| Pagine: [1 2] > | Would you continue to translate if all that was left was post-editing of machine translation? Iniziatore argomento: Steve Kerry
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Love it or hate it, machine translation is now with us. Do you, or would you, edit and proofread it, or would you rather (insert appropriate hyperbole) ?
Personally, I would rather push trolleys at (insert appropriate supermarket).
Steve K.
| | | | Steffen Walter 
Germania
Local time: 00:34
Membro (2002)
Da Inglese a Tedesco
+ ...
I'd either fully concentrate on my interpreting business (fortunately I do have this second leg to stand on business-wise) or set up my own organic veggie farm
That said, it's still a looong (insert additional Os as you see fit) way to go until MT will become some sort of a threat to seasoned professionals serving the high(er) end of the market (to be honest, I doubt it ever will).
[Edited at 2012-12-22 14:38 GM... See more I'd either fully concentrate on my interpreting business (fortunately I do have this second leg to stand on business-wise) or set up my own organic veggie farm
That said, it's still a looong (insert additional Os as you see fit) way to go until MT will become some sort of a threat to seasoned professionals serving the high(er) end of the market (to be honest, I doubt it ever will).
[Edited at 2012-12-22 14:38 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Jeff Whittaker
Stati Uniti
Local time: 18:34
Da Spagnolo a Inglese
+ ...
I got paid the same amount of money and I was given the same amount of time. I would consider it another tool just like an on-line dictionary or a CAT tool.
However, I receive more and more calls every day from individuals actively seeking out individual translators rather than agencies because they are very concerned about their confidential documents being put through Google or sent to some unknown translator in cyberspace. Today's customers want to know who is translating their... See more I got paid the same amount of money and I was given the same amount of time. I would consider it another tool just like an on-line dictionary or a CAT tool.
However, I receive more and more calls every day from individuals actively seeking out individual translators rather than agencies because they are very concerned about their confidential documents being put through Google or sent to some unknown translator in cyberspace. Today's customers want to know who is translating their documents. I think soon agencies will have to adapt by posting profiles of their translators on websites, asking translators to sign translations, etc. In short, customers want more personal service and more control over the process.
[Edited at 2012-12-22 14:51 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Translation is an art | Dec 22, 2012 |
Translation is an art, machine translation is not.
So you should not think in a way as imposed on the community by capital owners.
Capital owners always think in favor of the capital (money).
Not in favor of humanity, knowledge, development, culture etc.
So if they impose this as "translation" it is obvious that they are exaggerating it.
Why are they exaggerating it?
In order to make your efforts cost less.
The... See more Translation is an art, machine translation is not.
So you should not think in a way as imposed on the community by capital owners.
Capital owners always think in favor of the capital (money).
Not in favor of humanity, knowledge, development, culture etc.
So if they impose this as "translation" it is obvious that they are exaggerating it.
Why are they exaggerating it?
In order to make your efforts cost less.
There is no such understanding in terms of machines which can be called as "translation".
"Translation" can be created only by humans.
The term "machine translation" in fact just a "sentence dictionary".
No one except human can translate a 200 words text perfectly.
You may try all so called "machine translators" (in fact sentence dictionaries) and you wont get a result which can be called as "translation".
So there is no such activity as "post-editing of machine translation". ▲ Collapse
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Marvin Sun
Cina
Local time: 06:34
Da Inglese a Cinese
| not cost-effective | Dec 22, 2012 |
It would cost even more time than you start translating it all over again. Economically, nobody will accept the job unless paid with the same rate as translating. Proofreaders always know the torture when they do those lousily translated, not to mention MT. And I agree with Jeff, there is confidentiality involved especially when you are translating legal documents or patents.
[Edited at 2012-12-22 15:19 GMT]
| | | | Ty Kendall
Regno Unito
Local time: 23:34
Da Ebraico a Inglese
....in short. I wouldn't derive any professional satisfaction or personal enjoyment from "editing" MT-scrambled texts.
In my language pair I find that MT struggles with even basic grammar, turns affirmative sentences into negative ones and vice versa, doesn't fare well with abbreviations (which Hebrew loves), is slow to recognise neologisms, jargon and slang and the slightest spelling mistake completely throws a spanner in the works.
I came across a right gem the other ... See more ....in short. I wouldn't derive any professional satisfaction or personal enjoyment from "editing" MT-scrambled texts.
In my language pair I find that MT struggles with even basic grammar, turns affirmative sentences into negative ones and vice versa, doesn't fare well with abbreviations (which Hebrew loves), is slow to recognise neologisms, jargon and slang and the slightest spelling mistake completely throws a spanner in the works.
I came across a right gem the other day, I can't remember the exact sentence but it was a translation of the small print on an EL-AL E-ticket stub, the sentence was talking about "giving someone close to you a special gift", but the MT churned out something about killing them.
Strangely, I've seen worse.
Basically, it would take me longer to post-edit a text (with the current level of MT technology) than it would to just translate it outright.
I'm not sticking my head in the sand though, I realise that technology is improving all the time, but not fast enough to keep me up at night considering alternative careers. Ask me again in 20 years though. (Although I agree with the previous posters that there will always be a market for quality human translation, regardless of how good MT gets). ▲ Collapse
| | | | | No. Unless they paid me the same rate to play MT scrabble! | Dec 22, 2012 |
Luckily, I have other skills to fall back on! Unless the rate was the same, then I suppose I would consider it playing MT Scrabble!
Happy Holidays!
| | | | Steve Kerry
Local time: 23:34
Da Tedesco a Inglese
AVVIO ARGOMENTO | Slim pickings.. | Dec 22, 2012 |
Steffen Walter wrote: I'd either fully concentrate on my interpreting business (fortunately I do have this second leg to stand on business-wise) or set up my own organic veggie farm
Can see you as an organic vegetarian, Steffen - you're a lot thinner than me for a start!
Personally, I think I would go back to fixing motorcycles, my first and enduring passion!
Steve K.
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Allison Wright (X)
Portogallo
Local time: 23:34
| Yes, certainly | Dec 23, 2012 |
But only if a bionic implant were fitted into my central nervous system in order to ensure I produce the same quality of editing as the machine does translation - and only if our planet were truly in imminent danger of an alien zombie invasion.
| | | | david young
Francia
Local time: 00:34
Da Francese a Inglese
For the last 30 years (and some 20 000 translations), I've always run my texts through translation software first.
The reasons are two-fold:
- I can only type with two fingers;
- I my field - science - the slightest mistake in retranscibing a number can have catastrophic consequences, and one thing translation software guarantees, for all its faults, is that numbers (and units) are not modified.
Making sense of computer-speak was made easier for me by years of editing ... See more For the last 30 years (and some 20 000 translations), I've always run my texts through translation software first.
The reasons are two-fold:
- I can only type with two fingers;
- I my field - science - the slightest mistake in retranscibing a number can have catastrophic consequences, and one thing translation software guarantees, for all its faults, is that numbers (and units) are not modified.
Making sense of computer-speak was made easier for me by years of editing "franglais" - English written by French scientists. Some of their efforts were worse than the worst machine translation... I started by customising Power Translator for scientific prose, but I recently abandoned it for Google Translate, resulting in a 20-30% increase in productivity. You have to be careful with GT, as it can "forget" bits of sentences or change their meaning. I always do at least two "post-edits" to make sure everything is hunky dory. By the way, I'm not turning out "just-good-enough" work - I make sure all my translations are beyond reasonable criticism, both technically and syntactically.
Obviously GT would not be as useful for more literary stuff, but scientific prose is the simplest of all.
Finally, I don't know how other translators work, but don't most of us produce a roughish first draft and then "post-edit" it? Judging by past progress and the quickening pace of technology, I think computers will reach "first-draft" quality within five to ten years. But we will still be able to command a high (hourly) price for our work if we have excellent mastery of both our target language and our subject matter. Methinks... ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Yes, definitely, for the full translation rate. | Dec 23, 2012 |
Yes, I would gladly do it -- for the same rate or slightly higher than my translation rate -- just for the inconvenience of having to read it. I would simply retranslate it -- to save the world from one more machine translation. It will never happen, though -- so don't worry. Merry Christmas.
[Edited at 2012-12-23 17:44 GMT]
| | | | Tina Vonhof (X)
Canada
Local time: 16:34
Da Olandese a Inglese
+ ...
No, I would get no personal satisfaction from it. Why use machine translation when it can't stand on its own?
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Steve Kerry
Local time: 23:34
Da Tedesco a Inglese
AVVIO ARGOMENTO | Two fingers... | Dec 24, 2012 |
david young wrote:
- I can only type with two fingers;
- I my field - science - the slightest mistake in retranscibing a number can have catastrophic consequences, and one thing translation software guarantees, for all its faults, is that numbers (and units) are not modified.
Making sense of computer-speak was made easier for me
I'd agree that transcribing numbers is something that translation programs (not necessarily machine translations) are good at. I always copy source in Trados where figures and symbols are involved. As regards their understanding of technical translation, I would beg to differ...
Steve K.
| | | | laycock
Local time: 00:34
Da Inglese a Spagnolo
+ ...
Veggie garden, just like Steffen.
| | | | Dinny
Grecia
Local time: 01:34
Da Italiano a Danese
+ ...
| Would be a bliss | Dec 24, 2012 |
I could decide for early retirement and finally have time to enjoy this wonderful island of Crete, instead of just sitting in my office looking out on the sunshine and the olive trees.
A few times I have been asked to do post-editing of machine translations, and I have always refused. When I think of how irritated I get when having to proofread a poor translation made by a poor translator, I can just imagine how furious I would be having to deal with MT.
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