Cultural Competence and Translation Accuracy among Novice EFL Learners

Abstract

Translation is increasingly conceptualized as an act of intercultural mediation rather than a purely linguistic transfer of form. Within the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context, novice translators frequently encounter difficulties when culturally embedded meanings must be interpreted across linguistic systems. This study investigates the relationship between cultural awareness and translation accuracy among novice EFL learners and evaluates the pedagogical impact of explicit culture-focused instruction. A mixed-methods design was implemented, integrating quantitative assessment of translation performance with qualitative analysis of learners’ cognitive and interpretive processes. Participants were novice EFL learners enrolled in translation-related courses at the Sudan University of Science and Technology. Data were collected through translation tasks, think-aloud protocols, questionnaires, interviews, and pre and post–instructional assessments. Quantitative findings demonstrate a statistically significant positive correlation between cultural awareness and translation accuracy, while qualitative data reveal that instructional intervention promotes interpretive flexibility and metacognitive awareness. Cultural misunderstanding emerged as a primary source of translation error, exceeding purely linguistic inaccuracies. The study provides empirical support for integrating cultural literacy into translation pedagogy and argues that translation training should be reconceptualized as the development of intercultural competence.