Training the next generation of technical translators to face the challenge posed by the new technological paradigmÓscar Jiménez SerranoUniversity of Granada
Rennes Symposium • Optimisingthe human factor (professionals + students) • Facingthetechnologicalchallenge (professionals + trainers)
Rennes Symposium(main topics) • Machine Translation • MT + Postediting • Crowdsourcing • What are theright/besttools? • What/howtoteach? • Meeting marketchanges and expectations
New Technological Paradigm • Localization • Internationalization • Globalization • MT and CAT
New Technological Paradigm • 1st ParadigmShift: CAT • 2nd ParadigmShift: MT • New technologicalparadigmforTechnicalTranslation: Tools vs. Translation
Beyond CAT Tools • Desktop Publishing • Quality Control/Assurance + Asessment • Project Management • Workflow management • Terminology Management • Localization Specific • WEB! Localization Specific
RecentMarketSurvey “The Top 100 Language Service Providers” by Nataly Kelly and Donald A. DePalma • North America shrinks while Europe and Asia grow. • North America cuts spending. • Western and Northern Europe keep climbing.
Europe Almost 50%
Relevance: Market Share
Technology Content is manifested in Translation through Technical Translation • EUROPE 50% AND GROWING • TECHNICAL TRANSLATION: BIGGEST SHARE OF THE MARKET
Training technical translators Training Technical Translators in the Age of Localization. Rethinking the Role of CAT Tools in the Classroom (2008) Wissenschaftlicher Verlag Trier (+ Research in progress: Translating Technology, Peter Lang)
Training the next generation of technical translators to face the challenge posed by the new technological paradigm(Further Research Development)
TechnologyismanifestedthroughTechnicaltranslationStudentperceptionTechnologyismanifestedthroughTechnicaltranslationStudentperception • “The ugly duckling of translation” • “Boring and difficult” • “Less fun than audiovisual, etc.” • Terminology, terminology, terminology! • Most profitable specialization
Dealing with the paradigm shift • LETRAC et al • Technologyflooding • Cyborgtranslation • Back tobasics?
Translator = Student • LanguageSkills • TechnicalSkills • Cultural Skills (Human Factor)
What training? • What are the general abilities to be taught at school? They are the abilities which take a very long time to learn: text interpretation, composition of a coherent, readable and audience-tailored draft translation, research, and checking/correcting. • But nowadays one constantly hears that what students really need are skills in document management, software localization, desktop publishing and the like. • I say nonsense. If you can’t translate with pencil and paper, then you can’t translate with the latest information technology. Brian Mossop
Conflicting Views/Facts: Dorothy Kenny just today • Koehn, 2010: “Translators much more comfortable with CAT than MT” • Wiggins, 2011: “Translator has no ownership” • Pym, 2012: “All translators will eventually become post-editors” • Machine Translation only 2,6% of the market
Goal of our training • Working for the industry? • Working for the student? • Working on the grounds of our own beliefs as trainers? • Where are the limits?
Different Training Options • Technical Translation Core Subjects • Coordination with IT Subjects for Translators • Specific Subjects (Optional?): Desktop Publishing, Localization, Dubbing and Subtitling, Multimedia Translation, CAT and MT Tools, etc.
Main Challenges for Professionals • The Multitasking Translator • MT and CAT: Friends of Foes? • Dehumanization?
Main Challenges for Students • Translator/Student: TechnologyExpert vs. The Human Factor (Google as tool + Spellchecker) • StudentFocus: Mastering Culture orCyberculture • TechnicalTranslationisonlyLocalization +CAT + MT Postediting? • UpdatingTechnologicalKnowledge • Are thetoolscompulsory?
Main challenges for trainers • Constant Knowledge and Tools Update • Reconciling Training + Profession Exercise • Doubts on Specialization (Own and Student) • Meeting the University-Market Gap + Update • Creating and Using Adequate and State-of-the-art Materials • Diverse Technological Backlground Amongst Students • Uncertainty due to demanding + changing market • Increase in the teaching load: Tools + Elearning
UGR Vision
Translating from English: lingua franca • Technicalimplications • Linguisticimplications • Cultural implications
TechnicalSpanish vs. English • Ipod, Ipad, Iphone (pod?, pad?) • Tablet vs. Tableta (worse?) • Notebook, Netbook, Ebook, PDA… • Microchip • Correo electrónico vs. E-mail • Crowdsourcing, Fansubbing • TERMINOLOGY + MOSSOP: text interpretation, composition of a coherent, readable and audience-tailored draft translation, research, and checking/correcting?
The Granada ConnectionSDL: Among Top 3 WorldLSPsSDL Spain (Granada)+70 In-houseTranslators, Biggest in SpainTHEY CAN TAKE CARE OF TRADOS THEMSELVES IN A ONE-WEEK COURSE
Current UGR-BioTicSynergies
Exploring UGR-Málaga Silicon Valley Synergies
UGR Vision: Translation Specialization • Traditional Bachelor Degree Approach Legal and Economic Scientific and Technical • New Master Degree To be Approved (Professional) Legal and Economic Scientific and Technical Multimedia Environments (?) (localization, audiovisual, videogames, audiodescription, etc.)
UGR Vision: Domain Relevance Identification • LOCAL MARKET DEMANDS (GDP: ALHAMBRA AND SIERRA NEVADA!!) • NEED BROADER FOCUS (GRANADA RATED Nº 1 IN SPAIN OUT OF ALMOST 30): NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL DEMANDS (SPANISH A, ENGLISH B, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY) • STRENGTHS OF MOST SALIENT FACULTY MEMBERS/COMMON STRENGTHS OF THE MAJORITY OF FACULTY MEMBERS • COLLABORATION WITH INDUSTRY AND STAKEHOLDERS • MULTIPLE ICT INTEGRATION APPROACH (CORE, GENERAL AND SPECIFIC SUBJECTS) • VARIETY OF APPROACHES IN CAT AND MT (AS IN OTHER NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS)
Thanksojimene@ugr.esÓscar Jiménez SerranoUniversity of Granada
