Translator Training Research Articles

Los fraseologismos en el aula de prácticas de traducción: estudio de caso sobre el impacto de los traductores automáticos

Abstract The use of machine translation (MT) systems by undergraduate and postgraduate students has been analysed in different studies (Sycz-Opoń and Gałuskina 2017; Jia et al. 2019; Loock and Léchauguette 2021, to mention a few). An analysis of the German-into-Basque translation of multi-word expressions (Sanz-Villar 2024) observed that students’ dependence on MT systems was very high; i.e., traces of the MT proposals were found in the outputs of translation trainees. To specifically analyse the impact of MT proposals on students’ translations, two tasks were designed in 2021 in which nine students participated. Both tasks consisted of translating an excerpt of a children’s literary text from German into Basque. The first translation task was done with the aid of MT tools and the second was a from-scratch translation where the use of MT systems was not allowed. The goal of the present study is to compare the results of both tasks, focusing on the translation of phraseological units (PUs) to observe the features of students’ translations accomplished with and without the aid of MT tools. Since students used MT outputs during the first translation task, machine-translated texts are also compared to human-translated ones. The results show that the tendency to retain the phraseological character of the original text is stronger in professional translations than in machine-translated texts. In general, reliance on MT system outputs when translating PUs is quite strong among trainee translators. When comparing the results of the two tasks, it was observed that for some students, the number of techniques used to maintain the phraseological level of the original text increased in the translation done without MT. Interestingly, examples of creative translations were found in the translations done without the aid of MT tools.

Toward a Conceptual Model of Academic Translation Competence

ABSTRACTDifferent cultures have distinct conceptions of knowledge and ways of defining, generating and communicating knowledge. Therefore, multilingualism in academia has been shown to be instrumental in preserving the various systems of knowledge, equality of opportunity in science and enhancing the international competitiveness of scholars whose native language is not the lingua franca. The actors of translation and the strategies they work with (domestication and foreignisation) play a unique role in this, as their decisions may foster or hinder linguistic and epistemic diversity. Despite its pronounced significance, however, relatively little is known about the stereotypical competences required for academic translation. As translation in science is not merely a philological issue, this conceptual study follows a consilient approach and integrates the outcomes of research from several disciplines and research perspectives to propose a theory‐based, multi‐componential model of academic translation competence as a macrocompetence. Based on the model, a conceptual definition of the construct of academic translation competence is provided to identify what exactly is to be observed and measured for its study and to generate preliminary hypotheses related to the construct. The study has implications not only for the theory, practice and training of academic translation but also for the disciplinary training of researchers.

Using media accessibility as a stimulus for teaching audio-visual translation: a Singapore case study

ABSTRACT Despite attempts to integrate media accessibility components into audio-visual translation courses, consensus is lacking on the content, aims and orientation of the paradigmatic implementation of the curriculum, with inadequate attention given to the empirical assessment of pedagogical effectiveness. This article describes an exploratory endeavour in curriculum design that aimed to enhance beginner students’ awareness of accessibility by using technology-enabled multimodal translation as teaching materials (i.e. subtitling, dubbing, audio description, live subtitling and social media and website translation). We adopted a tripartite model to evaluate pedagogical efficacy, conducting a pre-course psychosocial assessment of learner-specific affective variables and personal propensities, evaluating process data based on the trainees’ progressive and summarised assessments and triangulating the results with students’ post-course feedback from questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews. This article advocates for teaching audio-visual translation with a strong accessibility-centred and technology-driven learning orientation, which is challenging but viable in general translator training.

Interpersonal neural synchronization in frontal-temporal regions as new neurophysiological index of interpretation quality: an fNIRS hyperscanning study

ABSTRACT The evaluation of interpretation quality is fundamental to interpreting development. Previous interpretation evaluation studies focused solely on the interpretation itself, overlooking the interlocutors as recipients of the interpretation. We propose a novel approach by evaluating interpretation through mutual understanding between interlocutors. Using fNIRS hyperscanning, we examined neural activities of 20 interlocutor dyads communicating in Chinese-English context with interpreters. Results showed greater interpersonal neural synchronization (INS) in frontal-temporal regions during communication. Notably, INS in the left middle temporal gyrus (MTG) positively related to communication quality. Interpretation scores positively predicted INS in the left MTG, while mental load negatively predicted INS in the left inferior frontal gyrus, suggesting that INS in speech comprehension areas signifies interpretation quality at a semantic level. Moreover, the positive correlation between interpretation training time and INS in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex indicates that INS in mentalizing area reflects interpretation quality at a more advanced level.

Situated learning in the translation class: exploring the effects of engaging college students in an online crowdsourcing translation project

ABSTRACT In the recent decade, project-based learning has gained popularity in translator training, with its foundation rooted in the situated learning theory. Advancements in digital technology have opened up new learning opportunities for both teachers and students in translation classrooms. One such opportunity lies in the realm of online communities comprising non-professional translators who create subtitles for videos, movies, TV shows, and various audiovisual materials. This study focuses on a project that integrates the teaching and learning of English speech subtitling within an online translation programme operating on a crowdsourcing model. In contrast to previous studies, which typically emphasised student-centred approaches with minimal teacher involvement, undergraduate students in this study underwent a comprehensive five-week training in subtitling. This training involved the use of instructor-designed worksheets prior to students’ active participation in online speech subtitling. The results of pre- and post-tests demonstrated significant improvements in the students’ subtitling knowledge and skills. Additionally, feedback from a self-report questionnaire and interviews with selected students highlighted numerous advantages associated with the teacher-guided and collaborative group approach to learning subtitling.

Teaming in Translation: training interpreting, medical, and midwifery students in simulated birth settings

This paper reports on the TeamTra – Teaming in Translation project, conceived in response to calls for improved training of both professional interpreters and healthcare providers. TeamTra is a cooperation among the Medical Faculty, the University Hospital, the Institute for Applied Linguistics and Translation Studies (IALT), and the Oriental Institute (OIL) at Leipzig University. The program is aimed at medical, midwifery, and interpreting students and draws upon interprofessional and simulation education models to provide students with a hands-on experience for different professions using simulated patient-physician/midwife encounters in maternal health. Special attention is devoted to cultural differences, varying degrees of health literacy and challenges of triadic communication. The course was carried out for approximately 80 students in the 2022/2023 winter semester and in the 2023 summer semester. This paper reports on the first year of the project, which included a pre-kick-off survey, a satisfaction survey, and feedback sessions.

Directionality and Individual Differences in Consecutive Interpreting

This study aims to examine the students’ consecutive interpreting in English and Turkish. This study was carried out with 32 senior students who are native Turkish speakers at the Department of English Translation and Interpreting. The students were required to render the speeches chosen from the EU Speech Repository, a speech bank for interpreting studies, in the En-Tr and Tr-En directions, respectively. The students were audio-recorded. In addition, students’ working memory (WM) capacities were determined by conducting digit span and word span tests, and attention levels were determined by conducting monolingual and bilingual Stroop test. The data was assessed with the overall assessment score of consecutive interpreting performance, total duration, pauses, linguistic errors, participants’ individual differences (WM and attention level), and directionality. The recordings were transcribed and assessed by two experts. A detailed error analysis was performed using MAXQDA Analytics Pro Academic. Students with higher WM levels also have better performance in the En-Tr direction, yet this is not observed in the Tr-En. This can be explained by the fact that students have more difficulty and spend more time interpreting to L2 due to their language proficiency in translation (such as lack of vocabulary, difficulties related to structure, etc.). There was no significant relationship between students' attention skills and interpreting performance. Differences were also observed in the errors and strategies used by students depending on directionality. It is expected that this study will contribute to understanding the consecutive interpreting process, revealing the main difficulties, and thereby contributing to interpreter training.

Harnessing the potential of exemplars to facilitate learning: insights from translation training

Exemplars are key examples chosen to represent designated levels of competence or quality. This study attempts to explore the use of exemplars in a Chinese-English translation teaching context. It involved the teacher-researcher using three exemplars of different quality to help 31 third-year translation majors evaluate their own translation and generate internal feedback. Drawing on multiple sources of data, including student self-assessment, reflective journal writings, and questionnaire responses, we have found that mediated exemplar use could help students make more accurate evaluative judgement of their own translation work and generate internal feedback at various levels (task, discipline, meta-cognitive, and affective). The significance of this research lies in illustrating the potential of exemplar use in facilitating learning, and offering pedagogical implications for productive exemplar-based practice in higher education contexts.

Linguistic variation in mediated diplomatic communication: a full multi-dimensional analysis of interpreted language in Chinese Regular Press Conferences

The integration of corpus linguistics within translation studies has revolutionised our understanding of mediated language. This study endeavours to advance this burgeoning field by employing a full multi-dimensional analysis to investigate linguistic variation in interpreted language within the specialised context of diplomatic discourse. Specifically, the research examines the co-occurring patterns of linguistic features in interpreted diplomatic language vis-à-vis its non-interpreted counterpart. Employing a multivariate statistical technique, this investigation conducted a factor analysis of 113 linguistic variables, yielding five distinct linguistic dimensions: (1) Involved vs. Informational Production, (2) Objective vs. Addressee-focused Narration, (3) Literate-Oral Continuum, (4) Information Elaboration, and (5) Narrative vs. Non-narrative Concerns. The resulting patterns demonstrate that interpreted diplomatic language tends to be more informative, objective, less elaborated, non-narrative, and aligns more closely with formal registers compared to its non-interpreted counterpart, although both navigate the literate-oral continuum. This study delineates the prevailing co-occurrence patterns in interpreted and non-interpreted diplomatic languages and seeks to elucidate the potential factors shaping these linguistic variations by situating these patterns within the context of diplomatic communication. In doing so, it contributes to a nuanced understanding of how specialised contexts influence mediated language use. The findings have significant implications for corpus-based interpreting studies, shedding light on the multi-dimensional nature of interpreted language and informing the development of targeted pedagogical approaches for diplomatic interpreter training.

RELAX (REducing Levels of AnXiety): a study protocol for a parallel two-arm randomised controlled trial evaluating a web-based early intervention for pregnant women with high levels of repetitive negative thinking to prevent escalating anxiety during pregnancy and after birth

BackgroundPerinatal anxiety is common: up to 40% of pregnant women and new mothers experience high levels of anxiety. Given its prevalence, interventions that are low-intensity, highly accessible and cost-efficient, and target modifiable risk factors for anxiety are needed. Repetitive negative thinking (RNT)—such as worrying about ways things will go wrong in the future or ruminating about past negative events—is a risk factor for the development of anxiety. RNT is maintained by the tendency to generate negative interpretations of ambiguous situations.MethodsA parallel two-arm randomised controlled trial will assess the efficacy of adding interpretation training (RELAX) to usual maternity care. Participants (N = 268) will be randomised to (i) 12 sessions of online interpretation training (RELAX) plus usual care, or (ii) usual care alone. We will assess anxiety, depression, RNT, and work and social adjustment at baseline, plus 4, 8 and 36 weeks later.DiscussionShould the intervention result in lower levels of anxiety than usual care, it could be an accessible, cost-effective way to help women who are vulnerable to experiencing anxiety in the perinatal period.Trial registrationISRCTN 12754931. Registered 25th May 2023, prior to recruitment.

Preparing Translators for the Age of Generative AI: Revising Educational Curricula to Prioritize Essential Skills in an AI-Dominated Landscape

The recent ability of machines to generate text and images that are fluent, coherent, and culturally nuanced is already causing major upheavals in the translation sector. Machine translation tools have exploded in number, sophistication, and quality, and the profession of human translator needs to adapt to work within this new environment and avoid being replaced by it. This paper examines the major changes that have taken place, and which could take place in the near future, and suggests ways of revising translator-training curricula to adapt to these challenges. This is essential at a time when the profession is undergoing profound changes and when all translators and future translators need to be prepared for new skills in the field of post-editing, machine-reading, machine-cultures and multidisciplinarity. After outlining the challenges that AI is causing to the profession and to the norms and values of the translation sector in its current state, the author suggests that translator training should adapt to the new reality of the profession and not to what it used to be. The profession is undergoing profound changes, and all translators and future translators need to find new skills and knowledge in order to continue to work with AI. The article concludes with recommendations on how to design AI-friendly translation programmes that can train students for the post-AI era.

Translation and localization of food menus on mobile delivery apps in the United Arab Emirates: a multimodal and reception study

ABSTRACT This study investigates the quality of menu translation and localization on food delivery apps and its impact on the user experience. A corpus of food menus was collected from the Talabat app and analyzed from a multimodal perspective adopting Li’s (2019) framework and using NVivo qualitative data analysis software. A coding framework was created in NVivo to systematically identify translation and localization strategies, and issues related to images of food items. Additionally, an online survey targeting app users was utilized to gather data on preferences and the impact of menu translation and localization on user experience, satisfaction, and purchasing decisions. The analysis revealed that the meaning of food menus involves several layers, including semiotic and textual means, which necessitate approaching their translation from a multimodal perspective. Dish names were mostly transliterated into English and accompanied by an acceptable and clear description of dish information in English. The survey results also revealed that translation quality has a great role in shaping user experience, satisfaction, trust, and expenditure. The findings of this study will be of value to translators, translation trainers, restaurant owners, and food delivery app developers.

Bridging the Language Gap in Healthcare: Implementing a Qualified Medical Interpreter Program for Lesser-Spoken Languages

Linguistic inequity drives systemic disparities in healthcare for non-native English speakers. This study evaluates a project to train and provide qualified medical interpreters (QMI) to assist volunteer and safety-net clinics and community-based organizations in supporting healthcare for immigrants and refugees. We provided scholarships to bilingual community members to take a medical interpreter training course and developed a workforce for those who passed the training course. We focused on lesser-spoken foreign languages such as Arabic, Amharic, Pashto, Dari, and Burmese. Those who passed the course participated in a semi-structured interview to learn about their experiences in the training program, as well as barriers and facilitators to becoming a QMI. To date, 23 people have passed the training and are part of the QMI workforce program that has provided 94 h of interpreter services over four months, serving 66 individual patients. The evaluation showed that community members have interest in becoming QMIs and many have the required language proficiency to enroll and pass training. Finding full-time employment for less spoken languages has proven to be challenging.

Challenges of Translating Idiomatic Expressions: A Cross-Linguistic Analysis at a University in Hanoi, Vietnam

This study investigates the challenges students face when translating idiomatic expressions between English and Vietnamese and explores how linguistic and cultural factors influence the translation process. Utilizing a combination of translation task analysis and focus group discussions, the research reveals that students frequently rely on literal translations, resulting in inaccurate or nonsensical outcomes due to their inability to grasp the figurative meanings of idioms. Cultural mismatches, particularly the absence of equivalent expressions in Vietnamese, further complicate translation efforts, leading to significant misunderstandings. Additionally, linguistic barriers, such as syntactic differences between English and Vietnamese, hinder students' ability to produce natural and accurate translations of idiomatic expressions. The findings emphasize the critical role of cultural knowledge and syntactic flexibility in effective idiomatic translation. To address these challenges, the study recommends that translation training programs place greater emphasis on idiomatic understanding and cross-cultural competence. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on idiomatic translation by highlighting the interplay of linguistic and cultural factors and suggesting strategies to enhance translation accuracy.

Recruitment Strategies To Improve Gender Equity in Clinical and Translational Research Training in Ethiopia.

Women from sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia, are underrepresented in biomedical research due in part to limited access to high-quality research training and mentorship. Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem in Ethiopia, with a limited number of female Ethiopian scientists engaged in TB-related research. To improve access to TB-related research training among junior women scientists, our NIH Fogarty International Center-funded D43 program released an all-women request for applications (RFA), which substantially increased the number of women applying for research training and the number of women trained in our program. The impact of the all-women cohort was also bolstered by prominent female representation in mentor teams, program leadership, and program alumnae. Sustained increases in applications from women were seen in subsequent RFAs that included both women and men. Targeted leadership, mentorship, and recruitment efforts were effective in promoting improved gender equity in biomedical research training.

Évolution des rôles sociaux des traducteurs et son impact sur la recherche et sur la formation universitaire

The article discusses the evolution of translator training through the experience of both a trainer and professional translator. It examines the historical and scientific perspectives of social roles and functions of translators. These serve as a starting point for analysing the current state of translation and its future. The profession of translation is currently in the process of change due to rapid technological and social advancements. The translators-to-be must possess new skills to adapt to these changes. To achieve this, universities should adapt their teaching methods and content to enable learners to cope with the new technical, social and communicational developments. These should equip translators-to-be with the necessary skills to meet the demands of today and tomorrow’s markets. Revision of the field history, past and contemporary research as well as practical professional experience provided in this article point to the training needs that must be fulfilled to meet the requirements of our time.

Oral interpretation skills among English-majored graduates: A case of those from a university in Vietnam

It is undoubtedly believed that the ability to deliver effective presentations in English is not merely an academic requirement but also a vital skill for success in the professional world. Students who excel in delivering presentations often demonstrate higher levels of critical thinking, research ability, and overall academic achievement. Unfortunately, delivering presentations in English poses a significant challenge for many students, particulary those in non-native English-speaking countries like Viet Nam. Via a mixed-methods approach, the current study investigates the oral consecutive interpretation skills of English-majored graduates from Thu Dau Mot University (TDMU), finding out the challenges faced by these students in oral interpretation, focusing on four key stages: listening and understanding, notetaking, decoding notes, and expressing and reformulating. In the quantitative process, 150 graduates completed a survey questionnaire, providing broad data for statistical analysis. The qualitative process involved direct observations and semistructured interviews with 10 graduates. The observations in real-world settings utilized a structured checklist to assess four critical phases of consecutive interpretation: listening and understanding, note-taking, decoding notes, and reformulating and expressing. Key findings indicate that graduates face significant challenges in each phase. In the listening and understanding phase, difficulties include maintaining focus and comprehending complex content. Note-taking challenges involve developing effective techniques and balancing listening with writing. The note-decoding phase reveals issues with accurately reconstructing messages under time pressure. In the reformulating and expressing phase, graduates struggle with delivering fluent and coherent interpretations, especially under stress. The study highlights the importance of cognitive and memory skills, effective notetaking, stress management, and public speaking abilities in successful interpretation. This research underscores the need for a practical approach to interpreter training that addresses both technical and psychological aspects.

The Impacts of Computer-Assisted Translation Tools on Learning Autonomy of Students in English Translation Courses

Computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools have played an important role in professional translation work. Nevertheless, integrating CAT tools in translation training effectively has remained a conundrum in educational institutions. This research investigates the impact of CAT tools on the learning autonomy of English-majored students in translation courses. Several CAT tools were employed in the training process of 64 students majoring in English translation for 10 weeks. The Learner Autonomy Perception Questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data for pre-test and post-test. Qualitative data was also collected from 15 individual interviews. Findings reveal that the integration of CAT tools has positive impacts on components of learner autonomy, including belief about teachers’ role, metacognitive knowledge, metacognitive skills, and freedom, but it has no significant influence on motivation. Furthermore, although CAT tools facilitate opportunities to foster self-confidence, independence of learning and critical thinking skills, they may cause an over-reliance on technology and a lack of creativity and sense of ownership. Accordingly, several teaching implications are drawn in this study.

The Future of the Translation Profession in the Era of Artificial Intelligence. Survey Results from Polish Translators, Translation Trainers, and Students of Translation

Technological advancements in computer science have led to the progressive change of the translation profession. In particular, this concerns machine translation, which has fundamentally changed the role of the translator. AI-driven tools, such as neural machine translation systems, have significantly improved translation speed and accuracy, with the translator role resembling that of an editor or proofreader. While translators have viewed the technological progress as a threat to their jobs, machine translation comes with some persistent issues, such as bias or inaccuracies stemming from insufficient context understanding and cultural nuances. Accordingly, the question of the future of human translation is more complex than it may initially appear. This paper presents the results of a pilot study on the perception of the future of the translation profession in the era of artificial intelligence.

Oscillatory features of German–English sentence processing: Evidence from an EEG study

Aims and objectives: In this study, we investigated the neural oscillatory patterns occurring during sentence-level overt bilingual processing tasks on 46 German–English bilinguals with the intention of finding out if there were task-specific oscillations for this language pair. Methodology: Four tasks, including Language 2 (L2) listening, Language 1 (L1) speaking, L2 shadowing (i.e., repeating a segment of an utterance), and backward interpreting (i.e., orally translating L2 sentences to L1), were implemented with the technique of electroencephalography (EEG). Data and analysis: Data included demographic indices, neural oscillation metrics, and oral production scores from participants. Static spectral analysis, time–frequency analysis, principal components analysis, cross-frequency coupling, and inferential statistics were applied to the data. Findings: The sensory task and articulatory tasks differed greatly in the delta–theta band and the beta–gamma band in terms of time–frequency dynamics. Analyses also revealed variations in a frontal/prefrontal theta component and a distinct gamma component across the four tasks. Moreover, we found a right fronto-temporal theta–gamma coupling unique to backward interpreting. Originality: The task-wise comparison experiment paradigm has rarely been implemented in neuroimaging research on language, especially so in EEG research on bilingualism. Significance: The findings provide novel insights for the understanding of language conversion mechanism and may benefit the training of professional interpreters.