Textual genres and expertise in translation

Abstract

This paper deals with the implications that a potential relationship between textual genres and expertise would have both on translation teaching and research. Firstly, the concepts are defined separately, then problems inherent to translation competence are discussed, finally several ideas are introduced on how textual genres on experts and novices are to be used, and vice versa. Using textual genres might accelerate the development of the expertise levels, by automating mental processes, paving the way for metacognitive mecanisms, and allowing for the possibility that subjects work on pseudorreal situations. Scientific initiatives are proposed to shed some light on the differences among experts and novices regarding the way they use textual genres. This interconnection would be thus reinforced and justified with empirical data.