Translation – a dying profession?

September 30, the feast of St. Jerome, is International Translation Day. This year, the International Federation of Translators (FIT) has chosen the motto: Translation, an art worth protecting.

It comes as no surprise that the professional association feels that our industry needs protection – it has been declared dead many times since the arrival of AI. Often, purchasers of translation services cannot resist the temptation of using free services such as DeepL, Google Translate etc. This has implications for translation agencies and freelance translators alike – the price pressure is rising. That being said, many users of translations have come to realise that machine translation output is often far from ideal. Machine translation makes errors, and automated translations of advertising copy is at best wooden, sometimes even confusing. The general awareness of data protection – and the lack thereof when using free online translation tools – has also made many reconsider. When it comes to interpreting, the potential pitfalls are even more numerous: Depending on the speaker’s pronunciation, language recognition fails, and this can lead to a knock-on effect when the misunderstood content is automatically translated. It goes without saying that machines have no grasp of irony or emotions of any kind.

Are translators a dying breed?

As is the case with other complex activities, AI can provide useful support for human translators, but can never replace them. Human translators understand the intricacies of language, cultural nuances and interconnections, which AI cannot recognise or process. While AI reads lines, human translators also read what’s between them. The translation of certain text types, such as marketing copy or literature, requires human creativity and stylistic adaptations. When a source text contains errors, a human translator will notice, and ask for clarification. A machine will simply translate what’s there. Human translators also ensure confidentiality when it comes to sensitive content, and comply with data protection regulations.

Why translation is an art

Professional translators are university-trained. They are masters of their working languages and have subject matter knowledge, technical expertise and soft skills:

• Comprehensive understanding of how machine translation (such as neural machine translation, NMT) works
• In-depth command of CAT Tools such as SDL Trados, MemoQ, Across, etc.
• Regular professional training to keep up with the state of the art
• Specialisation in one or more fields of expertise, such as law or energy technology
• Strong ability to produce creative, stylistic and culturally adequate translations
• Efficient use of AI and CAT tools to boost productivity and ensure consistent terminology
• Ability to correct and improve machine translations (post editing)
• Sound knowledge of cultural differences and the ability to create translations that work in the target market
• Compliance with confidentiality and data protection rules, which is essential even beyond the legal, medical or business context.
• Strong professional ethos
• Excellent communication skills, enabling them to understand what their clients need, and offer customised solutions
• Ability to consult on how to optimise the translation process and on the most suitable tools and strategies 

The bottom line

Human translators remain indispensable because they can read between the lines, apply subject matter expertise, come up with creative solutions and deliver high-quality, contextualised translations. In some cases, the combination of machine and human translation can save time and money. But doing away with the human part is a bad idea – especially when the text is complex. Translators and interpreters are well-versed in traditional skills (command of language and cultural knowledge) and state-of-the art technology alike.Translators have specialised expertise, a thorough command of language, cultural sensitivity and strong ethics. The undergo continued training to perfect stylistic and technical skills and offer outstanding customer service – unlike online translations. 

For more than 25 years, Peschel Communications has been providing first-in-class language services. Do you need a translation, proofreading, voice-over or interpreter? Let us tell you  how