INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS OF TRANSLATORS: THE OUTCOMES OF RUSSIAN UNIVERSITY TRAINING

In the context of the introduction of the newly developed occupational standard for translators and the vitality of the modification of translator training curricula, the authors of the article discuss the diagnostic assessment used to evaluate students’ readiness for professional intercultural communication. It is used as an initial stage in the formation of professional intercultural strategic competency of translators. The abovementioned competency is defined in the article. The authors of the article are carrying out a research aimed at theoritizing and implementing a practice-oriented educational course devoted to developing professional intercultural strategic competency of translators. The main assessment tool at the diagnostic stage is a questionnaire incorporating elements of case-study method, comparing and contrasting, and reflecting analysis. Consisting of six parts, the questionnaire is aligned to the structure of professional intercultural strategic competency and the requirements of the national educational and the occupational standard. Each part features conclusion of high didactic value since it could be used as methodological guidelines for development of educational courses and handbooks on professional intercultural communication identifying further learning objectives. At the end there is a summative evaluation based on learner-supplied evidence with associated statistics. The materials may be used for the further theoretical backgrounding and development of the professional competencies of translators.

translator training, professional intercultural strategic communication, linguistic education, competency level diagnostics, ordinary consciousness, intercultural communication, crosscultural analysis, occupational standard of a translator