Euskal itzultzailearen egoera eta iritziak (Inkesta baten emaitzak)
J.M. Zabaleta

Abstract

In 1980 an investigation was carried out among the Basque translators. It was the first time that the subject was seriously approached with the intention of defining the situation they were in the work, labour situation, the necessities devided from the linguistic point of wiew, possible projects for the future etc.

In the early summer of this year, 1986, a new inquiry has been made, similar in many aspects to that of 1980, with the purpose of knowing the present situation with greater detail, (labour, profesional, trade-union, linguistic and sociolinguistic aspects that affect translators) and also with the aim of assessing the evolution since the previous investigation.

The questionnaire was elaborated according to following programme.

1. Typology of the Basque translator (to and from Basque), age, origin.
2. Education status of the Basque translator: present job, work relations, type of translations he usuelly does, his level or specialization and his knowledge on the subject he translates.
3. Languages from which he translates into Basque, his linguistic competence in them.
4. Linguistic competence in Basque, the way in which the language was learnt, knowledge of the Basque literary tradition.
5. Way of acces to the profession, studies for this purpose.
6. Lingustic and reference resources, dictionaries, grammars, etc.
7. Main difficulties found in the practice of translation (lexical, morphosyntactic, devided from the sociolinguistic situation etc).
8. Opinions on how to become a translator, subjects that should be studied in such a career in order of preference. Academic Statute of the studies.
9. Opinions on the professional status the translator has a right to and the necessity of a college or association of Basque translators. 
10. Opinions on translation policies or otherwise on the different strata of Basque public life.
11. A brief professional curriculum.

The causes that determine the special situation of the Basque translators are many and varied, the first and more decisive one being that of the situation of minority and linguistic conflict of the Basque language, which is the target language.

Translations are made into a language that is minority in the society in which it is used, the usage of which isn't normal in wast areas of social life.

But it must be said that great efforts are being made to normalize the use the language which is rapidely gaining ground in many different fields, especially in education and translation.

This is precisely one of the characteristics that makes the situation of the Basque translators so peculiar: the best part of their translations are dirocted to the same people who produced the information to be translated. Above all in certain areas (Administration etc).

Other areas that have demanded the assistance of the translator are the media (press and TV mainly).

This enormous and sudden demand has meant there are a great deal of people going into the translating profession.

This same 'rush' of translators, worsened by the state of the language and all the subsequent consequences is another of the characteristics and a source of problems, in translation in the Basque Country: rather questionable theoretical preparation, linguistic criteria, or lack of criteria etc.

Another of the worries reflected in the investigation is the dispersion of efforts, the lack of coordination which could lead to a better solution to the problems being encountered. For all these reasons, translators —almost unanimously— have agreed upon the need to get together and coordinate to solve their problems.