The Translation Profession in Cameroon Today: Focus on Status and Identity

The present study identifies, describes and examines the mechanisms by which the status and identity of translators are defined and assessed in Cameroon. The study describes the current challenges of the profession and efforts towards establishing a professional status for translators in Cameroon in a bid to propose some possible solutions to improve the status quo. The data for this study were collected through in-depth interviews and questionnaires using a purposive sample of translation stakeholders in Cameroon. The study specifically solicited translators’ opinions on how they rate themselves, how they are treated in the various institutions where they work, and most especially, if there is any legal framework that defines them, their role, their rights and obligations. The study posits that the translation profession in Cameroon constitutes an entity of practice that is sufficiently stable to be identified, defined and delimited from other professions. There are, however, numerous administrative, educational, social and financial challenges facing the translation profession in Cameroon. Despite the numerous educational efforts made to enhance the professionalization of this activity in Cameroon, an analysis of legal instruments demonstrates an overwhelming lack of official commitment to improve this sector. Drawing its insight from the theory of professions of Brorström (2008), the study suggests that these inconsistencies should not be considered a serious hindrance to the development of translation in general and to the legitimate fulfilment of the translator in a bilingual Cameroon. The proposed solutions for improving the current situation have been discussed in the light of relevant literature in the domain. Article visualizations: