About automation:

The term automation in translation studies refers to the execution of translation and interpreting or corresponding sub-processes by machine with human assistance. This focus area deals with the interaction between machine translation systems or automated software applications and human translation and interpreting. We see this as a bidirectional link, as translation systems are developed with translation practice in mind, but they also shape this practice.

More specifically: 

The demands of a globally networked and thus multilingual society require trained graduates to be able to plan and build an efficient and effective technological translation infrastructure in particular. The aspect of freedom and independence of software and data in relation to economic efficiency, social and ethical balance and sustainability is of particular interest. The following questions are at the core of the focus on automation:

• What is the state of development of software workstations or translation environment tools (TEnTs), machine translation systems (language coverage, quality of output and quality evaluation criteria, the previous role of humans during and after the translation or interpreting process, etc.), translation-specific AI applications or large language models (LLM), taking into account their impact on translation and interpreting?
• How are machine translation systems influenced and shaped by translation and interpreting practice?
• What effects does the use of machine translation systems have on cognitive processes in translation and interpreting?
• How does the use of technological tools affect people, professional profiles, the market and training? How will the scope of translators' and interpreters' tasks change in the future?
• What ethical questions are associated with all these far-reaching developments?

 

Coordination:
Peter Sandrini
Aleksandar Trklja

Department members active in this focus area:
Laura Giacomini
Pius ten Hacken
Bianca Prandi
Peter Sandrini
Aleksandar Trklja
Katharina Walter