Session 1 (Definition of Terms)
In translation technology, terms commonly used to describe translation tools are as follows:
o machine translation (MT);
o machine-aided/assisted human translation (MAHT);
o human-aided/assisted machine translation (HAMT);
o computer-aided/assisted translation (CAT);
o fully automatic high-quality (machine) translation (FAHQT/FAHQMT).
Figure 1.1 distinguishes three types of
translation relating human and machine
involvement in a classification along a linear
continuum introduced by Hutchins and Somers
(1992).
A decade ago, most tools could have been placed in these individual
classes. A linear continuum, however, is no longer suitable for
describing many integrated systems of today as they contain features
from more than one class. An alternative way of presenting the current
state of translation technology is now required. As implied by the
linear continuum, these four translation types are not entirely
separate and distinct, and they now share many more similarities than
when they were first presented by Hutchins and Somers.
Machine translation
Since no other term has been forthcoming, it continues to be used to
refer to systems that are fully automated as well as those with human
involvement (Somers 2003b: 1). Figure 1.2 shows how a source-
language text can be processed by a machine translation system. If the
target text is produced automatically there is no human intervention;
however, human intervention may be employed before, during and/or
after machine translation (see also Arnold et al. 1994).
A machine translation system, according to Hutchins (2000a), can be classified as operating on one of three
levels: basic, standard or advanced.
A basic-level system typically has the following characteristics. It
• has less than 50,000 entries in its largest dictionary,
• has restricted dictionary expansion,
• is restricted to single-clause/basic sentence translations,
• is suitable for home use.
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Session 1 (Definition of Terms)
A standard level system typically has the following characteristics. It
• has more than 50,000 entries in its largest dictionary,
• allows dictionary expansion,
• allows more than single-clause/basic sentence translations,
• is suitable for home use and stand-alone office use.
An advanced level system typically has the following characteristics. It
• has more than 75,000 entries in its smallest dictionary,
• allows dictionary expansion,
• allows more than single-clause/basic sentence translations
• is suitable for offices with networked facilities.
Human-aided machine translation
A generally accepted view of human-aided machine translation is ‘a
system wherein the computer is responsible for producing the
translation per se, but may interact with a human monitor at many
stages along the way’ (Slocum 1988: 5). In other words, the machine
carries out most of the work, but it might need human assistance
either at the text-preparation stage or the output stage. The former
process is known as ‘pre-editing’ and the latter ‘post-editing’. The
main task of pre-editing is to discover any elements such as odd
phrases or idioms and typographical errors that may create
problems for the machine translation system during the translation
process. Post-editing involves correcting the translation output
generated by the machine translation system, a task performed by
the human editor or translator in order to bring the text to a certain
pre-determined standard in terms of language style and appropriate
use of terms.
Many human-aided machine translation systems are designed to operate on a limited number of types of source-language
texts, for example, those written with a restricted grammar and vocabulary in a so-called ‘controlled language’ . This
limitation on the types of text used as input to the system is similar to that on inputs to machine translation, for example,
technical texts such as legal briefs, manuals and laboratory reports are particularly suitable. A source language text may
come in different forms: pre-edited, controlled or unedited (see Figure 1.4). As we have seen, a pre-edited text is one that
has been edited by a human, in most cases by someone other than the author, prior to the translation process, whereas a
controlled-language text is usually written following certain strict linguistic rules. Sometimes, a source-language text can
also be edited using the controlled-language vocabulary and linguistic rules. Ideally, pre-edited and controlled language
texts are free from ambiguity and complex sentences. Unedited text, on the other hand, has had no editing prior to
translation. For systems that have an interactive mode, a human is allowed to correct or select appropriate equivalents
during the automatic translation process. Otherwise, corrections can only be performed at the post-editing stage, which is
after the machine translation system has produced the translation.
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Session 1 (Definition of Terms)
Machine-aided human translation
the focus in this type of translation is on the human
translator, who uses an assortment of tools such as spell-
checkers, electronic glossaries, electronic dictionaries,
terminology databases and collections of previously
translated texts and their originals, that is translation
‘memory’, to support the translation process.
