Collecting literary translators' narratives: towards a new paradigm for technological innovation in literary translation

This chapter looks at some of the findings from a questionnaire exploring the dynamic between literary translators’ self-image and their attitudes towards technology. The overall aim of the study was to include literary translators’ voices in the conversation on technological innovation in their profession in order to proactively assess their relationship with technology and identify potential solutions to emergent issues. The main focus of the chapter is on how the 150 participants constructed the notion of technology as related to their professional practice. In particular, it will present and discuss the findings on literary translators’ confidence with technology, the tools they use in their practice, and their attitudes towards both general and translation technology. Furthermore, it will provide an overview of how the Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) framework informed the study’s methodology and analysis. The findings highlight a discrepancy between current research focus and literary translators’ perceptions. The need for a more inclusive approach to the development of tools and for revised technology training is also identified.