Exploring the relationship between translation students’ perfectionism and personality characteristics and their preference for using dictionaries

Abstract

For the last years, Translation Process Research (TPR) has gained more momentum, and the role of individual differences in the process of translation has been emphasized. This study aimed to examine the possible relationship between translation students’ personality and perfectionism and their preference for using dictionaries in the process of translation. This examination was carried out by analyzing the relationship among NEO FFM personality traits, Multidimensional Perfectionism, and students’ preference in using dictionaries. For so doing, 100 translation students were asked to answer the NEO FFM Personality Scale and the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale. Also, to examine the frequency of using monolingual and bilingual dictionaries during the process of translation, the subjects were asked to answer three questions regarding the frequency of using dictionaries. Generally, the findings indicated that the personality traits of neuroticism and openness to experience had a significant relationship with the translation students’ tendency in using dictionaries during the process of translation. However, the results did not show any significant relationship between the students’ perfectionism and their inclination for using dictionaries, either monolingual or bilingual, in the process of translation. The results were discussed and the implications for theory and practice were made.