anurgent need to restrict the use of the professional title of translator on the basisof professional competence and compliance with a strict ethical code. And anysuch restrictions must be universally accepted and applied, just as the fight fordecent remuneration levels must be extended to translators all over the world.Wherever they live and wherever they practise, all translators have a duty to fightsimultaneously for better quality and for higher tariffs. Simply because, like it ornot, translators offering the same language combination are now in the same boatif they have access to the same markets and can be reached by the same workproviders. Everyone knows that unrestricted global markets can lead to low-costprevailing over quality. Hence the need for quality-based standards, which couldthen be used to get fairer tariffs for everyone and reduce market distortion. Ifthe translation profession remains a free-for-all, it will mean lower earnings foreveryone in the long run, both at national and international level. It will also meanlower quality, because even good translators will no longer be able to ‘afford’ theluxury of quality assurance if they want to earn a decent living, or alternatively,because earnings will have fallen to such depths that the best translators will simplyhave left the profession and the best students will not be attracted to it.Of course, no one will admit to their livelihood being on the line. Yet anyonewho spends a bit of time browsing the Web can find translators willing to work for