The translation It is a link between cultures and languages And, as such, a practice as old as the language itself. Due to its importance, there has always been debate about the linguistic nuances of the translation. Now, with the arrival of automatic translation A new dimension has been generated for this old debate.
Over the last few years, various linguists and technologists have incessantly engaged in debates on the advantages and disadvantages of human translation and the automatic translation. To understand this in depth, we bring you this post on the evolution of both areas, examining in an integral way the implications and capacities of each approach.
translation history
human translation
The history of human translation goes back thousands of years. The commitment to communication, the trade and intrinsic human curiosity have forced us to learn other languages in order to break language barriers. We have always felt the need to understand and be understood beyond our borders.
For this reason, the human translation begins its steps at the moment in which the Sumerian scholars of the second millennium BC. they translated texts religious and philosophical in order to expand knowledge. The same happens hundreds of years later with the medieval ecclesiastics and diplomats, whose task was to establish ties of union between empires and commercial axes.
On the other hand (as we always highlight in this blog), already then, the translation It was not a mere change word for word. the soul of the translation He forced scholars to shape their interpretation of language to make a translation that is most in line with the true intention of language. The intention and, above all, the cultural nuances were decisive when it came to establishing fully effective communication. In this sense, today, it continues to be the main added value of humans compared to the machine when it comes to translating.
automatic translation
The subversion of the translation begins when IBM’s experiments on machine translation begin in the 1950s, something that at the time was an unprecedented break in the sector. In these more than 70 years of development, machine translation has achieved unprecedented progress with the current incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) and tools such as the Google Translate translator.
These types of tools use neural machine translation (NMT) for the processing of accurate and contextually appropriate translations. In this sense, progress does not stop, but is progressing at a fast pace towards improving its capabilities. However, it is still far from reaching the precision and understanding of human translation.
Even so, machine translation has democratized access to this type of services, in turn by bringing down language barriers in real time. In this sense, it is a great advance for anyone to understand another language Immediately and accessible with various free tools.
What are the advantages of human translation?
precision and sensitivity
Human understanding is unmatched, so no machine today is capable of interpreting and transmitting subtle, emotional and cultural nuances.
As we mentioned, translation and interpretation professionals not only translate words, but interpret the message, capture sensitivity, tone and adapt the message to the context.
That is why, today it seems unthinkable, for example, to translate a poem with a software.
cultural context
Context is an absolutely capital element in translation. A machine can translate words, but with total security will not understand the cultural nuances that define the quality of a translation.
A human, on the other hand, has the ability to perceive these nuances and incorporate respect and cultural relevance into their texts. In this way, the translation is sensitive, appropriate and accurate for the target audience.
Flexibility
If machines base their work on algorithms, humans rely on their knowledge, culture, and intuition. This flexibility allows human translators to adapt to different styles and tones, something that the machines still do not quite achieve.
Advantages of machine translation
speed and efficiency
In a fast-paced world, machine translation offers almost instantaneous results. Do you need a quick translation for an email or a report? Machine translation is your ally.
Also, if you have a huge workload, machine translation can help you download your responsibility, although depending on the context you may need to review it.
Constant accessibility and updating
Thanks to multiple applications and software, the global audience has at your fingertips the facilities provided by machine translation. On the other hand, the most basic versions of these tools are free, which also reduces language and economic barriers.
The machines learn. With each translation, they improve, adapting to new languages and jargons, which allows them to constantly evolve.
What are the main disadvantages of machine translation and human translation?
Challenges of human translation
The main disadvantage we find in human translation is time. Manually translating can be a long process.
In addition, the cost can be prohibitive for large or continuous projects, which decreases its accessibility and universality, something negative in a globalized and immediate world that demands instantaneity. Perhaps for this reason, today, machine translation is used massively.
Machine translation limitations
As we already mentioned, the machines lack empathy and cultural context, despite being tremendously efficient. Often the translations can be literal, losing the real meaning behind the words.
For this reason, the danger of obtaining a misinterpretation, an inadequate context or the inaccurate translation of specialized terms or specific terminology of each institution or company, question the role of machine translation, above all, in professional works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is human translation better than automatic?
It depends on the goal. For quick and general tasks, the automatic is useful. For detailed, context-sensitive translations, the human is irreplaceable.
Will machines ever outperform humans in translation?
Although the machines are advancing, the human understanding of language and culture is unique and difficult to completely replicate.
How have machine translation tools evolved?
With the advancement of AI and machine learning, these tools have improved exponentially in recent decades.
What is the future of translation?
We are likely to see a combination of humans and machines working together to offer high-quality translations.
Are professional translations expensive?
The costs vary, but the investment is worth the quality and precision offered.
