Translation as Disturbance: Emotion Management for a Sustainable Profession

Emotions are complex reactions comprising experiential, behavioural, and physiological components. Few would argue that professional translators can experience emotions in the context of their work, and that they need to possess emotional competencies in order to mediate effectively between cultures, to understand a client’s needs and expectations, and to communicate messages in a successful way. Yet, translators’ emotions are still under-researched and psychological aspects of translating lack visibility in professional translator training contexts. In this presentation, I will highlight the relevance of discussing affect—the term used in psychology to refer to emotions that influence one’s thinking and actions—and explore how emotions can have a powerful impact on practicing translators. Drawing on translators’ experiences as well as an empirical study involving 155 professional translators, it will be argued that acquiring an ability to manage emotions is key to a successful and sustainable career in the translation industry.