Why foreign language proficiency still matters

Multidimensional assessment of student translators’ performance in online translation tests

Bibliographic Data

ID22428280
AuthorsXiangyan Zhou (0000-0003-4342-4850, Hunan University), Xiangling Wang (0000-0001-8889-7569, Hunan University, corresponding author), Guangjiao Chen (0000-0002-8767-1645, Hunan University)
Year2026
Pages1-19
Publication date2026-02-14
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Interpreter and Translator Trainer (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1750-399X • E-ISSN: 1757-0417
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/1750399x.2026.2630311
OpenAlexW7128913188
LanguageEN
References cited38

Translation assessment is central to translator education. Building on translation competence models, recent scholarship increasingly advocates competence-based, multidimensional assessment that combines product and process evidence when evaluating students’ translation performance. Online tests, now widely used for low- and high-stakes translation assessment, offer a practical context for concurrently capturing both strands of evidence. This study examines how foreign language (FL) proficiency relates to student translators’ process management, product quality, and performance perceptions across text types in course-embedded online tests. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study combined holistic assessment of translations with screen recordings, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews for a comprehensive analysis. The findings indicated that, although its effects varied by text type, higher FL proficiency predicted more effective process management and higher translation quality, and was associated with more positive performance perceptions. However, many test-takers were unaware of the importance of process management. This study calls for further strengthening FL proficiency development, incorporating process management training, and considering FL proficiency in early diagnostic assessment and placement to support more equitable competence development across entry proficiency levels. Overall, the study contributes to competence-based translation assessment by providing a multidimensional account of student translators’ performance across FL proficiency levels in online translation tests.

Foreign language · Language assessment · Language proficiency · Online assessment · Educational Technology and Pedagogy · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Second Language Acquisition and Learning

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