Can computer Aided Translations (CAT) totally replace human translators?

With the world ever more addicted to the computer industry and being bombarded everyday by new software and new technologies, has the humble human translator become obsolete?

Can translation tools (CAT) produce good quality translation? With the same criteria of producing a text which reflects accurately the message conveyed by the author, without adding or withdrawing content? And written as if it was originally written in the target language?

Can machines match this effort?

In 2010, experienced linguists welcome translation tools but only some.  Helpful CATs will act as a prompts for when the mind goes blank, refresh old data/terms with new and adopt a corporate style. Working in tandem translators and CATs can produce great work and fantastic results. So not quite yet obsolete!

Commissioning a translation

Commissioning a translation is a more complex process than is often understood. When you contact a translator directly, the work will be easier to discuss if you can provide the following initial information:

• What is the language of your original document, and into what language does it need to be translated?

Bear in mind that professional translators overwhelmingly work into their mother tongue only, so a translator offering Spanish-English translation will not necessarily provide English-Spanish translation.

• What is the rough subject area of the document?

Documents containing technical terms - law, medicine, architecture, etc. - often require a translator that specialises in the relevant field.

• Who is the translation for?

A marketing text on a public website, for example, is likely to require more honing to ensure customer appeal than a company-internal document.

• Is the document on paper, or a pdf file, or a Microsoft Word file, or a spreadsheet, or other format such as Powerpoint, and how long is it - how many words in total?

If the document is in an electronic format such as Microsoft Word, then the software for it should be able to provide a word count.

• What is the deadline for the work?

Depending on workload, a translator may not be able to accept an urgent commission.

A translator will usually be able to judge whether the commission could be accepted based on the above information (though you may be asked to send the original document to assess its technical field, and so on), and will be able to discuss pricing. This is generally calculated from a 'per 1000 words' or 'per line' rate, but may be 'per hour' for certain kinds of work. Factors affecting pricing include:

• Urgency

If an urgent commission requires evening or weekend work, this is likely to raise the cost.

• Format of original and layout work required

If the original document features extensive tables or charts, and is available only on paper or as a read-only file such as PDF, reproducing these features in the translation if they are required is likely to raise cost.

If you are able to agree pricing, timescale and payment terms, and the translator accepts the commission, some further points to consider during and after the work include:

• Existing materials

If you have similar documents for the translator to follow as 'models', or an in-house 'style guide', or bilingual glossary, or other reference materials, you should make these available to the translator to maximise consistency.

• Queries

Any document may contain material that requires clarification before it can be translated. You should provide the translator with contact details for anyone available to answer these kinds of questions

Translating differences

In England, you might say I am “sick as a parrot”, whereas in Italy “star male da cani” literally means to be as sick as a dog. If you take off your shoes when arriving at the door of a dinner party in Rome the hostess might find you uncivilized, but fail to remove your shoes before entering a home in Asia Hawaii, or the Pacific Islands and you’ll be considered disrespectful. And do you know that when somebody wishes you "good luck" in Poland (Powodzenia) you have to reply "no, thank you"(nie dziękuję), while saying 'thank you' would bring bad luck?

The list of cultural differences is endless, and surely the message is clear: translation isn’t simply about changing one with the equivalent word in another language, it’s about making your translations suitable for your market.

When you go global, you have to expect people to talk and do business with you in their culture, using their customs, and these customs may be very different from the ones you apply on your country. And remember: if you don’t get culturally prepared, it’s most likely your competitors will: get ahead of the competition by breaking down language barriers in exports!