Translation for cross cultural research
Scenario
A scale assessing the quality of the relationship between clients and practitioners that was used successfully in a study with English speaking Americans contained the following item with which respondents could agree or disagree: “We did not see eye to eye.” When preparing the scale to be used with people in Mexico, that item was translated perfectly into Spanish. However, several of the researchers agreed about whether or not this was adequate.
Professor Khan states that a word by word translation was acceptable, since they had verified it was correct.
Professor Senkowski argues that, although the word for word translation was a good start, they should probably do a small pilot study just to be safe.
Professor McAllister proposes that “seeing eye to eye” is an idiom and, as a result, a literal word for word translation is unacceptable and misleading.
Which approach to translation for cross cultural research do you believe is the most appropriate? Provide a brief explanation and rationale for why (5-6 sentences).
Sample Solution
I believe that Professor McAllister’s approach to translation is the most appropriate for cross-cultural research. This is because “seeing eye to eye” is an idiom which has a specific meaning that cannot be determined by looking at the literal words alone. Idioms typically carry a different connotation in different cultures, and it is important to ensure that the intended meaning of an item on a survey or scale remains consistent across all cultures.
A word-for-word translation does not guarantee this consistency, since idioms often have different meanings when translated directly from one language into another. Additionally, a direct translation could even lead to misunderstandings where respondents interpret the phrase differently than was intended by the researcher. A pilot study would therefore be necessary in order to confirm whether or not any changes needed to be made before administering the survey in Mexico.
In conclusion, although a literal translation of an idiom may appear acceptable on its surface, it is important for researchers conducting cross-cultural studies to verify that their questions are understood as intended by all respondents. A small pilot study can help ensure that no misunderstandings occur due to differences in language or culture between participants and researchers.
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