Use Of Translation Technology Research Articles

The Construction of Ethical Norms for Translation Technology for Medical Translators

This study explores the construction of ethical norms for medical translators who use translation technologies such as Machine Translation (MT), Neural Machine Translation (NMT), and Computer-Aided Translation (CAT) tools. As these technologies become integral to medical translation, ethical concerns surrounding accuracy, confidentiality, and humanitarian considerations arise. The study emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balance between the efficiency of technology and the ethical imperatives that define medical translation. Using a mixed-methods approach, including literature review, comparative analysis, and textual evaluation, the study investigates the ethical challenges posed by translation technology. It proposes ethical norms focusing on human oversight, data security, empathy, and accountability. The findings suggest that the role of the translator is evolving, requiring not only linguistic expertise but also competence in navigating the ethical complexities introduced by technology. The research contributes to the development of actionable guidelines that ensure the responsible use of translation technology while preserving the core values of medical ethics.

Finnish literary translators' use of translation technology and tools: processes, profiles, and purposes

Finnish literary translators' use of translation technology and tools: processes, profiles, and purposes

Translators' Perceptions on Open Source Translation Tools: Trados and OmegaT

In the last century, great technological development has changed the working principles and methods of institutions and professions worldwide and has started a radical innovation process. While it eliminated those who could not keep up with this innovation, it raised those who did to be the best in their fields. One of the professions affected by this change is undoubtedly translation. Translation technology systems are widely used by translators all over the world today and have a large market. Translators' use of translation technologies more effectively and accurately ensures that their translations are carried out more accurately and in a faster time, and it has become the indispensable equipment of a good translator in the historical process. This has given vital meaning to translation technologies such as translation memories and machine translations. The benefits of translation technologies to the translator are many. Although many studies have been conducted on the problems experienced by translators and the limitations and advantages of translation technologies in general, there are very few studies on the problems experienced by translators individually about the use of translation technologies, the problems they experience and their attitudes. The aim of this article is to identify the various problems that translators experience while using computer-assisted translation tools, to reveal the reasons for using the programs they frequently use, and to get the comments of the translators who use alternative options. By employing a document analysis approach to collect data, the article presents a descriptive analysis of opinions. This analysis is between the paid Trados program, which is known to all translators, and the free alternative program OmegaT. The user comments of the Proz forum, which is known worldwide by translators, are used in the analysis. An analysis is presented by listing the positive and negative opinions about both computer-aided translation tools. The article presents some suggestions regarding translation education based on the findings.

Professional Translators and Translation Technology

Nowadays we are all aware of the role that technology plays in our private and professional lives, as this has been and continues to be the purpose for which it was created and continues to develop. This article begins with a short analysis of the importance of the use of translation technology in various areas of modern life, focusing on the causes that led to its birth and development. It then describes in general terms the tools offered by this technology, from the translation machine to the computer-assisted translation, explaining what is considered to be the core of CAT known as MT – memory translation. In the last part, the article discusses the pros and cons of professional translators regarding the tools offered by this technology, concluding that on the one hand translators should increasingly insist on using these tools, to be competitive in translation’s process, but on the other hand also the companies that produce these technologies should work more towards the quality of translation as well as the involvement of professional translators in the development projects of these tools. Communication between the two parties should be the next challenge for these companies.
 
 Received: 5 January 2023 / Accepted: 28 February 2023 / Published: 5 March 2023

Alignment of Translation Technology Training with Professional Practice in Mexico: A Glimpse into the Situation

An exploratory study about the use of translation technologies in translation programs in Mexico reported that few professors teach technology in few translation courses. Some reasons for this were that they had not been well trained in their academic programs when they were students, or they lacked a more comprehensive knowledge of these technologies (Peña Aguilar 2018). Effective training was not possible for most of these instructors as students, and they seemed to be reproducing similar learning insufficiencies with future translators. Because of this, another survey-based project was devised to identify the use that professionals who graduated from Mexican translation programs are making of translation technologies. What could be their disposition towards the use of translation technologies? The results indicate that professional translators do not resort to the use of ‘core’ translation technologies very often, but do use other electronic resources useful for accomplishing their tasks. One in two translators thinks their income has increased due to their technology knowledge, and they learn about these technologies on their own. Additionally, they are partly enthusiastic and neutral about using translation tools of this type. Professional translators think they could have learned about translation environment tools (TEnTs) at university (and they wish they had), but university instructors are still not teaching these technologies as much. So, there is a need reported by a few professionals, but not being dealt by some university programs. This could tell about the need to change or revise translation programs or, at the very least, the need to have a change of attitude on the side of university instructors. In contrast, those that are doing their part would hopefully find some reasons to keep up.

Translation Technology in English Studies Within the System of Higher Education in Poland

The study is focused on translation technology within the system of higher education in Poland, specifically English Studies offering translation specialization at BA and MA level, as well as postgraduate studies aimed at translators of English. The conducted analysis of translation curricula of Polish universities investigates the presence of courses devoted to the use of translation technology and seeks to determine whether such courses are offered at a given level of higher education, where in the system most of the courses are placed, and when they are mostly organized. First, however, a brief overview of different aspects determining the inclusion of translation technology in curricula are discussed. Here, the main stress is placed on its importance for the translation markets, the skills and knowledge obtained by students entering the market which are desired by translation agencies, elements affecting the selection of given translation software, the necessary infrastructure to run such courses, the costs of the programmes, ‘human resources’, the policies of universities, etc. The short discussion is followed by an analysis of the available courses, with each section devoted to one of the levels of the Polish higher education system, namely BA, MA and postgraduate studies. The courses within each level are briefly compared to provide some general tendencies for each type of studies. The final, concluding part of the study summarizes the results and stresses the need for further introduction of translation technology into translation curricula.

Challenges and Countermeasures of Translation Teaching in the Era of Artificial Intelligence

The development of artificial intelligence has greatly improved the quality of machine translation (MT), bringing great changes to translation business and translation teaching in universities. At present, teachers and students of translation study do not have enough knowledge about the latest development of MT, and rarely integrate MT into translation practice. Outdated teaching methods and poor use of translation technologies fail to cultivate talents needed by the translation industry. The teaching of translation should make corresponding changes according to changes of practice in language service by updating teaching methods, incorporating MT and related translation tools and technologies into teaching, establishing a diversified translation evaluation system so as to further improve students’ post-translation editing ability and language competence.

Collaborative Translation in the Digital Age

This study investigates the learning experiences of student translators participating in collaborative translation with and without the use of translation technology through collaborative translation teaching and practical exercises. The effectiveness and efficiency of two types of collaboration (face-to-face and virtual) are surveyed in terms of students’ cooperation and communication, the effort they invest into translation exercises, the importance they attach to these exercises, and the effectiveness of translation technology in collaborative translation. We use questionnaires to obtain a comprehensive overview of the translation process of and feedback on collaborative translation from student translators. Face-to-face and virtual collaborative translations are performed in English–Chinese translation courses to compare the learning effectiveness of virtual and face-to-face collaboration, enhance our understanding of how collaborative translation facilitates reciprocity, and offer recommendations to enhance translation teaching. This study develops collaborative translation teaching methods and designs collaborative translation curricula. Exploring the core criteria of collaboration, effectiveness, and efficiency through the reports of student translators collaborating face-to-face and online will contribute to the establishment of a collaborative translation framework.

The Machine Translation of Literature: Implications for Translation Pedagogy

The recent years have witnessed an increasing importance of machine translation systems due to the prolific production on online texts in different disciplines and furthermore, the inability of traditional translation methods in addressing translation needs all over the world. It is even argued that training on translation tools should be integrated into translation pedagogies and ultimately, courses should be provided for students and professionals. In spite of the effectiveness of translation tools and systems in providing solutions in relation to different disciplines and text genres, the usability and reliability of such systems in terms of literary texts, however, is still highly controversial. Many critics and educators still underestimate the usefulness of the machine translation systems in literature, which could be partially attributed to the unique nature of the language of the literary texts. The issue has its pedagogical implications to translation instruction due to the needs to integrate emerging technologies in teaching and learning practices. For proper use of translation technologies in educational contexts, these need to be well evaluated. For this purpose, this study evaluates the usefulness of applying machine translation systems to literature with the purpose of identifying the challenges that may have negative impacts on the reliability of machine translation systems. In order to do this this, two translation systems are selected, namely, Google Translate and Q Translate. By way of illustration, the study is based on a corpus of two English short stories. The study is based on two prose fiction texts. The first is J. K. Rowling’s novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The second is Edgar Allan Poe’s short story The Black Cat. Automatic translations generated by the two machine translation systems were compared to human made Arabic translations with the purpose of identifying the problems within these translations. Results indicate that different lexical, structural, and pragmatic errors are encountered by users which negatively impact the reliability of these translations. Educators and translation instructors need to reflect on the challenges of machine translation systems in relation to literature. Software developers need also to address the problems faced by users and students in the translation from and into the Arabic language.

Translation technology adoption: evidence from a postgraduate programme for student translators in China

ABSTRACTThe ability to use translation technology is considered a key component of a translator’s translation competence. However, few studies have investigated the extent of use of translation technology, especially among student translators. This paper reports on a survey of translation technology adoption among 441 students enrolled on a Master-level Programme in Translation and Interpreting. A questionnaire was used to measure student knowledge and frequency of use for six common types of translation technology tools and resources: electronic dictionaries, search engines, online encyclopaedias, corpora, machine translation and computer-aided translation tools. The results show that there is a strong, positive correlation between student knowledge and their use of translation technology. More specifically, the second-year students generally used translation technology more frequently than the first-year students. This paper provides a baseline for future comparisons of translation technology use, which has implications for teaching translation technology in China and similar contexts elsewhere.

Language Translation Apps in Health Care Settings: Expert Opinion.

BackgroundCurrently, over 300 languages are spoken in Australian homes. People without proficient English from non-English speaking countries may not receive equitable care if their health care workers do not speak their primary language. Use of professional interpreters is considered the gold standard; however, for a variety of reasons, it is often limited to key aspects of care such as diagnosis and consent. With the emergence of mobile technologies, health care workers are increasingly using digital translation tools to fill this gap. However, many of these technologies have not been developed for health care settings and their use has not been evaluated.ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate iPad-compatible language translation apps to determine their suitability for enabling everyday conversations in health care settings.MethodsTranslation apps were identified by searching the Apple iTunes Store and published and grey literature. Criteria for inclusion were that the apps were available at no cost, able to translate at least one of the top 10 languages spoken in Australia, and available for use on iPad. Apps that met inclusion criteria were reviewed in 2 stages. Stage 1 was the feature analysis conducted by 2 independent researchers, where apps were evaluated for offline use, input and output methods, and number of languages. Stage 2 was the analysis of suitability for everyday communication in the health care setting, conducted by 2 independent professionals with expertise in translation and cross-cultural communication. Apps that enabled key aspects of care normally within the realm of professional interpreters, such as assessment, treatment and discharge planning, and seeking consent for medical treatments, were considered unsuitable.ResultsIn total, 15 apps were evaluated. Of these, 8 apps contained voice-to-voice and voice-to-text translation options. In addition, 6 apps were restricted to using preset health phrases, whereas 1 app used a combination of free input and preset phrases. However, 5 apps were excluded before stage 2. In addition, 6 of the 10 remaining apps reviewed in stage 2 were specifically designed for health care translation purposes. Of these, 2 apps were rated as suitable for everyday communication in the health care setting—culturally and linguistically diverse Assist and Talk To Me. Both apps contained simple and appropriate preset health phrases and did not contain conversations that are normally within the realm of professional interpreters.ConclusionsAll iPad-compatible translation apps require a degree of caution and consideration when used in health care settings, and none should replace professional interpreters. However, some apps may be suitable for everyday conversations, such as those that enable preset phrases to be translated on subject matters that do not require a professional interpreter. Further research into the use of translation technology for these types of conversations is needed.

Problem-based Learning in Computer-assisted Translation Pedagogy

This article discusses problem-based learning (PBL) and its potential application to computer-assisted translation (CAT) pedagogy. Problem-based learning is situated in the CAT classroom as a final course component in which students challenge their previously-acquired knowledge and skill sets to solve unique, ill-defined problems that mirror those encountered in the language industry. This constructivist approach to education is designed to empower students to be self-directed, collaborative learners and to foster critical thinking and reflection. Moreover, problem-based learning is a means to encourage professional behavior and to develop skills beyond the mere use of translation technologies. This article explores the potential advantages and disadvantages of this educational approach as documented in related professional fields. In addition, the article addresses the ways in which problems are designed and implemented in the translation classroom, with a discussion of how they can and should be aligned with course learning objectives. The article concludes with a discussion of ways students’ work ought to be assessed to enhance gains often seen in PBL environments.

Productivity and quality when editing machine translation and translation memory outputs: an empirical analysis of English to Welsh translation

AbstractThis article reports on a controlled study carried out to examine the possible benefits of editing Machine Translation and Translation Memory outputs when translating from English to Welsh. Using software capable of timing the translation process per segment, 8 professional translators each translated 75 sentences of differing match percentage, and post- edited a further 25 segments of Machine Translation. Basing the final analysis on 800 sentences and 17,440 words, the use of Fuzzy Matches in the 70-99% match range, Exact Matches and Statistical Machine Translation was found to significantly speed up the translation process. Significant correlations were also found between the processing time data of Exact Matches and Machine Translation post-editing, rather than between Fuzzy Matches and Machine Translation as expected. Two experienced translators were then asked to rate all translations for fidelity, grammaticality and style, whereby it was found that the use of translation technology either did not negatively affect translation quality compared to manual translation, or its use actually improved final quality in some cases. As well as confirming the findings of research in relation to translation technology, these findings also contradict supposed similarities between translation quality in terms of style and post-editing Machine Translation.

Technology, translation and society

Translation studies and social theories of translation tend not to deal adequately with questions regarding the role of technology in translation and have neglected the ways in which technologies, as non-human entities, embody and materialize hegemonic and power relations. This paper seeks to address this shortcoming by looking to science and technology studies (STS) for conceptual frameworks to help us to understand and articulate (a) how popular, deterministic perceptions of translation technology are perpetuated through the discourses of hegemonic actors, (b) how decisions regarding design and use of translation technologies may be studied with reference to their construction and interpretation by relevant social groups, and (c) how a critical theory of technology and an analytical focus on practices can help to focus our attention on the exercise of hegemonic control in the translation sector.

On Technological Turn of Translation Studies: Evidences and Influences

With the rapid development of translation technology and globalized translation industry, there has emerged a great number of translation software, and the translation practice has been transformed hereby. The objective of this paper is to explore the technological turn of translation studies. This study finds that a technological turn of translation studies has occurred in translation studies. This paper defines the concept of technological turn of translation studies, demonstrates the evidences of the technological turn, investigates the reasons of the technological turn, and analyzes its great influence on translation studies. This paper suggests that the translation academia shall pay attention to the technological turn of translation studies, and make use of translation technologies, and conduct further research in this new field.

The Namesake in Persian

Translation and literary translation in particular, no longer can be seen as a static activity. In Austermühl’s words, the antiquated image of a lone translator, armed only with a pencil or typewriter and surrounded by dusty books, is no longer realistic. The translators are now learning to apply the new communication technologies like Internet in their work. The web log as a recent phenomenon in the cyber world can be applied in literary translation. However, it has been overlooked in translation studies, partly, in author’s opinion, because of its novelty but to large extend, because of its popularity as a platform or a personal diary for the novice bloggers, the authors of the web logs. In this article, the application of a web log by an Iranian literary translator in his Persian translation of Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake is examined. By providing examples of the discussions between the translator and his visitors (readers), and by incorporating the web log in a model of translation studies, The Holmes–Toury map of translation studies, he tries to pinpoint the advantages of web log in literary translation in respect to its application as an online translation workshop. The author argues that the web log can be thoroughly applied in literary translation provided that the translator optimizes the quality of his web log or workshop by acknowledging the growing importance of new technologies available for him; and making informed decisions for the effective use of translation technology. What distinguishes the online translation workshop from its traditional one is its round-the-clock opening, facilitated interaction with the translator, absence of any formal setting and formality and instant access to available sources in Internet. The application of weblogs as an online workshop has some advantages for the literary translator: acting as a mediator between the translator and his potential readers; sharing the experiences, problems and seeking advice; and, creating a virtual, universal world around the translation which is bigger than his small, personal world.

Visual Aspects of Intercultural Technical Communication: A Cognitive Scientific and Semiotic Point of View

This article presents a cognitive scientific view of the role of verbal and visual aspects in the translation of technical texts. The semiotic differentiation between symbols and icons is discussed from both the cognitive scientific and the translation studies perspectives. The article refers to the definition of text as a unit of communication (and translation) that includes both verbal and visual aspects and thus emphasises the function of the visual dimension in translation. The theoretical discussion is related to professional practices in the modern translation workplace: through its discussion of the results of a recent empirical field study based on participant observation over an extended period of time in a translation agency, the present research seeks to determine the extent to which the visual dimension can be taken into account in technical translation. In particular, the results point to the consequences of the use of translation technologies (translation memories, translation management systems, localisation software, etc.) in the modern translation workplace. The dominance of the verbal aspect induced by the use of some such technologies can make it increasingly difficult for translators to pay attention to the visual elements in translation. This stresses the importance of the inclusion of courses on the critical and professional use of translation technologies within translation studies programmes.

Translation Technology Skills Acquisition

Translators of the 21st century are expected to make an efficient use of new technologies in an ever demanding market/society. Therefore lecturers must teach translator trainees to exploit the translation technology available to them, which entails a number of difficulties at cognitive, procedural and attitudinal levels. In this article, these problems are examined within the context of an innovative education project set up to pave the way in this learning process, to improve the development of the required skills, to foster the use of translation technology among translator trainees, and to prepare them for the professional translation environment.