Skip to main content

On Education and Training in Translation Quality Assessment

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Translation Quality Assessment

Part of the book series: Machine Translation: Technologies and Applications ((MATRA,volume 1))

Abstract

In this chapter, we argue that education and training in translation quality assessment (TQA)is being neglected for most, if not all, stakeholders of the translation process, from translators, post-editors, and reviewers to buyers and end-users of translation products and services. Within academia, there is a lack of education and training opportunities to equip translation students, even at postgraduate level, with the knowledge and skills required to understand and use TQA. This has immediate effects on their employability and long-term effects on professional practice. In discussing and building upon previous initiatives to tackle this issue, we provide a range of viewpoints and resources for the provision of such opportunities in collaborative and independent contexts across all modes and academic settings, focusing not just on TQA and machine translation training, but also on the use of assessment strategies in educational contexts that are directly relevant to those used in industry. In closing, we reiterate our argument for the importance of education and training in TQA, on the basis of all the contributions and perspectives presented in the volume.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    ASLING (the International Association for Advancement in Language Technology; https://www.asling.org) took over the organisation and management of the long-running Translating and the Computer conference series in 2014 and has been responsible for it since.

  2. 2.

    This has been recognised, to an extent, in the updated European Master’s in Translation Competence Framework 2017, which expects Master’s programme graduates to be able to review translation according to standard or job-specific quality objectives, and to be able to implement process standards (such as ISO 17100).

References

  • Beeby A, Fernández M, Fox O, Hurtado Albir A, Kozlova I, Kuznik A, Neunzig W, Rodríguez-Inés P, Romero L, Wimmer S, Hurtado Albir A (2009) Results of the validation of the PACTE translation competence model: acceptability and decision making. Across Lang Cult 10(2):207–230

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowker L, Marshman E (2010) Towards a model of active and situated learning in the teaching of computer-aided translation: introducing the CERTT project. J Trans Stud 13(1/2):199–226

    Google Scholar 

  • Chan S-W (ed) (2010) Journal of translation studies special issue: The teaching of computer-aided translation 13(1&2). The Chinese University of Hong Kong and The Chinese University Press, Hong Kong

    Google Scholar 

  • Christensen TP, Schjoldager A (2016) Computer-aided translation tools: the uptake and use by Danish translation service providers. JoSTrans 25:89–105

    Google Scholar 

  • Delizée A (2011) A global rating scale for the summative assessment of pragmatic translation at Master’s level: an attempt to combine academic and professional criteria. In: Depraetere I (ed) Perspectives on translation quality. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, pp 9–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Depraetere I, Vackier T (2011) Comparing formal translation evaluation and meaning-oriented translation evaluation: or how QA tools can(not) help. In: Depraetere I (ed) Perspectives on translation quality. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, pp 25–50

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Doherty S (2016) The impact of translation technologies on the process and product of translation. Int J Commun 10:947–969

    Google Scholar 

  • Doherty S (2017) Issues in human and automatic translation quality assessment. In: Kenny D (ed) Human issues in translation technology. Routledge, London, pp 131–148

    Google Scholar 

  • Doherty S, Kenny D (2014) The design and evaluation of a statistical machine translation syllabus for translation students. Interpret TransTrain 8(2):295–315

    Google Scholar 

  • Doherty S, Moorkens J (2013) Investigating the experience of translation technology labs: pedagogical implications. JoSTrans 19:22–136

    Google Scholar 

  • Doherty S, Kenny D, Way A (2012) Taking statistical machine translation to the student translator. In: Proceedings of the tenth conference of the Association for Machine Translation in the Americas, San Diego. https://doi.org/10.13140/2.1.2883.0727

  • EAMT/BCS (2002) Proceedings of the BCS/EAMT workshop on Teaching Machine Translation. Organised by the European Association for Machine Translation in association with the British Computer Society Natural Language Translation Specialist Group. UMIST, Manchester, England, 14–15 November 2002. Available via: http://personalpages.manchester.ac.uk/staff/harold.somers/teachingMT/index.html. Accessed 12 May 2017

  • EMT Expert Group (2009) Competences for professional translators, experts in multilingual and multimedia communication. European Master’s in Translation (EMT). Available via: https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/emt_competences_translators_en.pdf. Accessed 5 Jan 2018

  • EMT Expert Group (2017) European Master’s in Translation Competence Framework 2017. European Master’s in Translation (EMT). Available via: https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/emt_competence_fwk_2017_en_web.pdf. Accessed 9 Feb 2018

  • Englard M (1958) The end of translators? Linguist Rev 1958(1):26–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Federico M, Cattelan A, Trombetti M (2012) Measuring user productivity in machine translation enhanced computer assisted translation. In: Proceedings of the tenth biennial conference of the Association for Machine Translation in the Americas (AMTA), San Diego, October 28–November 1 2012

    Google Scholar 

  • Flanagan M, Christensen TP (2014) Testing post-editing guidelines: how translation trainees interpret them and how to tailor them for translator training purposes. Interpret Trans Train 8(2):257–275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forcada M (2003) A 45-hour computers in translation course. In: Proceedings of Machine Translation Summit IX, New Orleans, USA, 23–27 September 2003, no page numbers

    Google Scholar 

  • Forcada ML, Pérez-Ortiz JA, Lewis DR (2001) MT Summit VIII workshop on teaching Machine Translation. Santiago de Compostela. Available via: http://www.eamt.org/events/summitVIII/workshop-papers.html. Accessed 12 May 2017

  • García I (2011) Translating by post-editing: is it the way forward? Mach Transl 25(3):217–238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gaspari F, Hutchins J (2007) Online and free! Ten years of online machine translation: origins, developments, current use and future prospects. In: Proceedings of Machine Translation Summit XI, Copenhagen, 10–14 September 2007, pp 199–206

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaspari F, Almaghout H, Doherty S (2015) A survey of machine translation competences: insights for translation technology educators and practitioners. Perspect Stud Translatol 23(3):333–358

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Granell Zafra J (2006) The adoption of computer-aided translation tools by freelance translators in the UK. Dissertation, Loughborough University

    Google Scholar 

  • Higher Education Academy (2012) A marked improvement: transforming assessment in higher education. Higher Education Academy. Available via: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/marked-improvement. Accessed 22 Mar 2018

  • Huertas Barros E, Vine J (2017) Current trends on MA translation courses in the UK: changing assessment practices on core translation modules. Interpret Trans Train 12(1):5–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karamanis N, Luz S, Doherty G (2011) Translation practice in the workplace: contextual analysis and implications for machine translation. Mach Transl 25(1):35–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kenny D (2007) Translation memories and parallel corpora: challenges for the translation trainer. In: Kenny D, Ryou K (eds) Across boundaries: international perspectives on translation. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, pp 192–208

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenny D, Doherty S (2014) Statistical machine translation in the translation curriculum: overcoming obstacles and empowering translators. Interpret Trans Train 8(2):276–294

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kenny D, Way A (2001) Teaching machine translation and translation technology: a contrastive study. In: Proceedings of MT Summit VIII workshop on teaching translation, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 18 September 2001, pp 13–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Kingscott G (1990) Session 4: summary of the discussion. In: Proceedings of translating and the Computer 10: the translation environment 10 years on. 10–11 November 1988, London, pp 161–164

    Google Scholar 

  • Knight K (2003) Teaching statistical machine translation. In: Proceedings of Machine Translation Summit IX, New Orleans, USA, 23–27 September 2003, no page numbers

    Google Scholar 

  • Koo SL, Kinds H (2000) A quality-assurance model for language projects. In: Sprung RC (ed) Translating into success: cutting-edge strategies for going multilingual in a global age. John Benjamins, Amsterdam, pp 147–157

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Koponen M (2015) How to teach machine translation post-editing? Experiences from a post-editing course. In: Proceedings of the 4th workshop on post-editing technology and practice, Miami, USA, 3 November, pp 2–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshman E, Bowker L (2012) Translation technologies as seen through the eyes of educators and students: harmonizing views with the help of a centralized teaching and learning resource. In: Hubscher-Davidson S, Borodo M (eds) Global trends in translator and interpreter training. Bloomsbury, London, pp 69–95

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitamura T, Nyberg E, Frederking R (2003) Teaching machine translation in a graduate language technologies program. In: Proceedings of Machine Translation Summit IX, New Orleans, USA, 23–27 September 2003, no page numbers

    Google Scholar 

  • Moorkens J (2017) Under pressure: translation in times of austerity. Perspect Stud Trans Theory Pract 25(3):464–477

    Google Scholar 

  • Moran J, Lewis D, Saam C (2018) Can user activity data in CAT tools help us measure and improve translator productivity? In: Corpas Pastor G, Durán-Muñoz I (eds) Trends in E-tools and resources for translators and interpreters. Brill, Leiden, pp 137–152

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Brien S (2012) Translation as human-computer interaction. Transl Spaces 1:101–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Hagan M (2013) The impact of new technologies on translation studies: a technological turn? In: Millán C, Bartrina F (eds) The Routledge handbook of translation studies. Routledge, Abingdon, pp 503–518

    Google Scholar 

  • Pym A (2003) Redefining translation competence in an electronic age: in defence of a minimalist approach. Meta 48(4):481–497

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pym A (2013) Translation skill-sets in a machine-translation age. Meta 58(3):487–503

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Robichaud B, L’Homme M-C (2003) Teaching the automation of the translation process to future translators. In: Proceedings of Machine Translation Summit IX, New Orleans, USA, 23–27 September 2003, no page numbers

    Google Scholar 

  • Scarpa F, Orlando D (2017) What it takes to do it right: an integrative EMT-based model for legal translation competence. JoSTrans 27:21–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Sycz-Opoń J, Gałuskina K (2017) Machine translation in the hands of trainee translators: an empirical study. Stud Log Gramm Rhetor 49(1):195–212

    Google Scholar 

  • Taillefer L (1992) The history of the relationship between machine translation and the translator. In: Proceedings of the 33rd annual conference of the American Translators Association. Learned Information, Medford, pp 161–165

    Google Scholar 

  • Vertan C, von Hahn W (2003) Specification and evaluation of machine translation toy systems: criteria for laboratory assignments. In: Proceedings of Machine Translation Summit IX, New Orleans, USA, 23–27 September 2003, no page numbers

    Google Scholar 

  • Wältermann D (1994) Machine translation systems in a translation curriculum. In: Dollerup C, Lindegaard A (eds) Teaching translation and interpreting 2: insights, aims, visions. John Benjamins, Amsterdam, pp 309–317

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Way A, Gough N (2003) Teaching and assessing empirical approaches to machine translation. In: Proceedings of Machine Translation Summit IX, New Orleans, USA, 23–27 September 2003, no page numbers

    Google Scholar 

  • Way A, Hearne M (2011) On the role of translations in state-of-the-art statistical machine translation. Lang Linguist Compass 5(5):227–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiggins D (2011) Blogpost to automated language translation group. Available via: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Looks-like-licencebased-model-MT-148593.S.74453505?qid=579815d2-fdfd-46bb-ac04-3530d8808772andtrk=group_search_item_list-0-b-ttl. Accessed 12 May 2017

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work has been partly supported by the ADAPT Centre for Digital Content Technology which is funded under the SFI Research Centres Programme (Grant 13/RC/2106) and is co-funded under the European Regional Development Fund.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stephen Doherty .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Doherty, S., Moorkens, J., Gaspari, F., Castilho, S. (2018). On Education and Training in Translation Quality Assessment. In: Moorkens, J., Castilho, S., Gaspari, F., Doherty, S. (eds) Translation Quality Assessment. Machine Translation: Technologies and Applications, vol 1. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91241-7_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91241-7_5

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-91240-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-91241-7

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics