Uncertainty, uncertainty management and metacognitive problem solving in the translation task
Erik Angelone · American Translators Association scholarly monograph series · 2010
This paper reports on an exploratory study documenting articulated and non-articulated behavioral indicators marking the presence of metacognitive activity associated with uncertainty management behavior in translation. Uncertainty management is associated with problem solving and occurs when translators experience uncertainty (a cognitive state of indecision) when encountering translation problems. The uncertainty management of one professional and three student translators is triangulated using a dual methodology of think-aloud protocols and screen-recording. The study focuses on variations in the metacognitive activity patterns between participants at the textual level, behavioral level (problem recognition, solution proposal, solution evaluation), and locus of translation activity (comprehension, transfer, production). The preliminary results may indicate expertise effects and suggest substantive differences in the way professionals and students manage uncertainty.