Computer-aided translation (CAT) (C)-Japanese 3200-M1-1CATCJ
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.
Course coordinators
Type of course
Mode
Prerequisites (description)
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course:
KNOWLEDGE
Students understand the principles of written translation using CAT tools (K1_W01, K1_W02, K1_W07, K1_W11, K1_W12)
Students know and understand what basic translator’s skills are required for using CAT tools and are familiar with translation strategies and techniques used in CAT (understand their specificity) (K1_U05, K1_U10, K1_U11, K1_U12, K1_U13)
Students have basic knowledge about contemporary CAT tools, know their advantages and limitations (K1_W06, K1_W15)
Students know the principles of professional translator's ethics when using CAT tools (K1_W09, K1_W13)
Students know how to use CAT tools when working for different businesses (freelance, translation agencies, etc.) (K1_W16)
SKILLS
while translating with the use of CAT tools, students are able to use various resources (dictionaries, parallel texts, etc.) and are able to adequately assess their usefulness for translation equivalents K1_U01, K1_U02, K1_U05,K1_U06, K1_U08, K1_U10)
Students are able to analyze the source text and identify the most important translation issues typical for CAT (K1_U01, K1_U03, K1_U10)
Students are able to translate a non-specialized text from a foreign language into Polish and from Polish into a foreign language with the use of CAT tools, and such translations meet professional standards (K1_U03, K1_U05, K1_U06, K1_U07, K1_U08, K1_U09, K1_U10, K1_U12, K1_U13)
SOCIAL COMPETENCES
Students are able to plan an individual translation project which requires the use of CAT tools (K1_K02, K1_K03, K1_K04, K1_K07),
Students are able to cooperate in a group and work remotely with the use of CAT tools K1_K05, K1_K06, K1_K07)
Students perform their tasks applying standards of professional translator’s ethics and good professional practices (K1_K06, K1_U07).
Assessment criteria
Assessment methods and criteria for the main syllabus and at the workshop group level
Continuous assessment (attendance control, preparation for classes, activities and translations performed individually, both in class and at home), mid-semester written tests and/or final written test. Each requirement, if assigned, must be fulfilled independently; their share in the final grade is thus not determined.
Detailed requirements and evaluation criteria are determined by each instructor in a particular course cycle.
Grading scale:
below 55% – 2 (unsatisfactory – fail grade).
56% -65% - 3 (dst)
66%-70% - 3+ (dst+)
71%-80% - 4 (db)
81%-85% - 4+ (db +)
86%-99% - 5 (bdb)
100% - 5!
Allowed number of absences: 2 absences per semester.
Bibliography
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
Bowker, Lynne (2008): Computer-Aided
Translation Technology. A Practical Introduction. Ottawa: University of Ottawa Press
Cronin, Michael (2013): Translation in the Digital Age, London & New York: Routledge
Hejwowski, Krzysztof (2015): Iluzja przekładu. Przekładoznawstwo w ujęciu konstruktywnym. Katowice: Śląsk [especially Chapter 2: „Proces tłumaczenia” and 9: „Błędy tłumaczeniowe”]
Kozłowska, Zofia; Szczęsny, Anna (2018): Tłumaczenie pisemne na język polski. Kompendium. Warszawa: Wyd. Nauk. PWN [especially Chapter 1: „Podstawy tłumaczenia pisemnego”]
Olohan, Maeve (2016): Scientific and technical translation. London & New York: Routledge
Somers, Harold (ed.) (2000): Computers and Translation. A Translator’s Guide. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins
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