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In recent years, machine translation (MT) has emerged as a promising tool, bringing about a significant transformation in the translation industry. In this article, we will focus on the impact of MT on the field of translation, with a specific emphasis on its influence on legal and sworn translation, highlighting how this tool can facilitate the delivery of large-scale translations within short deadlines, all while maintaining a high standard of quality and faithfulness to the original text.
Machine translation at your fingertips
We will also focus on the benefits of MT as perceived by both clients and translators and we will explore the limitations of MT, emphasizing the continuing importance of human translators today.
Machine translation in the client’s life
The client stands as one of the primary beneficiaries of integrating machine translation into the workflow of professional translators, for two main reasons:
- Lower rates: Reduced rates are justified when the translator's task involves post-editing or revising a machine-translated text, since the complexity of the work is generally lower and so is the required time and effort.
- Shorter delivery deadlines: Since the translator is not starting a translation from scratch, but rather refining an existing text, the overall time is reduced, allowing the translator to align more closely with the client's specific needs and deadlines.
Machine translation in the translator's life
This technology enables translators to access machine translation tools, such as DeepL or Amazon Translate, providing them with a solid base from which to start their work, saving valuable time and allowing them to focus on more complex and specialised aspects of the translation process, such as validating and refining specialised terminology.
The continuous learning and adaptive capabilities of machine translation, powered by artificial intelligence, have also played a key role in the steady enhancement of the quality of machine-generated translations.
With advanced algorithms and powerful databases, translators can access previous machine translations to speed up their work. This results in a significant reduction in turnaround times, ultimately benefiting clients with urgent translation needs, as mentioned earlier.
Advances in MT have also opened up new opportunities for translation professionals, with post-editing becoming increasingly prevalent. Many professionals are incorporating post-editing into the list of services they offer to clients.
Limitations of machine translation in the legal and sworn translation field
Result linked to the text typology
The quality of a text translated by machine translation can be higher or lower depending on the type of text and the specific machine translator used.
Today there are numerous MT engines available on the market, with notable examples being DeepL or Google Translate. The choice between these or other engines depends on various factors, including the type of text, its complexity and the translator's preferences and criteria.
In the legal field, MT is more likely to yield favourable results, due to the more objective and neutral nature of legal language, which typically lacks subjective intentionality from the author. However, it can make mistakes when cultural differences come into play, particularly in legal systems, which can vary significantly from one country to another. Nevertheless, in areas such as marketing and sales, texts are overloaded with emphasis and intentionality. The human translator is better at grasping these distinct characteristics and maintaining them in the target text.
Terminological inconsistency
Machine translation does not always accurately translate specific terminology within a text.
Particularly in the case of lengthy texts, the tool sometimes presents varying translations for the same term. Additionally, MT frequently overlooks certain nuances such as, regional differences in the use of terms, for instance, a term used in a Latin American country that differs from that used in Spain.
This is a clear example of the challenges often encountered in legal and sworn translations. Given the close connection of these texts to the source culture, a profound understanding of both the terminological intricacies and conceptual nuances of the source and target languages/cultures becomes imperative.
Specific characteristics of sworn translation that render the use of MT impractical in these texts
Many clients requiring sworn translations often submit scanned documents. Using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software allows us to convert these documents into editable formats, such as Word. However, challenges arise when the scanned text is of low quality, leading to OCR inaccuracies that result in the conversion of the text into an image rather than an editable format, making it impossible to use automatic translation for these texts.
In addition, sworn translations require substantial layout work, a task that a human translator is adept at handling, unlike an automatic translator. The proficiency of a professional translator becomes evident not only in layout tasks, but also in the meticulous revision of the text, ensuring its natural flow and coherence.
Below is an example of a sworn translation with layout.
Ultimately, both the client and the translator need to accept that MT is here to stay. On the one hand, the client, seeking cost savings and faster delivery, must rely on the post-editing skills of a human translator. This combination of MT and human post-editing represents the optimal approach for achieving quality results within a shorter timeframe and at a more economical cost.
On the other hand, translators must acknowledge that MT is not their enemy; it will not be able to easily replace this profession, particularly in fields like sworn translation, where the human element remains indispensable. The key lies in adapting to technological advances and skilfully leveraging them to our advantage.
Machine translation with post-editing
The delivery time of the translated and post-edited document can be further customised to align with the specific requirements of the client.
Frequently asked questions concerning machine translation
1. How much does a machine translation with post-editing cost?
The cost varies based on the number of words in the text and the language combination. As a reference, a translation from English into Spanish of a 5000-word text can cost around €500. However, opting for automatic translation with post-editing can reduce the price to approximately €250.
2. Are machine translation engines free?
Most offer both free and paid versions, but the paid versions come with enhanced features, improved translation quality, and additional functionalities, such as integration with computer-assisted translation (CAT) programmes.
3. How much time can be saved by employing machine translation with post-editing during the translation process?
As mentioned above, the time saved depends upon factors such as the text’s word count and complexity. Continuing with the earlier example, while a 5000-word text might require 3 days for translation, by using machine translation with post-editing, we could complete the process in just one day.
