Integrating translation technology at undergraduate level Belinda Maia University of Porto

Institutional factors Attitudes to Translation Technology Ignorance Fear Scepticism Conversion Over-enthusiasm Informed understanding Balanced view

Ignorance & Fear Most institutions that educate translators are humanities based General ignorance of state-of-the-art of TT Specific ignorance of Translation software Fear of TT due to: –Will it substitute human beings? –Practical difficulties in coping with it –Simple intellectual snobbery

Scepticism - attitudes OK – it exists, but: Universities should supply culture and literature, not technological training Translators need to TRANSLATE Most students can use computers Anyone can learn how to use a programme after a short course These programmes are commercial – the market should teach them

Conversion & Over-enthusiasm Wow! This Technology thing is great! If we invest in everything we shall: –Look good –Get students –Keep our jobs (And our students will get jobs) Lets use those grants to get technology Spend, spend, spend!

Informed understanding All universities must have computers and Internet Students must be trained to use Information Technology (IT) Translation software: –Doesnt teach translation or substitute the teacher –Needs specific training of teachers and students –Is expensive and needs constant upgrading –Needs annual modernisation of course work

Balanced view - Essential needs General computer skills Education in the Internet as source of information Explicit contrast between current Translation Theory and Translation Technology in professional translation Understanding that Technology forces texts and translations to be different Understanding of different types of translation – and translators

Balanced view Understanding of Advantages of translation software Understanding of Disadvantages of translation software Integration of software use into translation teaching Variety of specializations for translators

Ideal scenario Obligatory factors Computers and Internet routine in translation classrooms Training in information retrieval Wide variety of general software Training in general software All major translation software Training in translation software

Ideal scenario Specializations Machine Translation Localization Sub-titling Dubbing Project Management Natural Language Processing tools

Integration of technology with teaching Word-processing of translation in and out of class Information technology, general language corpora, etc – all translation types Translation software for technical and scientific translation – using all formats Training for roles as project manager, translators, terminologists, revisers…. Project management – real group projects

Integration of theory and practice Terminology using and creating –Corpora –Terminology databases Contrastive Linguistics using: –Parallel and comparable corpora –Machine translation Multimedia translation using: –Subtitling / dubbing software –Web pages –Etc

Cost factors How much can your institution afford? Necessary hardware? General software? Full versions of translation software? Special university / training licences? Demo / evaluation versions? Do-it-yourself technology?

Staffing factors Can your institution afford to employ computer experts / computational linguists ? Do you want them?! How do you and your colleagues react to integrating technology with your teaching?

Group work Prepare short analyses of the use of general IT and /or translation IT in: –Your teaching institution –Teaching institutions in your country –Professional translation in your country Describe attitudes of teachers and students