Abstract
The boundaries between translation technologies are fading and language professionals are heading towards a pluri- and transdisciplinary job description, for which the use of CAT tools, translation management systems, and machine translation (MT) are compulsory. “Language paraprofessionals”, “paralinguists”, “language consultants”, “digital linguists”, and a long list of other titles is emerging to refer to the professionals who master a number of features of several tools, while remaining attentive to linguistics (see Bond 2018). According to TAUS DQF Dashboard data presented in TAUS Newsletter the 1st of May of 2019, the industry averages show that 9.7% of the translation output origin comes from MT and that 1,057 words per hour are post-edited on average. This has clear repercussions on the profession from the employability perspective.With 66 submissions by LSCs and industry stakeholders, and 142 answers from individuals (in-house or freelance translators), we present the most salient subject matters from and for the translation industry regarding MT post-editing. Some represent gaps to be filled; others represent common ground already found. Thanks to this up-to-date knowledge of the globalization landscape, clear goals can be set, and the way is paved for evolution.
Highlights
Recent studies, such as Álvarez-Álvarez/Arnáiz-Uzquiza (2017), have highlighted the existence of a competency gap between training programmes and the language market
68% have fewer than 50 employees, and 76% of the respondents handle only less than 25% of their translation production via MTPE
Besides the proper PE task, the results show that the top four tasks performed by post-editors are Quality control (QC), Proofreading9, Revision, and machine translation (MT) output quality evaluation
Summary
Recent studies, such as Álvarez-Álvarez/Arnáiz-Uzquiza (2017), have highlighted the existence of a competency gap between training programmes and the language market. We consider that viewing such profiles as stemming from a new trade or service (post-editing), or from an existing activity (MT-aided translation) is only a matter of perspective according to the requested service and to the agency approach one has. For this reason, we often refer to the translator/post-editor as “linguist”. Two online questionnaires will help understand both the needs and views of the industry stakeholders, and those of the linguists With this undertaking, we aim at promoting employability in translator training by paving the way towards the more technological professional profiles that
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