Computer-aided translation (CAT) (C)-English

obligatory courses

Knowledge of Polish (Language A) at C2 level, and of the foreign language (L. C) at least at C1 level. Mastering the basics of editing texts and tables in MS Word and Excel (or similar programs).

Classroom

The aim of the course is to broaden students’ knowledge in the area of selected computer-aided translation programs (CAT tools: primarily MemoQ and SDL Trados), and develop students' translation skills using the capabilities of those programs.

This course may be a continuation of a similar course conducted at the BA level. Training materials consist of (para)specialised texts suitable for computer-aided translation.

Direction of translation: C→A and A→C.

The aim of the course is to broaden students’ knowledge in the area of selected, currently used computer-aided (or -assisted) translation programs (CAT tools: primarily MemoQ and SDL Trados), their architecture and particular components, and also developing students' translation skills using the capabilities of those programs.

For a (greater) part of the students, the course is a continuation of a similar course conducted at ILS at the 1st level of studies (“Translation and translation technologies” specialization). Training materials consist of (para)specialised texts suitable for computer-aided translation (mainly on technical and legal topics), characterized by medium and high degrees of translation difficulty.

Direction of translation: C→A and (to a lesser extent) A→C.

Student’s workload:

in-class work: 30 class hours,

preparation for the classes: 20 hours,

preparation for evaluation: 5 hours;

total: 55 hours = 2 ECTS points

Main contents of the course:

0. An outline of the history of CAT programs: reasons for creating them and the main stages of their development.

1. Methodology of working with CAT software; strengths and limitations of these tools and the influence of text types on the efficiency of work with CATs.

2. Becoming familiar with both program interfaces; preparatory actions: correcting automatically (OCR-) processed texts; creating new projects; importing source text files and (possibly) converting their formats.

2. The impact of segmentation on the translation consistency – the usefulness of the preview; precautions when using suggestions.

3. Architecture of the MemoQ and SDL Trados programs: advanced options and settings, personalization of settings, main keyboard shortcuts; (percentual) degrees of matches of corresponding segments.

4. Using external resources – mainly electronic/internet dictionaries, term bases and parallel corpora – in CAT tools.

5. Quality control in MemoQ and SDL Trados, filtering options, ways of making corrections (doing proofreading).

6. Creating glossaries (also with a more complex entry structure); exporting and importing such glossaries in the CAT programs, making use of the SDL MultiTerm base.

7. Alignment (of a source and a target text) – using texts of advanced complexity; tagging of text elements.

8. Using concordances (on the example as above).

9. Using the machine (pre)translation (MT) – pros and cons of this function.

10. Norms referring to translation services: the ISO 17100:2015 norm; certification.

FORMS OF WORK:

▪ translation in the CAT programs during classes; translation at home in the exported file in the two-column rtf format and importing the translation back to the project with checks and approval;

▪ preparation of vocabulary at home, preparation of glossaries in the CAT software during classes (individually or in groups), technical exercises, discussion on the finished translation.

WORK METHODS:

presentation, individual work, group work, discussion.

TYPES AND SUBJECTS OF TEXTS:

(Para)specialised texts of medium and advanced translational difficulty from various fields, suitable for an effective translation with the use of CAT tools: price lists, technical specifications, tender requirements, patents, bulletins and other documents with repetitive content elements.

CREDIT REQUIREMENTS:

1. attendance (2 absences allowed, including those excused; the student is required to make up for the material covered during his/her absence). Due to the specifics of the classes, in the case of more than two absences, the decision on the conditions of getting a passing grade is at the teacher’s discretion.

2. systematic and timely preparation of homework assignments;

3. reliable performance of tasks during classes;

4. passing mid-term tests and the final test.

Although the classes are of a practical character, reading at least some of the following books/articles is recommended (sharp parentheses contain the information on the availability of the items in selected UW libraries):

Bogucki, Łukasz (2009): Przekład wspomagany komputerowo. Warszawa: Wyd. Nauk. PWN <KH, BUW, WLS>

Bowker, Lynne (2008): Computer-Aided

Translation Technology. A Practical Introduction. Ottawa: University of Ottawa Press <KH>

Cronin, Michael (2013): Translation in the Digital Age, London & New York: Routledge <KH, BUW> [wyd. pol.: Cronin, Michael (2016): Przekład w epoce cyfrowej. Kraków: Wyd. UJ (przeł. Marta Błaszkowska, Magda Heydel et al.)] <BUW, WLS>

Hejwowski, Krzysztof (2015): Iluzja przekładu. Przekładoznawstwo w ujęciu konstruktywnym. Katowice: Śląsk [especially Chapter 2: „Proces tłumaczenia” and 9: „Błędy tłumaczeniowe”] <KH, BUW, WLS>

Kozłowska, Zofia; Szczęsny, Anna (2018): Tłumaczenie pisemne na język polski. Kompendium. Warszawa: Wyd. Nauk. PWN [especially Chapter 1: „Podstawy tłumaczenia pisemnego”] <BUW, WLS>

Olohan, Maeve (2016): Scientific and technical translation. London & New York: Routledge <KH, WLS>

Somers, Harold (ed.) (2000): Computers and Translation. A Translator’s Guide. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins <BUW>

von Kleist, Simon (2013): „Quality assurance in computer-assisted technical translations”, Komunikacja Specjalistyczna, nr 6 (2013), pp. 25-43; http://www.ks.uw.edu.pl/NUMER_6-2013.pdf

The course leads to acquiring the following competences:

[in the area of KNOWLEDGE] the student knows and understands:

- strengths and limitations of CAT tools

- the structure of CAT tools and their advanced functionalities

- the range of free and paid CAT programs available and their basic features

- translation techniques applied in various types of texts translated with the aid of CAT tools

- the rules of protection of intellectual property and copyrights when using CAT tools;

[in the area of SOCIAL COMPETENCES] the student is ready to:

- adequately identify and resolve interlingual communication problems

- perform translation in accordance with the principles of professional ethics

- independently search for solutions to the encountered problems and consult experts in the event of difficulties

- think and work actively within the ongoing translation projects

- work in a team within a translation project;

[in the area of SKILLS] the student can:

- independently produce translations with CAT tools and evaluate their quality

- create a glossary using the CAT software and make use of it in a translation project

- adjust the CAT program settings to the needs of the project

- perform an alignment of parallel texts and use its results in a translation project

- use the knowledge in the field of translation studies in order to choose the optimal techniques in the translation process

- talk with clients about issues related to (the) translation in a way that is understandable to non-specialists and adequately justify decisions made and the strategies/techniques applied

- conduct a discussion on (the) translation, understood both as a process and as a product, considering different points of view and the latest findings of translation studies research.

Continuous evaluation (on the basis of attendance, ongoing preparation for classes, activity and individual translations, performed both at home and in class), written mid-semester tests and the final written test. Each requirement must be fulfilled independently; hence their share in the final mark is not determined.

Criteria for the evaluation of written assignments and the final written test:

99–100% – 5!

98–91% – 5

90–86% – 4,5

85–76% – 4

75–71% – 3,5

72–60% – 3

less than 60% – 2 (fail)

Due to the strictly technical and practical nature of the classes, participation is obligatory – there is no way to make up for any missed classes above the limit of 2 per semester. Excessive absences will have a negative impact on the final grade.