TRANSLATOR'S INTERCULTURAL TRAINING: DATABASE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

Literature review and data obtained through an online survey appear to demonstrate that there exists a perceived need for introducing an intercultural training component into university Translation and Interpreting degrees that is hardly backed up by implementation initiatives. The article suggests that a way to facilitate and promote the introduction of intercultural training elements into curricula is through creating an open online database of text fragments and other elements that translator trainers can use as resources for class discussions and activities. The authors report on an initiative of creating such a resource bank carried out at the University of Deusto (Bilbao, Spain). The database under construction includes text fragments, images with verbal contents and purely visual items that are considered instrumental for developing student translator's intercultural competence. Text fragments and visual-cum-textual elements are in English, Spanish and Russian, the three languages for which pilot intercultural competence development courses have been designed at the university. All items included are grouped along various parameters. In the article, the reasons behind the database structure and the possibilities provided by the organisational principles selected are presented. At the same time, the point is made that the resource bank described is expected to be of use not only for translator trainers and students but also for foreign language teachers and translator's intercultural competence researchers. The work on the database is to continue and it is hoped that this article will permit other universities interested in sharing their experience learn about the initiative and join in.