Quality assessment of translated isiXhosa public texts

Abstract

Equitable information dissemination in a multilingual and multicultural setting is important. Translation as a means of information dissemination is equally important. Quality translation is even more important because it ensures that information effectively reaches the intended target audience and accurately serves the intended purpose. This study utilised Marais’ assessment tool to assess the quality of selected government documents translated from English into isiXhosa. The selected documents were informative texts such as annual reports, information brochures and Acts. Using content analysis, the study scrutinised the texts to identify any errors that may compromise the quality and acceptability of the translations. Fifteen texts translated into isiXhosa were analysed to determine whether they were adequate and functional in terms of purpose, culture, text type and style, content and language. The findings reveal that, of the 15 texts, eight were found to be adequate or functional, four were partly functional, and three were not functional. The study sheds light on the importance of observing quality control measures like revision and self-revision before publishing the final product. It is concluded that a lack of translator and translation competence has a negative impact on the translation product.