The Future of Translation: How Technology is Changing the Role of Human Translators

Author:  İsa Korkmaz

The translation sector is still growing, and internationalization is wide. The EU demands millions of words of translation every year. In addition, Google Translate, DeepL and ChatGPT and more artificial intelligence-based translation tools transform the translation industry. Still, for special fields like medical, law, literary and so on there is still a need for human translators.

Current Technologies in Translation

Today, machine translation, and especially artificial intelligence-based translation tools are widespread. Moreover, tools like CAT are used in every kind of translation jobs. These tools provide consistency by its Translation Memory and provides a better-quality translation. In addition, AI-powered language models are giving great performance for literal translation and informative texts.

Still, there are limitations for all of these tools and we still need human interference. Even if these tools provide time and speed-cost efficiency, human translators need to check everything in order to contain success in translation. Especially for fields like law, medical, literary and more. Thus, when it comes to cultural fields, humans are still needed.

The Evolving Role of Human Translators 

Humans’ interference is needed after the post-editing machines do their job. We need to check the grammar, meaning, consistency and more for a high-quality translation. Likewise, special translation fields require more cultural awareness, creativity and cultural insight. For example, in the translation of law, we need to be careful of even a letter and its meaning, a gesture, a body language, culture, the norms in the target language and culture, and the norms in the source language and culture.

Similarly, in marketing, we need to use localization in order to maintain the same feeling that the source audience feels and create the similar feeling in the target audience. Alphabet, writing rules, culture, norms, history, local language, gestures, body language and everything should be considered while translating and localizing an advertisement. We need to be careful of misunderstandings, norms, culture and so on of the target audience while doing our job. “Translation is a kind of activity which inevitably involves at least two languages and two cultural traditions, i.e., at least two sets of norm-systems on each level.” (1)

Skills Translators Need to Stay Relevant

Translators must be up to date and need to know Technologies like CAT Tools, machine translation, AI-powered tools, Translation Memory, and more. Moreover, they must know cultural differences, norms in order to not offend anyone while translating. Thus, continuous language and cultural learning must exist for them.

Also, translators need creativity and adaptability in translation. For example, in the marketing or literary, these competencies are needed to make a great translation. If the translator does not know the cultural norms of the target audience, and translated an offensive style in the translation, this would cause quite a harm to the brand too; and the product would not be sold.

“According to a study by Pielmeier and O’Mara (2020) of CSA Research, 88% of almost 7,000 translators surveyed use TM (Translation Memory) or CAT tools (66% for most projects, with another 22% using it if requested by their client), 81% use terminology management, and 55% use MT (Machine Translation).”(2)

Career Opportunities in the Modern Translation Landscape

Translators can choose various job ways in translation. They can become freelance translator or can work with an LSP (Language Service Provider). Moreover, they can focus on localization, transcreation or similar works. Likewise, they can work on advertisement, marketing, business and similar fields of translations.

In Conclusion

Translators and technology are inseparable things today. Translators use technology, CAT Tools, Machine Translation and more as a tool and these tools help translators in every way. So, these tools provide more success and less problems. These tools do not overtake the job of translators because in every field of translation, a human interference is necessary.

“Understanding of Context: AI struggles with understanding and interpreting context, cultural nuances, and idiomatic expressions in the source language.

Handling Ambiguity: AI may not handle ambiguous phrases and sentences well, as it cannot infer meaning based on its own knowledge.

Example: If an AI encounters the English phrase “Act of God" without prior training, it might translate this literally, missing the idiomatic meaning.” (3)

Thus, it is certain that Professional translators adapt, improve, appreciate the technology and progress more. The technology is not going to overtake their place. Likewise, these professionals know how to use the technology and use it as a supportive tool. (4) So, it is necessary to adapt the current technology and improve oneself.

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You can read also about:

The Impact of AI on Human Translation: Collaboration or Competition?

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Reference List:

• The Nature and Role of Norms in Translation

• Translation Tools and Technologies

• Artificial Intelligence and human translation

• AI-Assisted Translation is NOT Replacing Professional Translators

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