Collaborative Translation: Turning Solipsism into Synergy

This study, based on a social constructivist approach, explores the idea of collaborative translation, and illustrates the advantages of teaching/learning translation techniques and strategies collaboratively in an e-learning environment. The idea of a translator as a solitary writer has long been dismissed, but it still seems to survive in translation courses. Defying the idea of a solipsistic view of translation and discussing ways in which groups of trainee translators can stimulate each other’s actions so as to collectively behave as a sole entity are the ultimate aims of this study. To do this, it investigates a number of different cases in which translation courses were designed in such a way as to foster collaborative attitude towards translating. Techniques of qualitative analysis were used to identify, describe and interpret the forms of argumentative collaboration and co-construction of knowledge students were experiencing online. Data collection included reports from participants, issued periodically in the semesters investigated. The results of this study suggest that collaborating on translation assignments improved both the translation skills and the communication product of trainee translators, developing their sense of a community through the perception of mutual interdependence, the promotion of individual initiative and creativity, and the negotiation of common lines of action.