The study, titled Assessing the Degree of Compliance with the Ethical Principles of the ‘Translator’s Professional Guide’ amongst Translators in Saudi Arabia, examines Saudi translators' awareness and compliance with the code of ethics established by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission (LPTC) and the Saudi Arabian Translation Association (SATA). The authors, Eisa Asiri, Wagdi Rashad Ali Bin-Hady, and Yousef Sahari, aimed to assess translators' understanding and adherence to ethical principles such as accuracy, confidentiality, impartiality, and professional behavior.
The research was conducted using a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection. A questionnaire with 39 items based on the Saudi Translators’ Professional Guide was administered to 42 translators, while interviews were conducted with a subset of seven participants to gain further insights into the challenges they face regarding ethical compliance.
The results revealed that Saudi translators generally have a high level of awareness and compliance with the ethical guidelines, with female translators showing higher adherence than their male counterparts. The study also found that the length of professional experience affects compliance, particularly within the domain of translator competence, where differences were detected based on experience. However, several challenges prevent full compliance, such as a lack of awareness, insufficient training, balancing professional and ethical demands, and the complexity of translation tasks.
The study concludes that ethical compliance in translation is influenced by comprehensive training and organizational support. It recommends that more training and resources be provided to help translators navigate ethical dilemmas, with a focus on practical application. The paper also calls for further studies to explore ethical compliance in greater depth, particularly in relation to freelancers and international work.
This research contributes to understanding the factors that affect ethical compliance among Saudi translators and highlights the need for continued support and education in this area to maintain high ethical standards in the translation profession.