기계번역 사용, 기계번역 교육, 번역가 진로에 관한 인식 조사 : 학부번역전공자를 대상으로 한 소규모 설문조사를 기반으로

Abstract

In this study, we conducted a survey asking undergraduate students majoring in translation about their perceptions of machine translation (MT). The respondents were 153 students in a translation department at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in South Korea. The questionnaire contained thirty-six closed-ended questions and three open-ended questions. The main focus of the survey was (1) how the students had used MT output to further their learning of translation and English as a foreign language, (2) what they thought about their curriculum in general and MT-related courses in particular, and (3) what effects they expected technology advancement to have on their future career and the status of translators. The responses show that many students actively use free online MT services and take a fairly positive view of the quality of MT. The students feel that MT-related education should be expanded to meet the changing needs, with careful attention given to the current curricular framework. They also mention that MT training will likely improve their career prospects and it is thus necessary to acquire first-hand knowledge of technological aspects of translation. Findings of this study could be used as reference material to improve curricular programs for undergraduate students who major in translation or lesser-known foreign languages.