Title
Working conditions and job satisfaction of audio describers in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and mainland China
Conference name
Media for All 10 Conference
City
Country
Belgium
Modalities
Date
06/07/2023-07/07/2023
Abstract
Translations as products are the consequence of who translators are and how and where they do their work. This epistemology underpins the sociological turn that evolved in Translation Studies in the 1980s when translation began to be considered a social practice as well as Cognitive Translation Studies and the concept of embodied cognition (Muñoz Martín, 2016). This idea reflects a shift in focus from texts to translations’ agents (e.g., translators) and the translation process’s context. In the field of Audiovisual Translation (AVT), few studies adopt a sociological or translation process viewpoint. However, this approach is essential for understanding the realm and developing new concepts, criteria, recommendations, and training methods (Taylor & Perego, 2022).
In Translation Studies, working conditions and job satisfaction have been thoroughly investigated (Ehrensberger-Dow & O'Brien, 2015). The study of audiovisual translators, particularly audio describers, is scarce. To date, only one study has thoroughly investigated this topic - a survey was carried out within the ADLAB PRO project to map the professional profile of describers by looking into their educational background, skills and competencies in Europe (Taylor & Perego, 2022). Although Tor-Carroggio and Casas-Tost (2020) replicate the project’s questionnaire to investigate the profiles of the audio describers in Mainland China, little is known about the working conditions and job satisfaction of the profession.
In this presentation, we report on an online survey carried out among audio describers - professionals and volunteers - in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Mainland China. The main goal of this study was to explore their working conditions and job satisfaction and their professional image and identity. In our presentation, we also compare the results against the data gathered in Europe (Zajdel & Jankowska, 2022) to draw parallels and distinctions.
Understanding the current working conditions of audio describers and what factors and how they influence the professionals’ job satisfaction is vital for the profession’s future. It is hoped that this study will contribute to promoting their visibility and understanding their professional image and status in society.
In Translation Studies, working conditions and job satisfaction have been thoroughly investigated (Ehrensberger-Dow & O'Brien, 2015). The study of audiovisual translators, particularly audio describers, is scarce. To date, only one study has thoroughly investigated this topic - a survey was carried out within the ADLAB PRO project to map the professional profile of describers by looking into their educational background, skills and competencies in Europe (Taylor & Perego, 2022). Although Tor-Carroggio and Casas-Tost (2020) replicate the project’s questionnaire to investigate the profiles of the audio describers in Mainland China, little is known about the working conditions and job satisfaction of the profession.
In this presentation, we report on an online survey carried out among audio describers - professionals and volunteers - in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Mainland China. The main goal of this study was to explore their working conditions and job satisfaction and their professional image and identity. In our presentation, we also compare the results against the data gathered in Europe (Zajdel & Jankowska, 2022) to draw parallels and distinctions.
Understanding the current working conditions of audio describers and what factors and how they influence the professionals’ job satisfaction is vital for the profession’s future. It is hoped that this study will contribute to promoting their visibility and understanding their professional image and status in society.