Developing intercultural competence through pre-translation analysis of Ukrainian tourist guides into English

Abstract

This paper explores the development of cultural translation skills and, ultimately, students’ intercultural competence during the pre-translation analysis of Ukrainian travel guide texts. Though intercultural competence have been studied by a considerable number of authors it still needs clarification and modification due to new challenges emerging in the contemporary globalizing translation landscape that call for cultural mediators who could ensure effective communication between different ethnic groups and different cultural worldviews. The purpose of the study is to examine how the pre-translation analysis could foster cultural awareness by encouraging trainees to recognize diverse ways of communicating similar situations across cultures. We argue that pre-translation analysis plays a crucial role in shifting students’ perceptual stance, prompting a cognitive transition into a different cultural perspective. This stage broadens their understanding of new communication patterns rather than merely focusing on handling culture-bound units. The approach adopted in the study is student-centered, encouraging learners to engage in discussions, express their opinions on cultural translation strategies, and reflect on their decision-making process. Findings suggest that pre-translation analysis serves as a foundational step in shaping cultural translation skills and, consequently, developing students’ intercultural competence. The proposed instructional strategies aim to create a cognitive shift that facilitates risk-taking. Instead of providing definitive translations, instructors encourage group collaboration, allowing students to explore various possibilities and select the most appropriate solutions. The study highlights the effectiveness of discussion-based learning in empowering students to make translation decisions regarding cultural elements. Developing intercultural competence in translation trainees requires activities such as analyzing differences in the communication styles of promotional texts in the source and target cultures, adapting cultural references for better reception, and balancing the representation of both cultures in translation output. These activities engage students in strategic translation planning while considering the purpose of the travel guide and the expectations of the target audience. Furthermore, they help maintain cultural awareness and sensitivity, equipping trainees with the skills to navigate cultural challenges. In summary, this study underscores the importance of a student-centered approach in modern translation education. It advocates for authentic translation tasks, problem-solving activities, and collaborative learning methods to enhance students' intercultural competence and overall translation skills. A natural progression of this work is to analyze teaching strategies of cultivating trainees’ intercultural competence that could be adopted during the other procedural stages of translation process, that is translation proper and post-translation editing.