Developing a code of ethics for professional translation in Saudi Arabia: a survey of translators' perceptions

This thesis investigates translation ethics with reference to the professional translation context in Saudi Arabia, a topic which has not yet received sustained scholarly attention. Translation is a fast-developing industry in Saudi Arabia and yet there is no code of ethics available to guide and regulate the translation process, as there is in other countries. This thesis aims to identify the ethical challenges encountered by translators working in Saudi Arabia in different professional environments and with different texts during their translation assignments; to investigate their perceptions of appropriate ethical responses to such challenges; and to investigate their views on the ethical principles that should be included in a code of ethics for professional translation in Saudi Arabia. An overview of the literature indicated three perspectives on ethics, which are often in conflict: professional ethics, personal ethics, and socio-political/activist ethics. Against the background of these views of ethics, an empirical quantitative survey was developed to gain a detailed understanding of translation ethics as perceived and practised in the Saudi Arabian professional translation context. The study found that translator respondents encountered challenges associated with 11 underlying dimensions of translation ethics evident from existing codes of ethics, as well as the literature on ethics at the mid-frequency range, and rated all dimensions as important in the translation process. In selecting appropriate responses to these ethical challenges, the translator respondents did not limit their responses to professional views of translation ethics only, but frequently selected personally motivated responses. Furthermore, socio-politically motivated, activist responses were selected at substantial rate. The ethical principles relating to the 11 dimensions were all rated as important to be included in a future code of ethics for professional translation in Saudi Arabia.