AI is transforming many industries, and translation is one of these. AI tools provide opportunities for quick and easy translation that can be ready in minutes. AI has a significant degree of accuracy, too; however, at the moment, human translators still have important advantages over machine learning algorithms.
Benefits of Human Translation
Human translators specialize in different languages and even different specific fields, like medicine and law. This allows them to do efficient work, and human translation has significant benefits.
Contextual Accuracy
The first advantage offered by human translators is the ability to infer context and work within it. People can recognize context clues and subtle insinuations, sarcasm, and distinguish literal and figurative meanings. For instance, when translating an idiom like “it’s raining cats and dogs”, the right way would not be to just translate it literally, but to replace it with an idiom that also means “it was raining a lot”. Finding a good translation agency such as translation agency uk is really helpful for a good translation.
AI-Specific Mistakes
AI still tends to make mistakes, and these mistakes often are related to the fact that, well, it is not a human. Human translators can notice that a phrase makes no sense and distinguish literal and figurative meanings. Additionally, they will be better aware of slang and industry jargon, which can have narrow meanings for words that AI will not always know. Human translators can catch on to mistakes in the original text, while AIs might just work within the parameters of their given task.
These mistakes are not always obvious or easy to avoid, and AI does not have a built-in system for analyzing and asking itself whether the translation makes sense in general and, beyond that, whether it makes sense in context. These mistakes can be annoying but also can even become outright deadly when working in the context of a legal defense or a medical treatment.
For example, a Facebook AI mistranslation has led to an arrest already: a man wrote good morning and the text was changed to “hurt them”: from context, this is a mistake a human translator would not make, as the meaning of both phrases is drastically different. Translation companies are much less likely to make that mistake when working conscientiously.
Cultural Localization
Human translators have the cultural knowledge and context to adapt the work to a particular country, region, or even subculture. Translation can be more than a work of translating the words, but rather, of translating the meaning and allowing it to move from one context to the next and still be understood. Some countries have phrases that imply a particular meaning or context, which AI might not understand. This is why content localization plays such a critical role in ensuring that translated material resonates accurately and respectfully with the target audience.
Tone and Style
Beyond the cultural aspects, tone and style also impact the way the text is perceived. A human translator can create work that is persuasive, formal, informal, informative, etc. Modifying the work to fit the intended purpose is still human work.
AI is tremendously helpful, but it is not a fully autonomous robot, just a tool. Human oversight and correction are essential to avoid catastrophic mistakes and to create accurate translation that is not just a mechanical translation of word after word, but rather, of meaning that is preserved and adapted to be understood.
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