English language teaching in translator training in Spain : a cross-sectional study

Despite the fact that the literature on translation competence and translator training explicitly advocates specific language training for translator and interpreter students, no concrete frameworks providing guidelines on how this training should be approached have been created. This paper explores the current situation of this language training in Translation and Interpreting undergraduate programmes in Spain by analysing the syllabi and materials used in their EFL courses. The results obtained from this study shows that universities use a limited number of specific materials, general and commercially available EFL teaching materials being the norm. In this sense, there seems to be an apparent lack of awareness of such specific language needs, which suggests that students’ needs are not completely met.