Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 2025, 8(6); doi: 10.25236/AJHSS.2025.080612.
Wanru Zhao1, Chengchieh Su1
1School of Foreign Studies, Zhaoqing University, Zhaoqing, China
Considered a pillar of translator and interpreter professionalism, codes of ethics are indispensable in regulating professional behavior and promoting industry order. After examining the implementation systems of codes of ethics in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, this paper proposes a four-dimensional implementation framework composed of four key components: regulatory entities (professional associations, chapters, and translation companies); governed parties (members who are required to comply and non-members who may voluntarily adopt the codes); enforcement mechanisms (membership pledges, complaint-disciplinary systems, and corporate self-declarations); and support infrastructure (certification-integrated ethics assessments and multi-stakeholder education programs). The study highlights that effective ethics governance relies on specialized committees for enforcement, corporate adoption of standards, and continuous professional education. These findings help bridge the gap between theoretical codes and practical implementation, aiming to enhance professionalism and public trust in the translation sector by providing a systematic framework for ethical governance.
Translator Ethics; Codes of Ethics; Implementation Mechanism; Comparative Study; Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration
Wanru Zhao, Chengchieh Su. Framework for Implementing Codes of Ethics in the Translation and Interpreting Profession: A Comparative Study of the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences (2025), Vol. 8, Issue 6: 84-90. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJHSS.2025.080612.
[1] Lee H, Yun S. How can we improve the codes of ethics for translators?[J]. Babel, 2020, 66(4-5): 706-718.
[2] Drugan J. Translation ethics wikified: How far do professional codes of ethics and practice apply to non-professionally produced translation?[J]. Linguistica Antverpiensia, New Series-Themes in Translation Studies, 2021, 10: 111-127.
[3] Millerson G. The Qualifying Associations: A Study in Professionalization[M]. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd., 1964: 4-5.
[4] Hale S B. Analysing the Interpreter’s Code of Ethics. In: Community Interpreting. Research and Practice in Applied Linguistics[M]. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007: 101-136.
[5] Dolmaya J M D. Moral ambiguity: Some shortcomings of professional codes of ethics for translators[J]. Journal of Specialised Translation, 2011, 15: 28-49.
[6] Lambert J. How ethical are codes of ethics? Using illusions of neutrality to sell translations[J]. Journal of Specialised Translation, 2018, 30: 269-287.
[7] Ren W. The Evolution of Interpreters’ Perception and Application of (Codes of) Ethics in China since 1949: A Sociological and Historical Perspective[J]. The Translator, 2020, 26(3): 274-296.
[8] Bennett P M. Ethics in translation practice: A comparison of professional codes of conduct[J]. Verba Hispanica, 2021, 29(1): 31-52.
[9] Feng M. Cross-Cultural Comparison on Codes of Ethics for Interpreters. US-China Foreign Languages[J]. 2014, 12(1): 83-92.
[10] National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine. Facilitating Interdisciplinary Research[M]. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2005: 2.