Temporal Dynamics of Emotion and Cognition in Human Translation: Integrating the Task Segment Framework and the HOF Taxonomy

Abstract This article presents a framework for modeling the human mind during translation, based on empirical data. It argues that three interrelated layers of mental processing operate simultaneously which can be detected in behavioral data: routinized/automated sequences reflected in fluent translation behavior; cognitive/reflective processes indicated by extended keystroke pauses; and affective/emotional states, which manifest in distinctive typing and eye-tracking patterns. Drawing on data from the CRITT Translation Process Research Database (TPR-DB), the article demonstrates how the temporal dynamics of keystrokes and gaze behavior can be linked to these underlying mental strata. The proposed embedded generative model is situated within broader theoretical contexts, including dual-process theories and Robinson’s (2023) ideosomatic theory of translation. In doing so, the article offers a novel empirical foundation for advancing theoretical developments in Cognitive Translation Studies.