Abstract
Technology has become an essential part of the translation profession. Nowadays, computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools are extensively used by translators to enhance their productivity while maintaining high-quality translation services. CAT tools have gained popularity given that they provide a useful environment to facilitate and manage translation projects. Yet, little research has been conducted to investigate the usability of these tools, especially among Arab translators. In this study, we evaluate the usability of CAT tool from the translators’ perspective. The software usability measurement inventory (SUMI) survey is used to evaluate the system based on its efficiency, affect, usefulness, control, and learnability attributes. In total, 42 participants completed the online survey. Results indicated that the global usability of these tools is above the average. Results for all usability subscales were also above average wherein the highest scores were obtained for affect and efficiency, and the lowest scores were attributed to helpfulness and learnability. The findings suggest that CAT tool developers need to work further on the enhancement of the tool’s helpfulness and learnability to improve the translator’s experience and satisfaction levels. Further improvements are still required to increase the Arabic language support to meet the needs of Arab translators.
Highlights
Computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools are extensively used among translators to enhance their productivity, while concurrently allowing them to maintain high-quality translation services
We examined the usability of CAT tools to identify the perceived quality of such tools among Arab translators
Usability refers to the capability of a software product to be understood, learnt, and used, and is attractive to the user when used in specified conditions [14]
Summary
Computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools are extensively used among translators to enhance their productivity, while concurrently allowing them to maintain high-quality translation services. According to Bowker [1], CAT tools can be defined as “any type of computerized tool that translators use to help them conduct their jobs.” These systems are designed to assist human translators in the production of translations. In the early 1980s, the American company Automated Language Processing Systems (ALPS, Salt Lake City, UT, USA) released the first commercially available CAT software (ALPS, Salt Lake City, UT, USA), the ALPS system. This early version included several tools, such as (among others) multilingual word processing, automatic dictionary, and terminology consultation [2]. The advances in translation technologies involve a shift toward cloud-based systems that provide a platform-independent environment to facilitate and manage translation projects
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