My Conversations with ChatGPT
Machine Translation (MT) and translations generated by AI have brought about a paradigm shift in the translation industry. The output of MT will continue to improve, especially when associated with clients’ translation memories and human editing. Language Service Providers are adapting and are including MT in their processes, when MT is applicable. While linguists will continue to be essential in the process, their role will shift from that of translators to validators of content generated by MT. At Excel Translations, we wanted to know what AI thinks about all of this and decided to have an open conversation on the matter with ChatGPT. I will regularly publish a question and ChatGPT’s response, uncensored.
QUESTION 158:
What language pairs pose the most challenges when desktop publishing is needed?
Chat GPT’s Response:
Desktop publishing (DTP) involves creating documents with text, graphics, and layouts ready for print or digital distribution. When translating and localizing content for DTP, certain language pairs can pose significant challenges due to differences in script, text direction, formatting, and cultural conventions. Here are some of the most challenging language pairs for DTP:
English to Arabic/Hebrew:
Text Direction: Arabic and Hebrew are written from right to left (RTL), whereas English is written from left to right (LTR). This reversal affects the entire layout, including text alignment, images, and navigation elements.
Script Complexity: Arabic script includes contextual letter forms, meaning letters change shape based on their position in a word. This requires appropriate font and software support.
English to Chinese/Japanese/Korean (CJK):
Character Density: Chinese, Japanese, and Korean use logographic or syllabic characters, which are denser than Latin script. This can affect spacing, line breaks, and overall document length.
Font and Formatting: CJK languages often require specific fonts that support a wide range of characters. Additionally, vertical text layouts are sometimes used in Japanese.
Typesetting: Proper typesetting rules differ significantly, such as punctuation positioning and line wrapping.
English to Thai:
Script Complexity: Thai script has no spaces between words, requiring careful handling of line breaks and text wrapping.
Font Issues: Special fonts and software are needed to handle the diacritic marks above and below characters.
Specific Challenges:
- Font Compatibility: Ensuring that all necessary fonts are available and correctly display the script and characters of the target language.
- Software Support: Not all DTP software fully supports RTL languages or complex scripts, necessitating specialized tools or workarounds.
- Cultural Adaptation: Images, colors, and symbols may need to be adapted to suit cultural preferences and avoid offense.
- Hyphenation and Line Breaks: Different languages have different rules for hyphenation and line breaks, which must be correctly applied.
Conclusion:
When dealing with desktop publishing for these challenging language pairs, it’s crucial to have expertise in both the linguistic and technical aspects of the target languages. Utilizing professional translation services, advanced DTP software, and skilled designers familiar with the languages in question can help mitigate these challenges.
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