Translation Theory: An Art or Craft?How Lecturers at the Preparatory Studies Center View it?

Abstract

This paper reveals the characteristics of “Translation Theory”, whether an art or craft on one hand, and the strategies adopted by translators when get stuck upon encountering some difficult words and expressions in the texts they deal with, especially proverbs and/or well-sayings in the target language. To fathom the deep definition of translation as an art or craft, the researchers have distributed a questionnaire to a group of lecturers with a translation background at the Preparatory Studies Center - University of Technology and Applied Sciences – Sultanate of Oman -Ibri- to share some of their personal and professional experience in the field of translation. The results were astonishing, as most of them were-one day- professional translators at companies, universities, and schools. Discussion, recommendations, and explanation will be covered in detail throughout this paper.