A Study on the Assessment of Cultural Competence in Bilingualism: The Case of German Translation and Interpreting at Istanbul University

Culture, which includes all the knowledge of a society, is one of the most important components of translation. When the translator is not able to perceive the cultural symbols of the text or he/she is ignoring the culture of the target language and the target text will lose its function. Thus, the starting point of this study is built on the way in which the monolingual individual perceives a foreign language through comparison and abstraction and how it is received by bilingual individuals, and how it is reflected in the translation process constitutes. This study includes a survey used to examine the cultural competence of the bilingual first-grade students of German Translation and Interpreting at the Istanbul University department of Translation Studies. Furthermore, translation from German to Turkish and vice versa and a translation assessment grid are used to gather data as regards the translation of the recipe for “simit” (Bagel) and “Brezel”. The data acquired from this study is also examined in the context of cultural competence; thus conjectures are provided as regards the cultural competence of bilingual students. ABSTRACT Cultural elements are important constituents of translation, which is defined as an intercultural communication activity. Broadly speaking, it can be said that culture is the sum of the traditional ways of life, ideas and artistic assets of a society and it creates the unity of a people who speak the same language. Language is the element which makes cultural interaction and intercultural communication possible. Naturally, intercultural interaction is formed when different cultures make contact with each other. It is inevitable that this contact happens through translation. In the process of translation, the world view and the perception of culture of the translator is a key factor for the message to be delivered to the recipients as intended. The functionality of the target text depends on the reception of the cultural elements in the translated text by the translator and his/her consideration of the target culture. Thus, the translator’s reception of a foreign culture is an important issue.