The Status of Translation, Challenges and Perspectives in Cameroon
Abstract
This study investigates the status of translation challenges and perspectives in Cameroon It builds on the premise that the trajectory of Cameroon predisposes it to the industrialisation of translation. This practice has been institutionalised in Cameroon a long time ago but no one can trace for sure, its status and milestone to professionalization. The objectives of this study were therefore to (1) find out if translation is professionalized in Cameroon, (2) determine the effectiveness of translation practice in Cameroon, and (3) identify those who serve as translators in Cameroon. The study relied on observation, interviews, questionnaires, documentation. Secondary source material such as text books, journals and any relevant material were also consulted and fully exploited for the collection of relevant information. Findings revealed that: translation in Cameroon is not professionalized; translators do not enjoy any prestigious status; there is lack of organization and no effective translation practice in the country; the myriad of language pairs are still to be effectively served by the existing practitioners; existing translation schools are yet to provide the translation market with the relevant number of qualified translators; translation is practiced by anyone who can speak two or more languages. It was recommended that further studies be carried out on the requirements of professionalization in translation practice.
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