Context Of Translation Research Articles

Affect in Literary Translations: What is at Stake for the Author and the Translator

This article explores the relationships between authors, translators, and readers within the context of literature and translation. Emphasising the reciprocal influence between texts, it delves into the desire of writers to control the interpretation of their works during translation. The examination extends to the hierarchy within literature and translation, questioning whether a translated text can be considered an autonomous entity and if translators can be acknowledged as authors considering the transformative nature of translation and the subjective, creative processes involved. The article also sheds light on the emotional and affective aspects involved in the translation process, highlighting the recurring theme of trust and the fear of translatorial non-compliance. Through examples, it demonstrates how authors can actively engage in the translation process to safeguard their narrative nuances. Case studies, including instances involving Umberto Eco, Guillermo Cabrera Infante, Carlos Fuentes, and Günter Grass, illustrate various levels of authorial control and collaboration. The discussion expands to the global literary landscape, emphasising the dominance of certain languages and the dynamics between the literary centre and periphery. Ultimately, it raises fundamental questions about authorship, control, and the transformative power of translation in shaping the “world republic of letters”. The article investigates the multifaceted dynamics between authors and translators, examining collaboration along a continuum from carte blanche to conflictual relationships. The extent of an author’s involvement in the translation process is explored, questioning the reasons behind some authors’ keen interest in ensuring accurate translations. The power imbalances within collaborations are scrutinised, raising questions about the translator’s agency. The article concludes with reflections on the challenges and potential pitfalls of authors participating in the translation of their own works, emphasising the inherent plurality of interpretations in the act of translation.

Crossing boundaries in an age of post-translation studies

Abstract The cycle of symphonic songs Das Lied von der Erde was based on Die Chinesische Flöte, a German version of classical Chinese poems. As a result, Die Chinesische Flöte crossed the boundary between literature and music, encompassing intralingual, interlingual, and intersemiotic translations. While comparative textual analysis reveals that these two works made changes to the original Chinese texts, intersemiotic translation illustrates that the borders between verbal texts and nonverbal works are fluid. This post-translation study traces the translation context of Das Lied, maps Die Chinesische Flöte’s transitions between literary and musical polysystems, and traces Das Lied’s afterlife in the creation of new artworks. It concludes that poetry, music, and other art forms can mutually translate, complement, and become afterlives of one another.

Abstract B059: Every day counts to cada dia cuenta: Adapting a behavioral intervention trial to accommodate Spanish language participants in a multisite study

Abstract Introduction. The number of women living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) has doubled in the last decade. Hispanic women have lower incidence of breast cancer than non-Hispanic White women but are more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage. Targeted therapies can impose prolonged symptom burden resulting in significant distress and physical limitations for women with MBC. Minimizing symptom burden, while maximizing treatment response and quality of life (QoL) are the primary goals in the metastatic setting. Thus, the demand for evidence-based interventions to help improve QoL, prognosis and survivorship is critical. Every Day Counts (EDC) examines the impact of a diet and exercise intervention on QoL and explores potential mechanistic pathways (e.g., body composition, inflammation) linking lifestyle to QoL. Initially, study eligibility excluded non-English speakers. Given the burden of MBC among Latinas, including Spanish language participants was a priority; the process of achieving this goal is described herein. Methods: Participants complete surveys and physical assessments at baseline and are then randomized to the 16-week lifestyle intervention OR the attention control organizational program. Both are led by a trained coach and include a program binder and weekly text messages whereas only the intervention receives a Fitbit and cooking classes. After the16-week program, participants complete surveys and physical assessments, and the control group participants crossover to the lifestyle program. Surveys include QoL, diet, physical activity, pain, cognitive function, sleep, outcome expectancy, social support, mood, and self- efficacy. Physical assessments include a 24-hour diet recall, DEXA, 6-minute walk, sit-to-stand, handgrip, arm curl, single leg balance, and blood draw. Adapting the trial for Spanish language participants required multiple steps and was led and implemented by bilingual, bicultural staff that went beyond translation and back-translation. Material Inventory. Review participant- facing materials to inform plan for adaptation and translation. Survey Review (N=17). Identify which measures are available and validated in Spanish using Pubmed and other search engines and/or contacting instrument author(s). Intervention Review. Staff review for content relevance for Latinas, include images and recipes illustrative of Latina culture. Translation. The study used a translation/back-translation process for recruitment scripts and materials, consent form, all surveys not available in Spanish, physical assessment protocols, intervention and control materials and text messages. Translation Review. To ensure the context of translation across dialects common to the Midwest, materials were reviewed by community members (Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic), with discrepancies resolved by staff. Discussion:: Transitioning studies to be more inclusive will increase critical access to much-needed trials that will impact disparities evident among minoritized communities. Citation Format: Diana L. Navarro Suarez, Patricia Sheean, Estefania Alonso, Sandra Contreras, Kathleen O’Connell, Margaret Tovar, Melinda Stolley. Every day counts to cada dia cuenta: Adapting a behavioral intervention trial to accommodate Spanish language participants in a multisite study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B059.

Role making in translational contexts

Abstract This study examines the roles of intercept interpreters/translators (IITs) in covert communication surveillance. Despite their increasing importance in global criminal investigations, their roles remain underexplored in academic research. Utilizing sociological theories of role taking and role making, three distinct IIT roles emerge: “distant service providers,” “deputy police officers,” and “masters of balance.” Each role reflects unique approaches influenced by professional identity and self-defined involvement in police investigations. At the same time, the research highlights the relevance of police trust in IITs. According to our study, role making functions as a negotiation between all stakeholders involved, challenging dichotomous perspectives on norms and expectations. The study advocates for a nuanced approach to IIT roles that integrates forensic-criminalistic considerations into translation practices. It also urges criminal justice authorities to rethink interpreting and translation methods by prioritizing meaningful translations that align with ethical standards and forensic principles.

Recharacterising Confucius in Multimodal Translation: From Analects to Comics

ABSTRACT This study aims to explore how Confucius is recharacterised in the multimodal translation of The Analects from verbal (analects) to verbal-visual (comics) texts. The focus is on the interpersonal/interactive meaning in Systemic Functional Linguistics and visual social semiotics. Parameters of MOOD and MODALITY are used in discussing the verbal mode in both source and target texts, and the system of CONTACT, SOCIAL DISTANCE, INVOLVEMENT, POWER, AFFECT, PROXIMITY and MASS/AMOUNT are employed in describing features of the visual mode in comics. The quantitative results show that Confucius has been recharacterised from an authoritative teacher in the source text into different images in four comic adaptions, i.e. a detached truth transmitter in Mori [2002. Dongfang Zhidian Shengshu: Manhua Lunyu. Beijing: Jiuzhou Press], an affable wiser in Tsai [2005. Confucius Speaks: The Message of the Benevolent. Beijing: China Modern Publishing House Ltd.], a superior mentor in Zhang [2007. Manhua LunYu. Hangzhou: Zhejiang People’s Publishing House.], and a popularised teacher in Chen [2021. Banxiaoshi Manhua Lunyu. Shanghai: Wenhui Press]. It is argued that the different images of Confucius reconstrued in four translations can be better understood in terms of the context of translation, in which translators’ identity, translation purpose, target reader and historically accepted image of Confucius are finally explored.

Translation as image rewriting: the case of Chinese red novels

ABSTRACT Following its founding in 1949, the People’s Republic of China embarked on a large-scale endeavour to translate red novels into English. Remarkably, these translations often underwent rewritings, suggesting the state’s considerable influence. Drawing on André Lefevere’s rewriting theory, this article examines why and how these works were rewritten in English. It first offers an overview of the domestic and foreign contexts of red novel translation, and then presents how these novels were translated, including the involvement of translators in the translation process and the rewriting of characters’ images. It is found that red novels were translated not only for cultural exchange but also for social-political and publicity reasons. To this end, the positive and negative characters of red novels are frequently modified, although following different paths: positive characters are generally improved or idealised for a more perfect representation, whereas negative characters are typically degraded or worsened to justify the struggle against them. Nonetheless, both trajectories ultimately serve the same purpose – to reshape the state’s national image.

Systemic identification of functionally conserved lncRNA metabolic regulators in human and mouse livers.

Unlike protein-coding genes, the majority of human long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) lack conservation based on their sequences, posing a challenge for investigating their role in a pathophysiological context for clinical translation. This study explores the hypothesis that non-conserved lncRNAs in human and mouse livers may share similar metabolic functions, giving rise to functionally conserved lncRNA metabolic regulators (fcLMRs). We developed a sequence-independent strategy to select putative fcLMRs, and performed extensive analysis to determine the functional similarities of putative human and mouse LMR pairs (h/mLMRs). We found that several pairs of putative fcLMRs share similar functions in regulating gene expression. We further demonstrated that a pair of fcLMRs, h/mLMR1, robustly regulated triglyceride levels by modulating the expression of a similar set of lipogenic genes. Mechanistically, h/mLMR1 binds to PABPC1, a regulator of protein translation, via short motifs on either lncRNA with divergent sequences but similar structures. This interaction inhibits protein translation, activating an amino acid-mTOR-SREBP1 axis to regulate lipogenic gene expression. Intriguingly, PABPC1-binding motifs on each lncRNA fully rescued the functions of their corresponding LMRs in the opposite species. Given the elevated expression of h/mLMR1 in humans and mice with hepatic steatosis, the PABPC1-binding motif on hLMR1 emerges as a potential non-conserved human drug target whose functions can be fully validated in a physiologically relevant setting before clinical studies. Our study supports that fcLMRs represent a novel and prevalent biological phenomenon, and deep phenotyping of genetic mLMR mouse models constitutes a powerful approach to understand the pathophysiological role of lncRNAs in the human liver.

ACCURACY AND ACCEPTABILITY OF THE WELLERMAN’S FOLKSONG TRANSLATION

An English folksong entitled The Wellerman became popular in Indonesia recently. Therefore, the accuracy and acceptability in folksong were important to be investigated. This paper reported the accuracy and acceptability of English into Indonesian translation in a folksong entitled The Wellerman. This research applied descriptive qualitative method. In addition, this research combined with purposive sampling technique. Nababan translation quality assessment framework was used to investigate the accuracy and acceptability of the folksong. The whole The Wellerman’s lyrics consist of 28 lines which was then assessed by the raters in terms of its accuracy and acceptability. The raters were 2 translators and 1 writer. The raters were purposely chosen to conduct reliable results of the accuracy and acceptability. This study found the average score of the accuracy was 2. 35 with 198 total scores and the average score of the acceptability was 2.48 with 209 total scores. The result indicates that the translation was relatively accurate and acceptable for the raters. However, it needs further improvement to maintain the context of the source text (ST) in the target text (TT) to reach an accuracy and acceptability in The Wellerman folksong. This study implied that it is crucial to maintain the imagery, narration, and the context of folksong translation.

COMPARISON OF THE POSTCOLONIAL ELEMENTS IN THE ARROW OF GOD AND ITS TURKISH TRANSLATION WITHIN THE SCOPE OF VENUTI’S FOREIGNIZATION STRATEGY

Postcolonial literature has emerged as a significant field in recent decades, sparking exploration across various disciplines, notably in translation studies. Translation within the context of postcolonial literature involves assessing decisions made in the light of resistance against colonial cultural impositions. This has led to the development of postcolonial translation as a burgeoning area within translation studies. Chinua Achebe, a pivotal figure in postcolonial literature, has produced seminal works characterized by linguistic elements that challenge conventional norms, deliberately incorporating the "foreign" elements within ostensibly "fully English" texts. This essay primarily aims to examine the foreignization strategy proposed by Lawrence Venuti by comparing original texts with their Turkish translations, particularly those by Nazan Arıbaş Erbil. Through this analysis, the extent to which Erbil's translations maintain the foreignizing effect of the original texts will be explored. By scrutinizing linguistic decisions within the context of postcolonial literature and translation, this study seeks to shed light on the complexities and nuances of cross-cultural communication and the preservation of linguistic identity in translated works. Ultimately, the research aims to provide a deeper understanding of the translator's role in postcolonial literature and the implications of their decisions on cross-cultural communication and the preservation of linguistic identity in order to ensure an awareness.

MDB-47. DEEP LEARNING DECODES NEW SITES OF RNA TRANSLATION IN MEDULLOBLASTOMA

Abstract BACKGROUND Medulloblastoma, a malignant brain cancer predominantly affecting children, possesses a high propensity for metastasis and is frequently fatal. Through studies on RNA translation, a core biological process, we aim to uncover the disease biology of cancer in order to design therapeutic targets. Yet, the exploration of canonical protein-coding genes has thus far yielded few viable targets in medulloblastoma, where non-canonical open reading frames (ORFs) are increasingly being investigated for their regulatory role. METHODS To address the significant challenge in delineating novel translated ORFs in individual cells or tissues, we have designed RIBO-former, a best-of-its-class machine learning model that leverages ribosome profiling data to detect translated open reading frames. Through RIBO-former, we expanded the proteome of healthy prenatal (n=30) and adult (n=42) samples, which are notoriously hard to process due to low read depth and noise, in addition to medulloblastoma cancer tissue (n=8) and cell line (n=15) data. RESULTS Across all medulloblastoma cell lines, we determine an initial selection of 3,638 non-canonical ORFs. Unsupervised clustering of the ribosome profiling read counts within these non-canonical ORF regions group samples according to the described subtypes of medulloblastoma cancer, hinting at the significant role these ncORFs play in protein homeostasis. Looking into distinct expression profiles between cell lines with high and low MYC expression, we revealed 201 non-canonical ORFs that are differentially expressed. We evaluate our data through various analyses including testing of which ORFs have a viable sequence context for translation, achieved through another in-house tool (TIS Transformer). CONCLUSIONS By taking advantage of advances in machine learning, we were able to uncover new sites of translation in medulloblastoma that can aid the future discovery of therapeutic targets. As such, we were able to find 22 highly promising non-canonical ORFs that show unique expression profiles in relation to MYC in medulloblastoma.

Challenges of Rendering Chauvinism into Arabic: Implications for Dictionary Users and Translation Equivalence

Bilingual dictionaries sometimes do not satisfy the needs of dictionary users because they offer partial equivalents or incomplete information. This status does not avail the users who seek to immediately retrieve the required information. The users presume that language entries in bilingual dictionaries are communicative equivalents that can be used to translate specific occurrences of the source language item. If the semantic and communicative translation does not hold between the SL and TL, the user will not be able to render the item in question successfully. This paper examines the target language equivalents for ‘chauvinism in English –Arabic dictionaries, namely the Oxford English-Arabic Dictionary (2014); Al-Mawrid, English-Arabic (2006); Al-Muɣni al-Kabiːr(1995); The Oxford Word Power (2006); The Dictionary, English-Arabic (2004), as a representative sample. These dictionaries do not catch the broad range of the concept that covers many sorts of claims and social attitudes in its native linguistic sources. To make up for this deficiency, the paper highlights the appropriate strategies that translators can use to render this concept communicatively into Arabic. The study is based on the communicative functional approach which assumes that dictionary meaning is insufficient to resolve potential ambiguities and that the contexts are necessary to unpack specific senses or connotations of the item. This deficiency has an impact on the translator’s choice of strategy to meet the target readers’ needs. Finally, strategies and suggestions for helping to achieve equivalence in bilingual dictionaries are discussed.Keywords: Equivalence, Contextual translation, Communicative equivalence, Ambiguity, Contested concept

An investigation into the impact of vocabulary retrieval practice as a method of formative assessment in a Latin AS-level unseen translation context

Abstract Unseen translation forms a central part of assessment and teaching both in the Latin GCSE and A Level. Developing skills for the unseen translation presents several challenges for the classroom teacher; unseens can be introduced using a scaffolded approach, yet pupils must learn to develop independence for the examination. Unseens can often take an entire lesson, or more to translate, precluding the opportunity for meaningful, immediate feedback. Furthermore, classes of mixed- ability students often suffer from staggered completion rates and unequal attention being divided among students. Within the curriculum, unseen classes can additionally suffer from feeling severed from the specification as passages contain unfamiliar material, the content is discrete from the set texts, and lack of an overarching framework for approaching unseens can make them feel irrelevant to pupils. Therefore, striking a balance between productive support for in-class unseen translation practice and nurturing pupil confidence requires a clear strategy. This article investigates the effect of two methods of formative assessment used in preparation for an unseen translation lesson with a year 12 class. Reflecting on the results of the investigation, this article discusses the opportunities different tasks may afford the Latin teacher for developing a vocabulary curriculum that supports long-term retention of vocabulary, increases the efficiency of unseen classes, and allows the unseen passage to be received as part of a wider framework of learning.

A survey of context in neural machine translation and its evaluation

Abstract The question of context in neural machine translation often focuses on topics related to document-level translation or intersentential context. However, there is a wide range of other aspects that can be considered under the umbrella of context. In this work, we survey ways that researchers have incorporated context into neural machine translation systems and the evaluation thereof. This includes building translation systems that operate at the paragraph level or the document level or ones that translate at the sentence level but incorporate information from other sentences. We also consider how issues like terminology consistency, anaphora, and world knowledge or external information can be considered as types of context relevant to the task of machine translation and its evaluation. Closely tied to these topics is the question of how to best evaluate machine translation output in a way that is sensitive to the contexts in which it appears. To this end, we discuss work on incorporating context into both human and automatic evaluations of machine translation quality. Furthermore, we also discuss recent experiments in the field as they relate to the use of large language models in translation and evaluation. We conclude with a view of the future of machine translation, where we expect to see issues of context continue to come to the forefront.

Film + Design

The design of scenography, staging, lighting and objects for representation and presentation within the film genre forms one of the most seductive areas in the practice of interior design.?The merging of space and movement within this medium provide context and site for the visual translation of narrative, engagement of image and spectacle and discourse surrounding the iconography and imagery of history, culture and society. This studio, delivered to second and third year interior design students at the University of South Australia, delved into the multi-disciplinary practice of the film process. It introduced students to the various roles and responsibilities of the designer working within the medium of film. It attempted to meld the theoretical and practical through a series of design projects which analysed and developed design proposals while challenging traditional realms of interior design practice. Four specific theory lectures were developed to provide a theoretical reference for the project work. These were structured to explore notions of montage, place, and fragmentation through representation and imagery. To augment these lectures and translate existing skills into the conventions of film design practice, practical workshops exploring the techniques of script breakdown, drafting, lighting and packaging formed an integral part of the lecture series. To develop critical analysis and observation of existing practices, students were asked to watch a minimum of ten films - either from the supplied listing' or as proposed. They were asked to comment both in visual and text form, on the various devices used to visualize the narrative in each film. To do so, they identified the broad themes of the film and documented design methods used to represent these themes - form, lighting, spatial sequencing, etc Gaining an understanding of a body of film works allowed students to engage in both theoretical and practical approaches to the design process in a reflective and responsive way.

Language Conventions of Kurdish Scientific Books in the Context of Scientific Translation between English and Kurdish

This paper explores the language conventions of Kurdish Scientific Books (KSBs) within the context of scientific translation between English and Central Kurdish. The study analyses five KSBs to investigate their language characteristics, including clarity, precision, formality, use of terminology, style and so forth. The current study utilizes Lambert and van Gorp’s (1985/2006) four-step scheme for analysing and describing the KSBs. The findings reveal that KSBs generally employ clear and precise language, maintain objectivity and formality, and make use of nominalization and scientific terminology. The KSBs generally favour incomplete sentences in titles and figures, and, in the body of the sections and chapters, prefer long sentences and active voice and avoid direct quotations, abbreviations, acronyms, and personal pronouns. They also incorporate English loanwords and terms to fill lexical lacunae, indicating the influence of the English scientific language. This research accordingly sheds light on the language conventions of KSBs and their potential similarities to the English scientific language.

Machine translation literacy in the legal translation context: a SWOT analysis perspective

ABSTRACT In the past couple of decades, machine translation (MT), whether phrase-based statistical or neural MT, has made considerable progress and has become increasingly common in specialised translation workflows. More studies on MT in legal contexts have been conducted in the past several years, and MT has been and continues to be used in international and supranational institutions that rely on legal translation and whose voluminous collections of translated text have been used to train contemporary systems. The time is ripe for a synthesis of developments in the area that may reinforce our understanding of what we might expect from MT from the perspective of legal translators. This systematic review of legal translation and MT studies teases out potential strengths/weaknesses of MT and opportunities/threats of using it from a legal translator perspective, focusing on lexical and morphosyntactic challenges that may set legal translation apart from other specialised translation areas. A SWOT analysis from this perspective may offer value as a pedagogical framework for fostering domain-specific MT literacy in the legal translation classroom. Students will develop an understanding of what might reasonably be expected from MT in legal translation contexts, while reinforcing their understanding of legal translation challenges.

Tailoring responsible research and innovation to the translational context: the case of AI-supported exergaming

We discuss the implementation of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) within a project for the development of an AI-supported exergame for assisted movement training, outline outcomes and reflect on methodological opportunities and limitations. We adopted the responsibility-by-design (RbD) standard (CEN CWA 17796:2021) supplemented by methods for collaborative, ethical reflection to foster and support a shift towards a culture of trustworthiness inherent to the entire development process. An embedded ethicist organised the procedure to instantiate a collaborative learning effort and implement RRI in a translational context. Within the interdisciplinary setting of the collaboration and with the support of a technoethicist, we successfully identified relevant, project-specific challenges and developed a roadmap with derived actions, thus meaningfully integrating RRI into the development process. We discuss the methodological procedure in terms of its effectiveness and efficiency, the allocation of responsibilities and roles, particularly regarding potential frictions in the interdisciplinary context with embedded ethics, and the challenges of the translational context. We conclude that the responsibility-by-design standard effectively established a productive workflow for collaborative investigation and work on ethical challenges. We reflect on methodological difficulties and propose possible avenues to our approach.

Semiosic Translation: a Bayesian-heuristic theory of translation and translating

Abstract In the context of Semiosic Translation, two elements are essential for a translation to emerge: the body–brain–context interface (extended mind) and the sign systems making up a translation output. In this paper, I explain how a renewed view of the body as a Bayesian-heuristic Semiotic Prior helps to understand in a more holistic manner the motivations and agentive character of translation, defined herein as a phenomenological grasp of the world. Central to the present proposal is the idea that bodily self-stabilization (homeostasis) and brain-driven correction (allostasis) provide translator-agents with maps of action upon the world that are semiotic in nature. All this occurs thanks to information weighing (Bayesian) and cue-driven (heuristic) types of inference whereby exteroceptive (exogenous) and interoceptive (inner-body) signals converge to create a sense of bodily awareness responsible for the construction of the symbolic persona (the translator-agent).

The translation teaching platform based on multilingual corpora of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China: Design, resources and applications

Over the last two decades, the domain of corpus-based translation studies has evolved into a significant paradigm, instrumental in probing a diverse array of scholarly inquiries. This article demonstrates the various uses of corpus analysis techniques that have gained popularity in translation studies, and it presents a new multilingual corpus. This corpus showcases the evolving nature of the field as it expands to accommodate new conceptual frameworks and methodologies. In addition to addressing the use of corpora in translating, learning, and analyzing translation within the context of multilingual corpora and machine translation, this article reports on a pilot project concerning the construction of an AI-based translation teaching platform. Utilizing multilingual corpora, the platform aims to create a foundation for extensive translation instruction and multilingual training at the tertiary level. Following a discussion on the evolution of corpus-based approaches in translation studies and their connection to the growth of translation education as a profession, the paper describes the actual design of the platform. This includes the theoretical framework, the methodology of annotation, and the execution of the software programme. These corpora are relevant not only to individuals studying translation but also to the related multilingual corpora, comprising collections of originals and their translations in the same language.

The use of automation in the rendition of certain articles of the Saudi Commercial Law into English: a post-editing-based comparison of five machine translation systems.

Efforts to automate translation were made in the 1950s and 1960s, albeit with limited resources compared to current advanced standards. Machine translation is categorised under computational linguistics that examines employing computer software in the rendition of text from one language into another. The present paper seeks to compare five different machine translation systems for the sake of assessing the quality of their outputs in rendering certain articles of the Saudi Commercial Law into English through post-editing based on Human Translation Edit Rate. Each machine translation output is assessed against the same post-edited version, and the closest output to the post-edited version with regard to the use of the same lexicon and word order will achieve the lowest score. The lower the score of the machine translation output is, the higher quality it has. The paper then analyses the results of the Human Translation Edit Rate metric evaluation to ascertain as to whether or not high-quality machine translation outputs always produce acceptable Arabic-English legal translation. The present paper argues that the use of Human Translation Edit Rate metric is a useful tool for the sake of undertaking post-editing procedures as it is a combination of both human evaluation as well as automatic evaluation. It is also advantageous as it takes account of both the use of lexicon and word order. However, such metric cannot be sufficiently depended on as one term substitution, which will be counted according to this metric as a single error, may render the whole sentence invalid, particularly in legal translation. This paper offers a baseline for the quality assessment of machine translation output through post-editing based on Human Translation Edit Rate metric and how its results should be analysed within Arabic-English legal translation context, which may have implications for similar machine translation output quality assessment contexts.