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 128:
What are vendor managers looking for in linguists now that most LSP’s have shifted to machine translation solutions?
Chat GPT’s Response:
As Language Service Providers (LSPs) increasingly incorporate machine translation solutions into their workflows, the role of linguists continues to evolve. While machine translation technology can handle a significant portion of translation work, linguists still play crucial roles in various aspects of the translation process. Vendor managers may look for the following qualities in linguists:
Post-editing skills: As machine translation output often requires human refinement, vendor managers seek linguists who are skilled in post-editing machine-translated content. This involves reviewing and editing machine-generated translations to ensure accuracy, fluency, and adherence to style guidelines.
Language expertise: Linguists with strong language proficiency and subject matter expertise remain valuable assets. They should have a deep understanding of both the source and target languages, as well as specialized knowledge in specific fields such as legal, medical, technical, or marketing translations.
Adaptability to technology: Vendor managers may look for linguists who are comfortable working with translation tools and technologies, including machine translation systems, translation memory software, and content management systems. They should be adaptable to different platforms and willing to learn new tools as technology evolves.
Attention to detail: Linguists must have a keen eye for detail to ensure the accuracy and quality of translations. This includes detecting and correcting errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and terminology consistency.
Communication skills: Effective communication is essential for linguists to collaborate with project managers, fellow linguists, and clients. Clear and concise communication ensures that project requirements are understood and executed accurately.
Reliability and professionalism: Vendor managers value linguists who are reliable, meet deadlines consistently, and maintain a high level of professionalism in their work. Dependability is critical for building trust and long-term relationships with clients.
While machine translation has transformed the translation industry, linguists remain indispensable for tasks requiring human judgment, creativity, and linguistic expertise. Vendor managers seek linguists who can complement machine translation technology and contribute to delivering high-quality translation services to clients.
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