A dynamic view of the neurocognition of translation: Illustrated by neurocognitive studies of the translation process

• Published in: Ampersand (Oxford, UK) UK), 2023-12, Vol.11, p.100145, Article 100145
• Main Author: Zhu, Lin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Dynamic view; Interpreting; Neurocognition; Translation; Translation process
• ISSN: 2215-0390; 2215-0390
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amper.2023.100145

Neurocognitive studies of the translation (including interpreting) process have developed quickly for decades. They not only shed new light on the black box of the translating brain but also spark discussions in neurolinguistic and neurocognitive issues in the translation process, which are firstly explicated in the paper, underlying a more in-depth explanation of a dynamic view of the neurocognition of translation. This dynamic view is further expounded by a comprehensive analysis of the research findings of ten representative neurocognitive studies in terms of cognitive components and relevant brain areas involved in the translation process. The above analysis reveals the connectivity and complexity of the neural basis of translation and demonstrates the neurocognitive variety of translating under the influence of different factors, such as language proficiency, the translator's age of second language acquisition, translation directionality, and the specific tasks of translation or interpreting, among others. The explication of the dynamic view offers a neurocognitive lens to observe the neural basis of translation psychology more comprehensively on the one hand and raises further problems to explore on the other. •This paper expounds a dynamic view of neurocognition of translation (and interpreting) through a comprehensive analysis of major neurocognitive studies on bilingual processing, switching, and translation/interpreting.•The explication of the dynamic view offers a neurocognitive lens to observe the neural basis of translation psychology more comprehensively on the one hand and raises further problems to explore on the other.•It demonstrates that translation/interpreting is the most complex bilingual processing which recruits the most extensive brain areas involved in lexico-semantic processing, language control and general cognitive control.•It offers a neurocognitive explanation of simultaneity and expertise in interpreting and demonstrates the embodied nature of translation/interpreting at the neurocognitive level.