Learning in and between Communities of Practice: Situated Translation Learning in a Chinese non-professional Subtitling Community

Abstract

This study sought to describe situated translator learning in a Chinese non-professional subtitling (NPS) community as an online community of practice (CoP) and identify community-level factors that potentially promote or inhibit translator learning enabled by social participation. Group documents collection and a semi-structured interview were used to elicit research data. Data analysis results suggested that translators of the NPS community learnt translation through participating in social practices both within their own CoP and in boundary spaces between CoPs, where they engage in translation collaboration with members of other communities. What is more, a range of participation-promotive/inhibitive factors operating at the community level were identified. The findings have significant implications for cultivating CoPs, either in classrooms or on the web, for situated translator training, including the needs to create inter-community boundary spaces for learning, foster a pro-collaboration community atmosphere, maintain the vibrance of the community, and ensure equal access to participation for all members.