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Dr Akiko Sakamoto (Portsmouth), ‘How machine translation is shaping translators’ work practices'

05 October 2020, 7:30 pm–8:30 pm

Dr Akiko Sakamoto

This event will be taking place on Zoom. Please register via the 'Book now' button below.

Event Information

Open to

All

Availability

Yes

Organiser

Prof. Kathryn Batchelor

This event is part of the CenTraS Translation and Technologies Seminar Series 2020-21. 

Abstract

In this talk I will illustrate how machine translation has been shaping the work practices of professional translators, and equally importantly, how translators and other translation stakeholder groups are shaping workflow using machine translation (known as machine translation post-editing: MTPE). Drawing on the results of the focus group studies I conducted with translation project managers in the UK and Japan, I will discuss how intricate and complex power negotiations take place between different stakeholder groups and how that is influencing the translators’ day-to-day operations and career development. The talk will also illustrate the fundamental (but often opaque) difference between translation and post-editing work and provide practical suggestions about how translators can incorporate post-editing work in their work portfolio judiciously and productively.

About the Speaker

Dr Akiko Sakamoto

Akiko Sakamoto, PhD, is Senior Lecturer in Translation Studies at the University of Portsmouth, where she teaches translation theory, Japanese translation, translation technologies and subtitling. Her research interests revolve around sociology of translation, particularly the influence of technology on translation practice and agency of translators. Her recent publications include “Social groups in machine translation post-editing: a SCOT analysis” (co-authored) in Translation Spaces (2020) and “The value of translation in the era of automation: an examination of threats” (forthcoming) in R. Desjardins, C. Larsonneur, & P. Lacour (Eds.), When translation goes digital (from Palgrave Macmillan). She can be contacted at akiko.sakamoto@port.ac.uk.