Translation
Drawing on an article by Anna Wyndham published in the renowned linguistic magazine Slator, we will take a closer look at some of the advantages AI can offer to translators and linguists in carrying out their interlinguistic activities.
The points we will examine are the result of a survey conducted with over 750 translators and will be elaborated and reshaped based on our industry experience.
Note: Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool for language conversion, but it is important to remember how risky it can be to rely entirely on AI for translating sensitive and high-impact texts and documents. Only a professional translator can ensure the accurate and timely translation of a text.
Translation or Pre-translation
Just like in post-editing, the primary use of AI in the translation process involves the pre-translation of the text. This is an initial and rough stage of language conversion, whose output text will then be reworked and reviewed by the translator.
Proofreading
According to the survey results, about one in six translators uses AI to proofread the target text, which has already been translated, in order to review its spelling, grammar, and/or punctuation.
Source Text Analysis
Another practical use of AI for translators is the analysis of the source text. At this stage, it is possible to identify the main topic of the translation, the key terminology used, and typical linguistic characteristics.
Generating Translations
According to the survey results, more than one-third of translators use AI to generate alternative versions of the target text. For example, AI can rephrase the same concept into a more concise, creative, or formal text.
Adjusting Tone, Register, or Style
Similarly, AI can help linguists properly set the text and adapt it to different target audiences. It can also ensure the correct use of industry-specific terminology, thereby fully maintaining the textual coherence of the document.
Creating and Maintaining Glossaries
Lastly, AI’s extraction and terminology revision capabilities are used by about one in ten linguists, applying AI in the creation and updating of bilingual and monolingual glossaries.
