Translator Ethics

This chapter examines the ethical issues in the translation industry from a bottom-up, agent-focused perspective. As a starting point, I trace the evolution of ethical thinking in Translation Studies, before moving to the key agent at the core of our explorations: the individual translator. I then consider a translator’s responsibilities and how these have been codified. As I examine, in a professional context translator ethics has been conceived of almost uniquely via translator codes, encompassing concepts such as accuracy, confidentiality, and impartiality. I cover the history and formalisation of these codes before considering potential critiques. I then briefly explore some key emerging ethical concerns such as representativeness and representation, social responsibility, wellbeing and self-care, the implications of technology and ethics, and sustainability and ecological issues. This chapter ends by looking towards the future of ethics from the perspective of the translator.