Measuring the Efficiency of Post-Edited Text Generated by CAT Tools: An Experimental Study

Abstract

Motivated by the technological advancements in computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools and the notable lack of academic research regarding their application in the Arabic-translation context, this study aims to investigate the differences in translators’ performance when comparing traditional human translation and post-edited CAT tool-generated text in terms of speed and effort. This study investigates the performance of professional translators in Saudi Arabia through traditional translation from scratch (TFS) and post-editing (PE) approaches. Data was collected from nine translators with 5–12 years of experience who had exposure to CAT tools. The participants translated an Arabic educational article into English using both methods. This study utilized Phrase CAT and Translog-II software to analyze the participants’ time and keystrokes. The results indicate that PE was significantly faster than TFS, with PE requiring 65.1% less time. PE also demanded significantly fewer keystrokes, suggesting lower technical effort. Correlations between keystrokes and time indicate a strong positive relationship in PE, implying that more technical effort correlates with increased temporal effort. These findings emphasize the efficiency of PE in enhancing productivity and suggest the importance of CAT tools and PE training for translators to meet industry demands effectively. Furthermore, this study underscores the need for continuous updates in CAT tool courses and the integration of PE training to prepare translators for constantly evolving technological landscapes.