Developing metacognitive competences in translation from/into African languages: a case for rethinking the curriculum and practice of translation
Keywords:
African languages, developing, metacognitive competences, translationAbstract
This study examines the role of metacognitive competences in the translation processes involving African languages. Translators often lack the awareness of their cognitive processes and the impact it has on translation quality when faced with significant challenges in rendering accurate and culturally sensitive translations. The study therefore sets out to investigate why translators, especially those translating from/into African languages should develop metacognitive competences, and determine the future of translating from/into African languages as a result of the development of metacognitive competences. This study employed a mixed method research design. Data was collected qualitatively through interviews, observations and documentary research, and quantitatively through questionnaires administered to some translation students in ASTI offering translation from/into African languages as well as professional translators. The quantitative data was analyzed using bar charts and descriptive statistics, while the qualitative data was analyzed using the thematic approach. The findings reveal that 53.9% of translators engage in assessing their work but only 30.3% actively monitor it, with a dominant reliance on native consultation (87.9%) for quality assurance. Despite current challenges, including moderate competence levels (49%) and existing barriers (58.3%), the future appears transformative for metacognitive development, with translators overwhelmingly in support for professionalisation (85.4%), technology integration (87.5%), and curriculum integration (86.5%). Key recommendations proposed are implementing metacognitive training in the school curricula, using translation logs and digital tools and fund them, and developing policies for digital infrastructure and glossaries, aligning with global trends, as well as establishing community networks for native speaker consultations to ensure cultural fidelity.References
American Psychological Association. (2020). APA Dictionary of Psychology. American Psychological Association.
Banda, F. (2002). Language planning and policy in Africa: The role of metacognition in Translation and Education. Centre for Advanced Studies in African Linguistics.
Bassnett, S. (2002). Translation Studies. Routledge.
Bristlin, R. W. (1982). Translation: Applications and Research. Haworth Press.
Bontempo, K., and Rocco, S. (2021). The Routledge Handbook of Translation and Cognition. Routledge.
Catford, J. C. (1965). A Linguistic Theory of Translation. Oxford University Press.
Chesterman, A., and Schlesinger, M. (2016). Can Theory Help Translators? A Dialogue Between the Ivory Tower and the Wordface. Routledge.
Chesterman, A. (2016). Memes of Translation: The Spread of Ideas in Translation Theory. John Benjamins.
Flavell, J. H. (1979). Metacognition and Cognitive Monitoring: A New Era of Cognitive Developmental Inquiry. American Psychologist.
Gile, D. (2021). Basic Concepts and Models for Interpreter and Translator Training. John Benjamins.
Gile, D., and Liu, M. (2011). Cognitive Efforts and Effects of Note-taking in Consecutive Interpreting. An Empirical Study. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Jaaskelainen, R. (2010). Think aloud protocol studies in translation. Samfundslitteratur.
Hacker, D. J. (2009). A Self-regulated Framework for Writing: A Sociocognitive Approach to the Writing Process. Peter Lang Publishing.
Katan, D. (2012). Translation as Intercultural Communication: A Framework. Bloomsbury.
Katan, D. (2021). Translating Cultures: An Introduction for Translators, Interpreters and Mediators. Routledge.
Katan, D. (2018). Translation Theory and Practice. Routledge.
Kirschner, A. (2001). Cognitive load theory and instructional design. Open Universities.
Kussmaul, P. (1995). Training the translator. John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Newmark, P. (1998). More Paragraphs on Translation. Multilingual Matters Ltd.
Nida, E. A. (1991). Styles of Discourse: A Socio-Semiotic Approach. Peter Lang Publishing.
Nida, E. A., and Taber, C. R. (1969). The Theory and Practice of Translation. Brill.
Nord, C. (1991). Text Analysis in Translation: Theory, Methodology, and Didactic Application of a Model for Translation-Oriented Text Analysis. Rodopi.
Pym, A. (2021). Translation Solutions for many Languages: Histories of a Flawed Dream. Routledge.
Reiss, K., and Vermeer, H. J. (1984). Towards a General Theory of Translation Action. Niemeyer.
Risku, H. (2020). Cognitive Aspects of Translation. Peter Lang Publishing.
Schäffner, C. (1998). Translation and norms. Multilingual Matters Ltd.
Schäffner, C. (2022). Translation and Quality: Issues and Approaches. Multilingual Matters Ltd.
Valero, E. (2021). Translation Competence and Translator Training. Routledge.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 EPASA MOTO
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
