Various methods have been developed to access the metalinguistic awareness that translators have of what they are doing, and why, when they translate. In this paper, concurrent verbalization and cue-based retrospection are compared in a small study designed to monitor the translation processes of novices working into their first language (German) or strongest second language (English). A number of measures were devised to address the question of whether and how these two methods affect the quality of the translation process, the metalinguistic data, and the target text itself. An attempt is made to operationalize translators’ metalinguistic awareness of their translation practices and strategies when translating from and into their first or second language. Finally, the possibilities and limitations of the combinations of methods employed in this type of translation process research are discussed.
