Translation quality assessment remains pertinent in both translation theory and in the industry. Specifically, the process of assessing a target document's quality or a person's translation competence involves a lot of time and money on the part of various governments, organizations and individuals. In response to this issue, this project builds on the ongoing research of Hague et al. (2012), who seek to determine the capabilities of a computerized translation test for the French-to-English and Spanish-to-English language pairs. Specifically, Hague et al. (2012) question whether a good score on a detect-and-correct style computerized translation test that is calculated by a computer also indicates a good score on a traditional full translation test that is calculated by hand. This project seeks to further this research by seeking to answer the same question using an Arabic-to-English language pair. The methods used in this research involve testing individuals using two different style translation tests and then comparing the results. The first style translation test involves a detect-and-correct format where a subject is given a list of project specifications in the form of a translation brief, a source text passage and a corresponding target text passage that has errors introduced throughout. The subject is expected to detect and fix the errors while leaving the rest of the text alone. A score is given for this test using an automated algorithm. The second style test is a traditional translation test where a subject is given the same translation brief and a source text. The subject is expected to produce an acceptable target text, which is subsequently scored by hand. Thereafter, various forms of analysis are used to determine the relationship between the scores of the two types of tests. The results of this research do not strongly suggest that a high score on the detect-and-correct portion of the test indicates a high score on a hand-graded full translation test for the subject population used. However, this research still provides insight, especially concerning whether the detect-and-correct portion of the test actually measures translation competence and concerning second language acquisition (SLA) programs and their intentions. In addition, this research provides insight into logistical issues in testing such as the impact text difficulty and length may have on a detect-and-correct style test as well as the negative impact the American Translators Association (ATA) grading practices of weighting errors and capping errors can have on an experiment such as the one described in this research.

No description available.

This study assesses the translation accuracy of ChatGPT-4 against two human translators, Donald Keene and Mark Gibeau, focusing on the first 50 sentences of Osamu Dazai's Japanese novel "Ningen Shikkaku" translated into English. In the rapidly advancing field of artificial intelligence, where AI increasingly integrates into fields such as translation traditionally occupied by humans, it examines the effectiveness and reliability of AI incapturing both the literal and figurative meaning of a literary text. A significant gap in the field is the scarcity of comparative studies between AI and human translators, and all the more so in Japanese-English translation. Most existing research on AI translation focuses on European languages or evaluates AI against other machine translation tools. The study employs a translation quality assessment framework based on how erroneous the translations are, where either one or two points are deducted for each error depending on severity to evaluate the accuracy of each translation. The identified error types are grounded on the standardized error marking system utilized by the American Translators Association, and endeavors to provide an objective measure of translation quality. The results of the study show that ChatGPT-4's translation incurred the least number of point deductions, roughly half as many as those of Gibeau and Keene. Gibeau's translation rankedsecond in accuracy, with Keene's trailing closely behind. The results also reveal that Keene's translation errors typically stemmed from altered words and phrases, while Gibeau's translation rather added, intensified, or omitted elements. ChatGPT-4's translation had fewer errors overall, except in relation to literalness. It is discussed that the utility of AI in literary translation varies depending on whether accuracy or aesthetic is most valued. Nevertheless, translators can already at present utilize AI to manage routine tasks and accelerate translation processes, enabling them to concentrate on aspects such as flow, rhythm, and readability.

Text in English / Undergraduate students at the Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) experience great difficulty in developing their translation competence during their training period. On the one hand, they show many signs of poor quality during their training when they accomplish practical translation assignments on and off-campus. On the other hand, the quality of the final work submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Bachelor Honours Degree (Licenciatura) suggests that most students fail to go beyond the minimum standards with regard to translation competence. Yet, comprehensive research aimed at understanding factors hindering translation competence at the UEM has been scanty. Besides, the few studies available have some significant lacunae, for they focus on Portuguese language development; are limited to error analysis, and often ignore students‟ perspectives. Consequently, the problem of finding a balanced approach to developing students‟ translation competence has remained unaddressed. Therefore, this study has been conducted with the purpose of investigating the translation competence of the UEM undergraduates in order to establish the major obstacles to their translation competence development, and consequently come up with suggestions for improving the current translator-training degree programme. The study design uses qualitative methods translated into a case study approach. First, questionnaire data is analysed to gain lecturers‟ and students‟ perspectives on translation competence at the UEM. Second, a students‟ error typology is developed following a macro- and micro-textual analysis of their translations. The study concludes that substandard bilingual skills, compounded by curricular, attitudinal/motivational, pedagogical and infrastructural/instrumental factors, negatively impact the students‟ development of translation competence at the UEM and that addressing these may pave the way towards improving the current translation-training programme. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M.A. (Linguistics)

Text in English / Undergraduate students at the Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) experience great difficulty in developing their translation competence during their training period. On the one hand, they show many signs of poor quality during their training when they accomplish practical translation assignments on and off-campus. On the other hand, the quality of the final work submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Bachelor Honours Degree (Licenciatura) suggests that most students fail to go beyond the minimum standards with regard to translation competence. Yet, comprehensive research aimed at understanding factors hindering translation competence at the UEM has been scanty. Besides, the few studies available have some significant lacunae, for they focus on Portuguese language development; are limited to error analysis, and often ignore students‟ perspectives. Consequently, the problem of finding a balanced approach to developing students‟ translation competence has remained unaddressed. Therefore, this study has been conducted with the purpose of investigating the translation competence of the UEM undergraduates in order to establish the major obstacles to their translation competence development, and consequently come up with suggestions for improving the current translator-training degree programme. The study design uses qualitative methods translated into a case study approach. First, questionnaire data is analysed to gain lecturers‟ and students‟ perspectives on translation competence at the UEM. Second, a students‟ error typology is developed following a macro- and micro-textual analysis of their translations. The study concludes that substandard bilingual skills, compounded by curricular, attitudinal/motivational, pedagogical and infrastructural/instrumental factors, negatively impact the students‟ development of translation competence at the UEM and that addressing these may pave the way towards improving the current translation-training programme. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M. A. (Linguistics)

Although Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) has the longest history of BA Honours level translator and interpreter training in Mozambique, the university still lacks an effective model for the development of translation and interpreting competence in students. To address this problem, the present study seeks to find a practical model for the training of Mozambican professional translators and interpreters at BA Honours level that can guide the design of conducive curricula. The critical question the study attempts to answer is: What model for developing translation and interpreting competence could lead to an effective curriculum design that best meets the employment needs of Mozambican students? To this end, the study has been designed as action-research because this design enables better understanding and improvement of training processes (Cravo & Neves 2007). Three data collection tools are used to generate both qualitative and quantitative data from over 120 participants, namely: (i) a survey, (ii) an English translation test and (iii) a sample of archived Portuguese translations produced by former students. The survey findings suggest the need for a model whereby translators and interpreters are trained simultaneously within the same programme. Moreover, the results of macro- and micro-textual analysis show that, overall, the translation competence of former students is poor, suggesting that the current curriculum at UEM is failing to produce BA Honours translation/interpreting professionals. The proposed solution would be a curriculum based on a new integrated translation and interpreting competence development model with the following four pillars: communicative competence, general knowledge, strategic competence and service provision. / Nangona iyunivesithi iEduardo Mondlane University (UEM) inembali kwizifundo zesidanga esiphakamileyo (BA Honours) kuqeqesho lwabaguquleli neetoliki eMozambique, le yunivesithi ayikabi namzekelo unguwo nosebenzayo ekuphuhliseni izakhono zokuguqula nokutolika kubafundi bayo. Ukukhawulelana nale ngxaki olu phando lujolise ekufumaneni owona mzekelo usebenzayo onokusetyenziswa nonokuthi ube sisikhokelo kuyilo lwekharityhulam yesidanga esiphakamileyo iBA Honours esithatha iminyaka emine ekuqeqesheni abafundi babe ngabaguquleli neetoliki eziphume izandla zaseMozambique. Umbuzo ongundoqo nozanywa ukuphendulwa lolu phando ngulo: Ngowuphi umzekelo wokuphuhlisa izakhono zokuguqulela nokutolika onokukhokelela kuyilo lwekharityhulam esebenzayo nefezekisa iimfuno zengqesho zabafundi baseMozambique? Kungoko olu phando luye lwasebenzisa indlela yokuphanda ekuthiwa yi-action research eyenza kube lula ukuqonda nokuphucula iinkqubo zoqeqesho (Cravo & Neves 2007). Kuye kwasetyenziswa iindlela ezintathu zophando ukufumana ulwazi kubathathi-nxaxheba abali-120 ezizezi: (1) uvavanyo lwezimvo, (ii) uvavanyo lwenguqulelo yesicatshulwa esibhalwe ngesiNgesi kunye (iii) neenguqulelo zesiPhuthukezi ezenziwe ngabafundi bangaphambili ezigciniweyo. Iziphumo zeemvavanyo zezimvo zibonisa ukuba kufuneka kukho umzekelo onokusetyenziswa ekuqeqesheni abaguquleli neetoliki ngaxeshanye phantsi kwenkqubo enye. Ukongeza koku, iziphumo zohlalutyo lwesicatshulwa zibonise ukuba izakhono zokuguqulela zabafundi bangaphambili azikho mgangathweni, nto leyo ethetha ukuba ikharityhulam esetyenziswayo eUEM iyasilela ekukhupheni abaguquleli neetoliki ezinobuchule neziziincutshe. Isisombululo esicetyiswayo ke ngoko, sesokuba kubekho ikharityhulam ehlangeneyo eza kuphuhlisa izakhono zabaguquleli neetoliki esekelwe kwiintsika ezine ezizezi: isakhono sonxibelelwano, ulwazi jikelele, isakhono sobuchule kunye nokunikezwa kweenkonzo. / Nakuba iNyuvesi i-Eduardo Mondlane University (i-UEM) isinomlando omude kakhulu wokuqeqesha abahumushi notolika ezingeni leziqu ze-BA Honours eMozambique, le nyuvesi ayikabi nayo indlela esebenzayo yokuthuthukisa amakhono ezitshudeni kwezokuhumusha nokutolika. Ukubhekana nale nkinga lolu cwaningo kuhloswe ngalo ukuthola indlela esebenzayo yokuqeqesha ongoti babahumushi notolika baseMozambique ezingeni leziqu ze-BA Honours (iziqu zeminyaka emine) ezingahlahla indlela yokuklama uhlelo lwezifundo olungasiza kule nkinga. Umbuzo omkhulu lolu cwaningo oluzama ukuwuphendula ngothi: Iyiphi indlela yokuthuthukisa amakhono okuhumusha nokutolika engaholela ekuklanyweni kohlelo lwezifundo olungahlangabezana nezidingo zokuqasheka kwezitshudeni zaseMozambique? Ukufeza le nhloso, lolu cwaningo lusebenzisa uhlelo lokucwaninga olubizwa nge-action-research ngoba luyasiza ekuqondeni kangcono nasekuthuthukiseni inqubo yokuqeqesha (Cravo & Neves 2007). Kusetshenziswa amathuluzi amathathu okuqoqa imininingobunjalo nemininingobuningi evela kubabambiqhaza abangaphezu kwabayi-120, okuyilokhu: (i) ngohlolocwaningo (i-survey), (ii) ngesivivinyo sesihumusho sesiNgisi (iii) nangesampula lezihumusho zesiPutukezi zabafundi baphambilini. Okutholakale kulo uhlolocwaningo kuveza isidingo sendlela yokuqeqesha abahumushi notolika kanyekanye ohlelweni lokufundiswa olufanayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, imiphumela yokuhlaziywa kwemibhalo nezimo eyabhalwa ngaphansi kwazo ibonisa ukuthi, ngokubanzi, amakhono okuhumusha abafundi baphambilini awamahle, okuyinkomba yokuthi uhlelo lwezifundo lwamanje e-UEM luyehluleka ukukhiqiza ongoti bokuhumusha nokutolika ezingeni le-BA Honours. Isixazululo esiphakanyiswayo ngesendlela entsha esuselwa ekuthuthukiseni amakhono edidiyela ukuhumusha nokutolika, enalezi zinsika ezine ezilandelayo: amakhono kwezokuxhumana, ulwazi ngokubanzi, ikhono lokusebenzisa amasu, nokuhlinzekwa kwezidingo. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / D. Phil. (Languages, Linguistics and Literature)

Работа посвящена сравнению качества перевода технического текста с английского языка на русский, полученного с помощью различных систем машинного перевода (СМП), на примере научной статьи металлургической тематики “Fluid Dynamics Studies of Bottom-blown and Side-blown Copper Smelting Furnaces”. В первой части работы рассматриваются общие вопросы машинного и технического перевода: приводятся понятия машинного перевода и технического перевода, определяются основные способы и алгоритмы работы СМП, выделяются основные особенности и проблемы технического перевода. Особое внимание уделяется выявлению функциональных возможностей наиболее популярных сервисов машинного перевода, к которым относятся такие СМП как Google Translate, Яндекс Переводчик, Bing Microsoft Translator, SYSTRAN Translate, PROMT.One. Во второй части работы раскрываются особенности металлургической терминологии и специфика ее заимствования, разрабатывается методика оценки качества перевода технического текста металлургической направленности, проводится апробационное исследование переводов, выполненных с помощью различных систем машинного перевода и определяются перспективы использования СМП в металлургической отрасли. Большое внимание уделяется оценке качества переводов по представленным методикам, при этом все результаты приводятся в виде таблиц с указанием количества ошибок и итоговых баллов. Результаты исследования могут быть использованы на различных предприятиях металлургического сектора при работе с документацией на иностранных языках. / This paper is devoted to comparison of translation quality obtained as a result of using machine translation (MT) systems to translate technical documents from English into Russian in the case of a metallurgical article “Fluid Dynamics Studies of Bottom-blown and Side-blown Copper Smelting Furnaces”. The first part of the paper covers general issues of machine and technical translation, including concepts of machine and technical translation, the main operation methods and algorithms, and the main features of technical translation. Particular attention is paid to identification of core functionality of the most popular machine translation systems, which include Google Translate, Yandex Translate, Bing Microsoft Translator, SYSTRAN Translate, PROMT.One. The second part of the paper reveals the main features of metallurgical terminology and the specifics of its naturalization. It also contains several translation quality assessment methodologies and includes an analysis of machine translation quality. Moreover, it features the main prospects for using MT systems in metallurgy. Much attention is paid to translation quality assessment on methodologies presented in the paper. All the results are presented in the form of tables with the number of errors and final scores for each MT system. The results of the study may be used at various metallurgical enterprises working with documentation in foreign languages.