The ATA Chronicle - March/April 2023 - 20

MTPE?
nQsf!
(MT Post-Editing?
Not QUITE So Fast!)
First Things First:
The Difference between
MT and MTPE
Linguists old and new are celebrating and/
or struggling with the influx of project
requests requiring MT or MTPE. Professional
linguists, like all professionals, need to
continuously research, train, upgrade, and
self-motivate to forge their own paths.
Neither MT nor MTPE is going anywhere,
and, most importantly, neither one will
threaten your career. They will only enhance
it. (Unless, of course, if you ignore them.)
Note: This article is the first in a new series created by
ATA's Language Technology Division. This series will
discuss machine translation (MT) and machine translation
post-editing (MTPE) from several angles. It will attempt to
illustrate the promise, the pain, and the practicality of these
technologies and what the present and the future may hold.
Should sober linguists adapt or hold their ground? (And if
either, when, where, how, and for how much...?)
By Bridget Hylak
MT
MTPE
MT, or machine translation,
is an undeniable and ohso-handy
tool for linguists
to have in their professional
toolbox that can be beneficial
in many creative ways.
(See sidebar on page 21.)
Depending on the language
combination and specialty
you work in, and the specific
engine you choose (there are
many, so research optimal
engines for your language
combo), MT can become your
new favorite, furry friend.
If you haven't tried it
yet or haven't securely
incorporated it into
your professional work
environment, reach out
already and take the olive
branch. MT won't bite or
upset your flow; it will purr
like a kitty and lick your feet,
well, also like a kitty.
If pets aren't your thing,
just think of your first car-
smelling the smells, caressing
the steering wheel, turning
up the music, and feeling an
undeniable sense of newfound
freedom. In other words, if
you haven't quite cozied up
to MT in your daily grind yet,
where have you been all my
life? Give me a call (WhatsApp
also works), we need to talk.
Yep, It's that good.
While some less common,
lower-resource languages are
still in the process of building
truly useful engines, don't
worry. The world's getting
smaller by the minute and
MT is only getting better at
learning-your day will come.
To anyone in that situation,
you have my heartfelt
apologies that the powers that
be haven't yet done their due
diligence. In the meantime,
keep playing around with
it until you start to notice,
" Hey, that's not bad.... "
20 The ATA Chronicle | March/April 2023
MTPE, or machine
translation post-editing, on
the other hand, isn't exactly
the same thing and shouldn't
(yet) be discussed in the
same Zoom webinar.
When it comes to MTPE,
my current philosophy
(which I reserve the right
to update as this fast-paced
topic evolves!) is simple:
MTPE nQsf. Huh? That's,
" MTPE, not QUITE so fast.... "
Think of MTPE this way:
y MT = machine
y PE = you
Successful, highly accurate
MTPE requires special
handling by trained linguists
who, at first, might find
themselves completely
flabbergasted by the task.
MTPE is not like regular
" E " (i.e., editing the work
of a trained, competent
colleague). Nor is MTPE
anything like " T " (i.e.,
translation with MT in the
background). Neither does it
represent merely a linguistic
challenge, but a technical
one as well.
But wait! You didn't
become a translator to use
technology, you say? You
didn't spend all those years
mastering language XYZ
only to have a machine
cramp your style? Tell
that to the neurosurgeon
currently conducting robotic
brain surgeries, or the
auto mechanic who hooks
incoming cars up to the hard
drive to diagnose and resolve
issues. Nowadays, and even
" way-back-then-adays, "
both professionals not only
need industry smarts but tech
prowess as well. That is, if
they want to keep their jobs.
My favorite analogy,
which erupted over my
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The ATA Chronicle - March/April 2023

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