Framework

The Framework for Literary Translation (PETRA-E Framework) allows translators to determine their competence level. Educators can use the Framework to define the level of the programmes they offer and design their curricula. In addition, professional translators can use the Framework to decide which competences they would like to develop further. The Framework is also a practical tool for institutions that focus on literary translation as part of their policy.

In the interactive Framework for Literary Translation, users can identify their current level for each competence based on self-evaluation. The Centre of Expertise for Literary Translation (ELV) uses this model as an additional tool to evaluate course participants. Based on critical self-reflection and a final evaluation interview with the moderator, participants examine which follow-up steps they can take to develop further in their translation career.

Where are you in the Framework?

When you click on a competence, five horizontal levels are displayed. These show the various competences and sub-competences from top to bottom. Choose the applicable level for each competence and click on the Save button underneath to save a printout of the completed Framework as a PDF.

Due to the nature of the framework's use, it is best to access and complete it on a large screen. We recommend using a laptop or desktop computer, or otherwise a large tablet.

1. Transfer competence

The transfer competence consists of the knowledge, the skills and the attitude needed to translate texts into the main language at a required level. It comprises the ability to recognize problems of textual understanding and text production and the ability to solve these problems in an appropriate way, and to account for the final result.
Competences	LT1 Beginner	LT2 Advanced Learner	LT3 Early career professional	LT4 Advanced professional	LT5 Expert
understanding of source texts	can understand source texts	can understand literary source texts	can understand literary source texts in a detailed way	-	-
identification of translation problems	can identify translation problems	can identify literary translation problems	can solve literary translation problems in several ways	-	-
familiarity with translation strategies	knows several translation strategies	can see the implications of translation strategies and can adopt them	can apply strategies in a purposeful way	-	-
production of target texts	can produce a target text	can produce a literary target text	can produce literary target texts that meet publication standards	-	-
justification of translations	-	can justify individual choices and decisions	-	can justify their translations as a whole	-
translation approach	-	can distinguish between different translation approaches	can outline their own translation approach	can adopt a translation approach	can reflect on their own approach in a preface or a commentary to a translation
literary creativity	-	-	develops ability to find solutions and make choices beyond learned procedures and methods	can find solutions and make choices beyond learned procedures and methods	optimal creative ability

2. Language

competence

Language competence refers to the grammatical, stylistic and pragmatic mastering of the source language and the target language especially in the domains of reading and writing.
Competences	LT1 Beginner	LT2 Advanced Learner	LT3 Early career professional	LT4 Advanced professional	LT5 Expert
source language competence	CEF B2 for reading Can read articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in which the writers adopt particular attitudes or viewpoints. Can understand contemporary literary prose.	CEF C1 for reading Can understand long and complex factual and literary texts, appreciating distinctions of style. Can understand specialised articles and longer technical instructions, even when they do not relate to her/his field.	-	-	-
target language competence	CEF C1 for reading and writing Can understand long and complex factual and literary texts, appreciating distinctions of style. Can understand specialised articles and longer technical instructions, even when they do not relate to one's field. Can express oneself in clear, well-structured text, expressing points of view at some length. Can write about complex subjects in a letter, an essay or a report, underlining what she/he considers to be the salient issues. Can select style appropriate to the reader in mind.	CEF C2 for reading and writing Can read with ease virtually all forms of the written language, including abstract, structurally or linguistically complex texts such as manuals, specialised articles and literary works. Can write clear, smoothly flowing text in an appropriate style. Can write complex letters, reports or articles which present a case with an effective logical structure which helps the recipient to notice and remember significant points. Can write summaries and reviews of professional or literary works.	-	-	-
literary language	can recognize (features of) literary language	can adopt literary styles	can adopt an appropriate literary style	can master several types of literary style appropriately	-
language variation	can recognize language varieties	can apply language varieties	can adopt an appropriate language variety	-	-

3. Textual

competence

Textual competence consists of the knowledge of literary genres and styles and the ability to apply this knowledge in the analysis of source texts and the production of target texts.
Competences	LT1 Beginner	LT2 Advanced Learner	LT3 Early career professional	LT4 Advanced professional	LT5 Expert
analyzing texts	can analyze source texts	can analyze literary source texts	can make translation-relevant analyses of literary texts	-	-
familiarity with literary genres	knows genre tradition of the target literature	knows genre tradition of the source literature	can handle specific genres and text types	specializes in at least one specific genre	-
familiarity with the stylistic features of a source text	-	can recognize stylistic features of source texts	can evaluate different stylistic features	-	-
application of literary techniques	-	can respond to specific textual challenges creatively	can apply literary techniques	can apply complex literary techniques	-
production of target texts with stylistic features	-	can produce a target text in a certain style	can find solutions and make choices creatively	can produce target texts in different styles	-
editorial skills	-	can revise own texts	can revise texts up to publication standards	can edit texts up to publication standards	-
machine-translated output	-	is familiar with developments in machine translation for literary texts	can evaluate machine-translated output	-	-

4. Heuristic

competence

Heuristic competence covers the ability to gather in an efficient way the linguistic and thematic knowledge needed for translation, the ability to develop strategies for an efficient use of (digital) information sources, the ability to apply textual criticism and to differentiate between text editions.
Competences	LT1 Beginner	LT2 Advanced Learner	LT3 Early career professional	LT4 Advanced professional	LT5 Expert
searching for reference material	can find reference material	can find specific reference material	can use reference material in a way relevant for translation	-	-
accessing online resources	can apply digital search strategies	can apply digital search strategies relevant for translation	-	-	-
differentiating between text editions	-	can distinguish between text editions	can use text editions in a translation-relevant way	-	-
applying critical apparatus	-	can use critical apparatus	-	-	-
using CAT tools	-	is familiar with CAT tools	can use CAT tools	-	can contribute to the development of CAT tools for literary translation

5. Literary

-cultural competence

Literary-cultural competence is the ability to apply knowledge about the source and target literature and culture while making a literary translation; it also includes the ability to handle cultural differences and the ability to distinguish between literary movements and schools, periods and styles.
Competences	LT1 Beginner	LT2 Advanced Learner	LT3 Early career professional	LT4 Advanced professional	LT5 Expert
situation of source text	can situate a source text within source culture	has a general knowledge about literary tradition in source culture	knows literary tradition of the source culture well	-	-
situation of target text	-	develops ability to situate a target text within the literary system of the target culture	can situate their own translation in the target culture	knows literary translation tradition in the target culture	contributes to the literary translation tradition in target culture
understanding of culture-specific elements	can recognize culture-specific elements	can recognize culture-specific elements in a way relevant for translation	can effectively deal with culture-specific elements	-	-
intercultural skills Intercultural skills pertain to the ability of translators to map elements from two different cultures onto each other and make informed decisions on the way source culture-specific elements are to be referred to in target texts.	can recognize differences between source culture and target culture	-	can effectively deal with differences between source culture and target culture	-	-
intertextual skills	-	can recognize intertextual references	can effectively deal with intertextual references	-	-

6. Professional

competence

Professional competence is the ability to gather knowledge about the working field and to show the appropriate attitude expected by the working field.
Competences	LT1 Beginner	LT2 Advanced Learner	LT3 Early career professional	LT4 Advanced professional	LT5 Expert
familiarity with professional associations	-	knows professional associations The translator knows of the existence of a translators' association in their country and attends translators' local / regional meetings & conventions.	meets the criteria to join a professional association	can take an active role in professional associations	-
familiarity with publishing	-	has broad familiarity with the publishing landscape and the publishing process	knows publishers of literary translations knows editorial imprints/lines (literary publishing, children`s books, etc.); can write publishing reports	knows editorial policies and selection and programming criteria	can contribute to the creation of an editorial imprint/line
familiarity with literary funds	-	is familiar with literary funds The translator knows how to apply for grants from national, regional and/or communal institutions.	can apply for assistance from literary funds The translator applies for grants from national, regional and/or communal institutions.	can regularly apply for assistance from literary funds	-
familiarity with legal aspects	is aware of legal aspects	knows the basic rules concerning copyright, contractual law, legal liabilities, fees, etc. for translators	can negotiate contracts	-	-
familiarity with ethical aspects	is aware of ethical aspects	can reflect on ethical issues	knows and can apply professional ethical codes and standards in target and source culture	can contribute to the development of professional ethical codes and standards	can express authoritative ethical opinions
familiarity with current translation approaches	knows literary criticism in the source culture	knows models and traditions of translation criticism of the target culture	can keep up with the translation debate	takes part in the translation debate	-
networking skills	-	can initiate networking activities	can establish a network and use the benefits of it	can actively use a network to promote translators and translation	-
didactic skills	-	-	has basic didactic skills	has full didactic skills	can teach teachers The translator can give seminars and workshops for literary translators to pass on their acquired knowledge and skills.
further education	-	- The translator knows about seminars and workshops for literary translators.	takes refresher courses The translator participates in seminars and workshops for literary translators.	-	-
entrepreneurial skills	-	is familiar with business models for translation	is able to implement a business model as a professional literary translator	-	-
professional skills	-	can meet deadlines	can organize their own work The translator knows and meets the deadlines of their translation contracts. They are familiar with formats like standard pages. They can produce sample translations for publishers. The translator can estimate the research a given translation project requires. They self-edit translations to publishable shape. If necessary they annotate their translations.	can acquire translation tasks and write paratexts The translator comments on their translations in afterwords, progress reports and essays.	-

7. Evaluative

competence

Evaluative competence is the ability to assess and evaluate translations, the proficiency of translators and the translation process.
Competences	LT1 Beginner	LT2 Advanced Learner	LT3 Early career professional	LT4 Advanced professional	LT5 Expert
evaluative skills	is able to justify choices made in translations	can estimate quality of translations by others	can judge quality of translations by others	can systematically assess translations	-
selection of types of assessment	-	-	knows types of assessment There are numerous forms of assessment, developed in accordance to their function. Numerous juries of prices have designed forms, publishers and literary foundations use criteria in order to give translators assignments or grants. In translation studies, a lot of models have been developed (cf. the entry 'Translation Criticism' by Outi Paloposki in the Handbook of Translation Studies, volume 3 (Ed. Yves Gambier and Luc van Doorslaer, John Benjamins 2012, pp. 184–190). An inspiring study might be Lance Hewsons An Approach to Translation Criticism: Emma and Madame Bovary in Translation. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins 2011.	can select appropriate types of assessment	can apply appropriate types of assessment
comparison of translations	can recognize differences between translations	can interpret differences between translations of the same text	can evaluate differences between translations	can practise translation criticism	-
assessment of translators' proficiency	-	-	develops ability to assess translators' proficiency	can assess translators' level	can pass on knowledge Over the last decades the number of courses, workshops etc. in the field of literary translation in various countries of Europe has increased. The same holds true for more individually-oriented training models such as mentorships, most of which are given by experienced literary translators willing and capable to pass on their expertise to beginning, young translators.
self-reflection Professionalism in literary translation is also characterized by translators' ability to assess which competencies as a literary translator they have and at which level. Awareness of gaps in one's professional or educational trajectory is just as valuable as insight in one's capabilities.	can reflect on own translations	-	can make an estimation of their own literary translation competence The PETRA-E Framework itself conceives of translation competence as a total of the 8 subcompetences here presented. For key publications and the history of the notion 'translation competence' see the entry 'Competence' by Amparo Hurtado Albir in the Handbook of Translation Studies, volume 1 (Ed. Yves Gambier and Luc van Doorslaer, John Benjamins 2010, pp. 55-59).	-	makes an optimal assessment of their own level of competence

8. Research competence

Research competence is the ability to conduct methodical research in order to inform translation practice.
Competences	LT1 Beginner	LT2 Advanced Learner	LT3 Early career professional	LT4 Advanced professional	LT5 Expert
research methodologies	-	can apply research methodologies	-	-	-
familiarity with translation techniques	-	can distinguish and name existing translation techniques	-	-	-
familiarity with translation theories	-	knows several theories of translation	-	-	-
academic skills	-	can analyze translations on an academic level	-	-	-
familiarity with schools of thought in translation studies	-	knows schools of thought in translation studies	begins to make original contributions to the disciplinary debate	makes complex contributions to the disciplinary debate	makes innovative contributions to the disciplinary debate

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Framework

Where are you in the Framework?