A Model for Cognitive Process of Neologisms Translation

Over the past three decades Process-oriented Descriptive Translation Studies has developed noticeably. Think-aloud protocols (TAPs), as a verbal report, are still the most applied empirical method to investigate the complex and conscious processes of translator’s mind during translating. This article deals with the cognitive process of professional translators’ problem-solving to translate a neologism from English source text into Persian by using TAPs. Likewise, the researcher has also used the means of video recording to observe the other behaviors of participants during the problem solving. The results indicate that the professional translators do not use one single way of performing a translation task and the complexity of the process of problem-solving (neologisms translation) depends on the translation competence of translators. Finally, the researcher has also presented a cognitive model for the translation process of neologisms in ideal situations. As the translation universals are cognitive phenomena, the cognitive model presented here can be a pattern for trainee translators in education to visualize the natural process of neologism translation.