Discuss the role of technology in translation and its effect on the Essay

Discuss the role of technology in translation and its effect on the translation process - Essay Example Early researchers (Weaver 1949; Booth 1953; Dostert in IBM 1954) were excited about MT for its technological potential. They marveled at the prospect of one day automating translation thereby providing an alternative to human translation. Translators, on the other hand, felt their craft was being undervalued and depreciated. They retaliated with feelings of fear and anxiety. As it became evident that machines would not soon take the place of human translators, attention shifted to forms of computer-assisted translation (CAT) technology. Kay (1980) and Belby (1982) in particular motivated research for computer aids to assist the translator. Books by Bowker (1998) and Somers (2003) contain articles about many aspects of computer technology for translation while Astemuhl (2001) and Bowker (2002), as well as parts of Sofer (2004), target the professional translator interested in acquiring the necessary technological skills. In addition to an increased focus on computer assistance for translators, the rise of globalization further increased the need for efficient computer support in view of making translation quicker and more cost efficient. One the best examples is Sprung (2000). The change in focus from replacing to assisting translators marked the beginning of a shift from technology-centered to human-centered applications in the translation industry. Whi le a theoretical framework has been well been documented by psychologist Donald A. Norman (1998), truly human-centered technology has yet to come. Considering the changes the translation industry has experienced over the past 50 years, the objective of this paper is to asses the role of the technology in translation and its effect on translation process. In this context I will start by defining machine translation (MT) and computer-assisted translation (CAT), evaluate their impact on translation process and finally will discuss Toredo as a means to complete my translation project that I recently done. Computer-based translation technology roughly falls into two categories, Machine Translation (MT) and Computer Assisted Translation (CAT). Broadly speaking, MT is "the application of computers to the task of translation texts from one natural language to another". MT is mostly associated with stand-alone systems that seek to automate the entire translation process. CAT, on the other hand, are software programs designed to assist or aid the human translator by automating certain translation sub-processes such as terminology search and the reuse of previous translations. MT and CAT have no clear-cut boundary but rather belong to a continuum with varying levels of computer automation and human involvement. This process has been illustrated in the figure 1 below. Toady a translator working with word processing software and assessing various electronic resources such as online dictionaries may still be considered to producing 100% human translation. The key criterion is whether any part of the target text is automatically generated. There are many computer tools available to translators and almost as many ways to classifying them. Some tools consist of generic applications that have been adopted in many areas including the translation industry. Others focus specifically on the needs of translators and offer ways to run the business and support the