Computer-Aided Translation Technology: A Practical Introduction

6. Other New Technologies and Emerging Trends

6. Other New Technologies and Emerging Trends Language technology is still largelyan emergingmarket. Fry (2000,18) As technology continues to develop, translators must make an effort to keep abreast of changes and advances. At times, this can seem like a full-time job in itself, but it is important if translators wish to remain competitive in the twenty-first-centurymarketplace. This final chapter will briefly explore a number of other new technologies and emerging trends relating to the impact of technology on the translation profession and viceversa. 6.1 New attitudes toward translation and translators As the volume of translation increases, translators are depending more and more on technology to help them with their task. In order to maximize the usefulness of technology, it has become necessary to change the way in which the translation process is viewed. In the past, translation was often seen as an "add-on" process, and it was divorced from the principal document-production process. However, it is now becoming increasingly clear that it is more beneficial to integrate these two processes by viewing them as related elements in a larger document -production chain. Technology is now being developed that supports this view of the integrated document-production cycle and makes it easier for authors and translators to work together. For example , an increasing number of clients who are writing documentation with a view to getting the texts translated by translators using technol- 130 Computer-Aided TranslationTechnology ogy such as TM systems are beginning to implement more stringent writing and style guidelines. By asking writers to use a sort of controlled language, clients can maximize the recyclability of the texts during the translation process. For instance, as seen in section 5.5.2, techniques such as eliminating anaphora and using preferred terms can increase the number of matches found by a TM. Other suggestions include avoiding ellipses, using punctuation consistently, and preferring the active voice over the passive voice. Tools known ascritiquing systems are being developed to check that authors have followed the controlled-language guidelines. Such controlled-language checkers work in a fashion akin to sophisticated spelling and grammar checkers . Of course, controlled language may not be appropriate for all text types, but it can be implemented in some types (e.g., technicalmanuals ), and its potential for improving the value of TMs and machinetranslation systems is generating considerable interest. In addition, as described in section 5.4.4, tools such as TMs make it easier for translators to begin working on documents even before they have been finalized. If an author updates a document, the translator can run the updated source text through the TM system and it will quickly identify new or changed segments. Furthermore, document and work-flow management technology is being used to record the housekeeping history of a document. A document can be "checked out" from a central system in much the same way as a book is checked out from a library. This means that only one person can edit the document at any given time, and when the original is updated, the system can send out notification that the translation also needs to be updated. A related type of management tool is gaining popularity in the software -localization industry, where a single tool can be used to manage all elements of a software-localization project, including translation, quality assurance, and software engineering. This new attitude toward translation and its integration into the document-production process has been facilitated by technology. As Haynes (1998, 59), Heyn (1998,135), and Rode (2000,13) note, an additional change in attitude is starting to be seen among translators themselves. Mastering sophisticated technology can significantly improve the way that translators see themselves, and clients in turn pick up on this positive image. Being able to use new technologies represents an added professional skill for translators, and it is a skill that is becoming increasingly appreciated in the marketplace. Other New Technologies 131 6.2 New types of translation work generated by technology As the number of electronicproducts and resources increases,there is a growing demand for translators who are able to translate media such as software applications, multimedia products, Web pages, and even on-line chat sessions. As noted in section 1, software localization, which is the adaptation of a software packageto a target language and culture, is one of the fastest-growing translation markets. Although translation is an important component...