DOI: 10.51726/jlr.1920964 ISSN: 2602-4578

Rethinking Language Competence Related Courses in T&I Departments: A Comparative Curriculum Analysis

Ebru Çavuşoğlu
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One of the core skills required of translators is language proficiency in both L1 and L2. By the time students start translation practice classes, many translation programs presume that they already have a solid command of the language. Research, however, seldom looks at how curricula truly close the gap between language proficiency and translational skills. This article examines the relationship between language proficiency and translation and interpreting (T&I) education in some of the top universities in Türkiye and Europe by analyzing and comparing curricula regarding language courses designed to improve translation students’ language competence and proficiency. Through a qualitative curriculum analysis of 10 translator-training programs in Türkiye and Europe, courses will be coded according to competence categories derived from the European Master’s in Translation (EMT) framework, and language proficiency will be conceptualized using the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). The main aim is to identify the pedagogical transition from general language proficiency to translational competence. By conducting a cross-program comparison and analyzing how translator-training curricula structure the shift from general language proficiency to translational competence, this study contributes to translation studies. It offers empirical insights into the pedagogical development of translation competence in higher education. Overall, translator training cannot be considered distinct from language teaching, as it raises issues related to program identity and adherence to professional norms.

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