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Translator ethics working for automatic translation engine Thread poster: patransword
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Hello dear colleagues,
I was contacted to work for an automatic translation engine. The task involved correcting its output and explaining why the automatic translation was wrong. My question is - how would you feel doing this kind of work? I am finding it difficult to accept as I would, I imagine, be contributing to making translation engines better and making it more difficult for "real" translators to get work. I asked specifically how my answers would be used, but didn't receiv... See more Hello dear colleagues,
I was contacted to work for an automatic translation engine. The task involved correcting its output and explaining why the automatic translation was wrong. My question is - how would you feel doing this kind of work? I am finding it difficult to accept as I would, I imagine, be contributing to making translation engines better and making it more difficult for "real" translators to get work. I asked specifically how my answers would be used, but didn't receive any reply.
FYI - the job would be well paid.
I have worked for nearly 20 years without accepting MTPE jobs, but how would you feel actually working for one of the engines? How would you handle this one?
Happy holidays and happy translatoring,
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:49
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Thanks so much for telling us about this. Others wouldn't.
In my opinion, accepting to do work like this is suicide. As you said, you would be destroying your own, and others' work opportunities. No *thinking* translator *with a conscience* should accept this kind of work.
Without actually mentioning any names could you tell us
1. what kind of client or company asked you to do this work?
2. how did they get your contact details?
3. do you think you... See more Thanks so much for telling us about this. Others wouldn't.
In my opinion, accepting to do work like this is suicide. As you said, you would be destroying your own, and others' work opportunities. No *thinking* translator *with a conscience* should accept this kind of work.
Without actually mentioning any names could you tell us
1. what kind of client or company asked you to do this work?
2. how did they get your contact details?
3. do you think you were approached because you are specifically known to be a skilful and accurate translator who would be punctilious about identifying and correcting inaccuracies made by an automatic translation engine?
4. would the corrections be to texts of a particular kind or on a particular specialist topic?
5. were you approached personally or do you think many translators were approached?
[Edited at 2023-12-27 15:37 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Lieven Malaise
Belgium
Local time: 20:49
Member (2020)
French to Dutch
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It is well paid, you say. So accept it. It is utterly ridiculous to think that this evolution can be stopped by refusing this kind of work. It WILL be done. If not by you, then by someone else.
Personally I wouldn't accept it, but not because I would be 'contributing to the end of our profession', but because I hate anything else but translation and MTPE.
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patransword
Germany
German to English
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TOPIC STARTER | I don't want to mention names. | Dec 27, 2023 |
Tom in London wrote:
...
Without actually mentioning any names could you tell us
1. what kind of client or company asked you to do this work?
I'll not mention the specific company, but it is a fairly well known translation engine. I was sent an email and asked to do a paid test, did the test and they got back to me to say they were happy with my work and they wanted to use me as a freelancer. I then had a bit of a panic - felt rather strange to do such a task, especially when I wasn't told how my answers would be used when asked.
Then I think the other way around - is this the way translation is going? Maybe in a few years linguists will be trying to work for such companies, just like 20 years ago when I was looking for an in-house position.
I'm interested in hearing thoughts on the ethics of working for an automatic translation engine. Would I then be a "bad" translator if I took this forward?
[Edited at 2023-12-27 15:47 GMT]
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patransword
Germany
German to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Lieven Malaise wrote:
It is well paid, you say. So accept it. It is utterly ridiculous to think that this evolution can be stopped by refusing this kind of work. It WILL be done. If not by you, then by someone else.
Personally I wouldn't accept it, but not because I would be 'contributing to the end of our profession', but because I hate anything else but translation and MTPE.
This is how I'm leaning at the moment. If I do, then I would be a "bad" translator according to some, and if I don't, I'm shooting myself in the foot, refusing a good potential client.
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Samuel Murray 
Netherlands
Local time: 20:49
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
patransword wrote:
I was contacted to work for an automatic translation engine. The task involved correcting its output and explaining why the automatic translation was wrong. My question is - how would you feel doing this kind of work?
There are no ethical concerns for me w.r.t. this job. Indeed, I'm quite happy that they have determined that the best person for the job is a *translator* and not just an ordinary native speaker or even a linguist who is not a translator. Your efforts will hopefully also benefit future translators who make use of their services.
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| I wouldn’t touch it as a matter of principle | Dec 27, 2023 |
It’s the same as with CAT and MT. Most translators were too selfish to stand firm when it mattered and now it’s too late.
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:49
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| It's never too late | Dec 27, 2023 |
Christopher Schröder wrote:
It’s the same as with CAT and MT. Most translators were too selfish to stand firm when it mattered and now it’s too late.
It's never too late for a GOOD translator.
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:49
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Samuel Murray wrote:
....
There are no ethical concerns for me w.r.t. this job.
w.r.t.?
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Tom in London wrote:
w.r.t.?
With reference to your feigned ignorance, in this context wrt probably doesn’t stand for “World Rummy Tournament”.
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:49
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| Not feigned. | Dec 27, 2023 |
Christopher Schröder wrote: Tom in London wrote:
w.r.t.? With reference to your feigned ignorance, in this context wrt probably doesn’t stand for “World Rummy Tournament”.
I have no idea what w.r.t. stands for. The same applies to LMGTFY.
You must be a member of....that generation. Maybe you know what GFY means
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Tom in London wrote:
I have no idea what w.r.t. stands for. The same applies to LMGTFY.
You must be a member of....that generation. Maybe you know what GFY means
Charming.
If you really didn’t know and couldn’t guess, you could look it up in two seconds, is the point.
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Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 20:49
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Tom in London wrote: Samuel Murray wrote:
There are no ethical concerns for me w.r.t. this job. w.r.t.?
I suppose one can also opt for "i.r.t." with regard to this abbreviation, but I use "w.r.t." in regard to it because that's how I was taught to speak.
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| No stopping progress | Dec 28, 2023 |
A personal opinion as I think there is no definitive answer:
The point of this kind of work is to improve MT output. I have done work like it myself, and plan to in the future. If we want to oppose it on principle, we could oppose automation in other areas as well. Industries change, so we have to adapt with them. Having the spadework done by MT frees you up to concentrate on the finer points.
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Zea_Mays
Italy
Local time: 20:49
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
| I don't do it on principle | Dec 28, 2023 |
If you do not need money at all costs, why would you do this kind of work?
The irony is that later you may pay for using that tool. LOL
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