LOW SOCIAL STATUS, HIGH INDIVIDUAL STATUS: TURKISH TRANSLATORS IN THE STATE AND PRIVATE SECTORS

Abstract

The translation literature indicates a negative perception regarding the translator status and the translation profession. This study aims to explore how the state and private sector translators’ social, symbolic, cultural capital and translatorial habitus are related to their self-perceptions of status as a professional group in Turkey. With this aim in mind, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with thirteen translators who work in the state and private sectors in Turkey. The results of the interviews are discussed in the light of Pierre Bourdieu’s key concepts of capital and habitus. According to the findings of the study, translation is not still a fully established profession in Turkey. The findings also indicate that translators don't assign the same value to all the capital forms. Especially the possession of a distinctive cultural capital in an unregulated field leads them to develop a professional habitus of proud, satisfied, committed experts. In light of the qualitative findings this study argues that the social negative narratives regarding the translation profession in Turkey clash with the translators’ personal narratives in terms of their social, symbolic, cultural capital and translatorial habitus.

Keywords

• Translator Status
• Status Perception
• Habitus
• Capital

DÜŞÜK TOPLUMSAL STATÜ, YÜKSEK BİREYSEL STATÜ: TÜRKİYE'DE KAMU VE ÖZEL SEKTÖR ÇEVİRMENLERİ

Abstract

Çeviribilim araştırmalarında çevirmen statüsü ve çevirmenlik mesleğine ilişkin olumsuz bir algı söz konusudur. Bu çalışmanın amacı Türkiye’de özel sektörde ve kamu sektöründe çalışan çevirmenlerin bir meslek grubu olarak statülerine yönelik öz algılarının sosyal, sembolik, kültürel sermayeleri ve çevirmen habituslarıyla ilişkisini araştırmaktır. Bu amaç doğrultusunda, özel sektörde ve kamu sektöründe çalışan toplam 13 çevirmen ile yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Bu görüşmelerin verileri Pierre Bourdieu’nun habitus ve sermaye kavramları ışığında incelenmiştir. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre, Türkiye’de çevirmenlikte meslekleşme süreci tamamlanmış değildir. Ayrıca araştırma sonuçları, çevirmenlerin farklı sermaye türlerine eşit derecede değer vermediklerine işaret etmektedir. Özellikle düzenlemelerin eksik olduğu bir alanda ayırt edici bir kültürel sermayeye sahip olmaları, çevirmenlerin işiyle gurur duyun, iş tatmini yüksek, kendini mesleğe adamış uzman şeklinde bir mesleki habitus geliştirmesine yol açmaktadır. Araştırma Türkiye’de çevirmenlik mesleğine ilişkin olumsuz toplumsal anlaıların, çevirmenlerin sosyal, sembolik, kültürel ve çevirmenlik habitusları açısından kişisel anlatıları ile çatışmakta olduğunu savunmaktadır.

Keywords

• Çevirmen Statüsü
• Statü Algısı
• Habitus
• Sermaye

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