The Foreign Language Effect and Moral Cognition in Translators and Interpreters

Abstract

It has been shown that people react differently to challenging situations when they are presented in a foreign language: this is called the Foreign Language Effect. However, it has not been studied so far if this effect occurs in Translation and Interpreting students and graduates. The aim of this study is to investigate whether or not this is the case, as this discovery would be beneficial for the field to demonstrate that professionals in the sector reach a foreign language level equal to their mother tongue. In order to carry out the research, answers to moral dilemmas based on those created by Moral Cognition theorists have been analysed to find out whether the Foreign Language Effect occurs in the field of Translation and Interpreting as well as in other individuals. The results show that the Foreign Language Effect is found in both professionals and students in this field. One possible explanation for this could be the fact that the foreign language load in their training is not sufficient to achieve a level equivalent to their mother tongue. Nevertheless, further research would be advisable to explore whether this is the case for professional interpreters with long-standing careers. In conclusion, the results of the study do not meet the expectations, so it would be appropriate to investigate the causes through a further study, as well as to analyse whether the foreign language training received by Translation and Interpreting students is sufficient for their expected level of proficiency.