The conventional definition of translation revolves around the transfer of meaning from a source language to a target language, highlighting the significance of texts rather than mere words or languages. This fundamental process plays a critical role in various domains of human activity, spanning governance, economy, culture, and literature. Its primary purpose is to facilitate communication and foster understanding between different language communities.
When discussing the translation of citizen science projects or translation for citizen science initiatives, it is crucial to consider the contextual aspects in which the texts are embedded. These contexts encompass historical, cultural, and socio-economic factors, making translation a form of transcultural communication. The purpose of translation within this framework influences its execution, encompassing aspects such as content, form, style, and more, all tailored to meet the needs and expectations of the target audience.
Over time, translation practice has undergone significant changes, accompanied by paradigm shifts in translation theory. Technological advancements, particularly computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools and machine translation, have revolutionized the work of translators. CAT tools refer to software designed to assist translators during the translation process, enhancing both speed and quality. At the core of these tools lies a translation memory, a database storing previously translated pairs of units, typically sentences, in both the source and target languages. When encountering similar or identical sentences in the text being translated, the software displays them to the translator, enabling a segment-by-segment approach. The positive impact of CAT tools is evident in increased productivity and consistency. However, challenges arise concerning text cohesion and an overreliance on suggested translation units, regardless of their quality. Machine translation is another technology that has significantly influenced the translation process. Particularly, neural machine translation has made substantial progress in recent years, delivering good quality translations in various language pairs. Machine translation systems are utilized not only by professional translators to enhance productivity but also by a wide range of users, facilitated by freely available machine translation systems on the Internet. Given the transformative nature of CAT tools and machine translation systems in the realm of translation, they also serve as valuable tools in crowdsourced translation scenarios.
Both these translation technologies effectively address emerging translation needs, offering increased productivity and accelerated translation of large volumes of text while also reducing costs. By leveraging these tools, translators and translation projects can navigate complex translation tasks more efficiently, fostering innovation within the field.
In conclusion, the practice of translation has evolved significantly, driven by technological advancements and shifting paradigms in translation theory. The introduction of CAT tools and machine translation systems has revolutionized the way translators work, providing them with valuable resources to enhance productivity and quality. Moreover, these innovations have facilitated the translation of vast amounts of text and catered to the needs of diverse user groups. By embracing translation technologies, the field of translation continues to embrace innovation and meet the ever-growing demands of our interconnected world.
