A Study on the Profiles of Arabic Translation-Translator Candidates in Turkish Higher Education

Abstract

Translation, an ancient activity, has only been acknowledged as an independent discipline since the 1970s. Translation Studies was introduced as a program in Turkish higher education in the 1980s, with English translation and interpreting programs being the first to emerge. It was not until 2011 that the first program for training Arabic translators and interpreters was established at Kırıkkale University. Subsequently, the same program was introduced in nine other universities. In this study, we explore the profiles of prospective Arabic translators and interpreters in ten Turkish universities offering undergraduate-level programs for Arabic translation and interpreting, focusing on various aspects such as gender, geographical location, educational background, high school type, academic ranking, foreign language test scores, program preferences, and post-graduation plans. Our findings indicate that female students show a greater inclination towards the program, with one-third of the students choosing the program in their city. Arabic translator-interpreter candidates mostly originate from the Central Anatolian Region, with one-third being recent graduates and another third being experienced ones. More than half of the students who enrolled in the program graduated from Imam-Hatip High School, and top-performing students are less inclined to select this program. On average, a language test score of forty-six is required for admission to the program. Finally, we found that students who completed the program often preferred programs related to Arabic language teaching and literature.