The Evolution of Students’ Ability to Identify and Solve Different Types of Translation Problems: Insights from a Longitudinal Process and Product Study

Problem-solving is a multi-faceted activity, which lies at the very heart of the translation process and requires the effective operation of translation competence (TC). This article investigates how a group of undergraduate students who participated in a comprehensive longitudinal study into the development of TC approached three different types of prototypical translation problems before and after receiving 7.5 months of translator education. The study examines 315 problem-solving paths, focusing in particular on verbal (but also non-verbal) evidence confirming students’ awareness of the nature of the problems, the strategicness of the problem-solving process, and the plausibility of the final solutions provided.