Andy Lung Jan CHAN (陳壟) is Assistant Professor at Lingnan University, Hong Kong. He successfully defended his doctoral thesis in 2008. He is also a Member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists, UK. He can be reached at andyljchan(AT)gmail.com.
Information Economics, the Translation Profession and Translator Certification
Supervisors: Anthony Pym, Jiri Stejskal
Research Summary
This research employs the conceptual tools of information economics to examine some phenomena in the translation market and related professional issues. In particular, asymmetric information (Akerlof 1970) is used to explain why the status of professional translators has been low as well as why most translators are underpaid and their working conditions poor. Translator certification programs are often suggested as a means to enhance the status of translators and to partially solve the problem of the quality of translations. This has great implications for the professional status of translators as well as their training and professional development. Surveys and interviews are used to examine professional translators' and translation service buyers' views on the working conditions of translators and translator certification programs. The researcher will also contact professional organizations to obtain information on the latest developments in translator certification, such as certification on dossier and continuing professional development.
Publications
Chan, Andy Lung Jan. 2014a. "Moving up the value chain?: The economic theory of factor price equalization and its implications for the translation profession." Translation Spaces. 3, 151 - 165.
Chan, Andy Lung Jan. 2014b. "Interlingual and Intersemiotic Transfer of Indian Cinema in Hong Kong." Indian Journal of Comparative Literature and Translation Studies. 2(1): 45 - 56.
Chan, Andy Lung Jan & Christy Fung Ming Liu. 2014. "Learning and Teaching Translation in an Age of Mass Higher Education: A Preliminary Quantitative Survey of the Sub-Degree Translation Program Graduates in Hong Kong." FORUM: Journal of Interpretation and Translation. 12(1): 23-29.
Chan, Andy Lung Jan & Christy Fung Ming Liu. 2013. "The translator status, the translation market and developing economies: A preliminary study of ASEAN countries2. Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies. 31:4, 435-45.
Chan, Andy Lung Jan. 2013. Signal Jamming in the Translation Market and the Complementary Roles of Certification and Diplomas in Developing Multilateral Signaling Mechanisms. Translation & Interpreting 5(1): 211-221.
Pym, Anthony, François Grin, Claudio Sfreddo, Andy L. J. Chan. 2012. The status of the translation profession in the European Union. Luxembourg: European Commission. Revised edition: London: Anthem, 2013.
Chan, Andy Lung Jan. 2012. Aoyun babieta - Xunzhao aoyun fanyi de zhixu (Olympic Tower of Babel - Searching for the Order in Translating the Olympics) (In Chinese). D6 Supplement Section: Century, Ming Pao Daily, Hong Kong. 27 July 2012.
Chan, Andy Lung Jan. 2011. Information economics and the translation profession. Lambert Academic Publishing.
Chan, Andy Lung Jan. 2011. Effectiveness of translator certification as a signaling device: Views from the translator recruiters. In: Sela-Sheffy, Rakefet and Miriam Shlesinger (eds.), Identity and Status in the Translational Professions. Amesterdam: John Benjamins. pp. 31-48.
Chan, Andy Lung Jan. 2010. Perceived Benefits of Translator Certification to Stakeholders in the Translation Profession, Across 11(1): 93-113.
Chan, Andy Lung Jan. 2010. Education, Experience and Translator Certification as Signalling Mechanisms: A case study of job advertisements in Hong Kong, FORUM: Journal of Interpretation and Translation. 8(1).
Chan, Andy Lung Jan. 2010. Perceived Benefits of Translator Certification to Stakeholders in the Translation Profession, Across Languages and Cultures. 11(1): 93-113.
Chan, Andy Lung Jan. 2009. Effectiveness of translator certification as a signaling device: Views from the translator recruiters. Translation and Interpreting Studies. 4(2): 155 - 171.
Chan, Andy Lung Jan. 2007. "Asymmetric Information and the Translation Profession", Institute of Translation and Interpreting 21st International Conference, London, UK, 21-22 April
Chan, Andy Lung Jan. 2005. Why Are Most Translators Underpaid? A descriptive explanation using asymmetric information and a suggested solution from signaling theory. Translation Journal 9(2).
Viva: 9 December, 2008. Photos here.
Examining committee
Dr. John Milton (Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brasil)
Dr. Miriam Shlesinger (Bar-Ilan University, Israel)
Dr. Ignacio García (University of Western Sydney, Australia)
Dr. Christiane Nord (Fachhochschule Magdeburg, Germany)
Dr. Michael Gold (University of London, Royal Holloway College, School of Management, UK)
Doctoral thesis here
