The ATA Chronicle - July/August 2024 - 19

yet they often lack strong
linguistic skills, which
complicates their ability
to contribute significant
human value to language
services. Fortunately, there
remains a group of students
with a genuine aptitude for
languages. Despite their
capabilities, these students
frequently encounter a
job market that falls short
of their expectations.
Faced with the monotony
of repetitive tasks and
insufficient pay, their initial
enthusiasm quickly turns
to disillusionment upon
entering the market.
To address the
challenges of brain drain,
my university colleagues
and I tend to adopt the
principle of " Don't try to
run before you can walk. "
Initially, we discourage
the use of technology
within translation classes.
Only later is technology
functionally integrated into
the curriculum, helping even
the linguistically weaker
students to develop a more
critical perspective on MT
and GenAI. Furthermore,
we increasingly encourage
our students to undertake
internships and find
employment within the
communication and
marketing departments of
companies and institutions
outside the language
industry. The hope is that
their talents and expertise
will be fully utilized there,
and the value of their human
touch recognized. While our
approach seems to serve our
students well by ensuring
they can fully benefit from
their training, it doesn't
address the underlying
structural issues in the
language industry.
www.ata-chronicle.online
Recalibrating Our
Approach to Technology
The big question we're
currently grappling with
is whether the language
industry can shake things
up and develop sustainable
solutions to tackle the adverse
effects of technologization.
As we project into the future,
anticipating subsequent
waves of AI advancements,
it's imperative to reassess
not only the sheer volume of
work that remains to be done
by language professionals
(in their many guises:
post-editors, MT linguists,
AI translators) but also the
intrinsic allure and appeal
of the profession itself.
Neglecting the profession's
attractiveness may lead to
an exacerbation of the talent
drain, diminishing the pool of
skilled language professionals
capable of not only rendering
text from one language to
another but also elevating it to
another level.
There is a need for a
recalibration of our approach
to technological integration
and a renewed emphasis on
nurturing the intrinsic value
of linguistic expertise. All
stakeholders have a vested
interest not only in
highlighting the advantages
of technology but also in
cherishing the happiness of
language professionals.
Recognizing their expertise,
focusing on sustainable
practices, and preserving the
quintessential human touch
in translation are key in this
respect. By valuing their
proficiency and reconsidering
professional sustainability,
language professionals will
end up feeling reignited in
their passion and
empowered to help shape
the industry's future.
NOTES
1
Collings, David, Hugh Scullion, and Paula Caligiuri. " Global
Talent Management (global HRM), " Journal of World Business
(April 2010), 105-108.
2
Translating Europe Forum 2014: Linking Up Translation
Stakeholders. Brussels, September 18-19, 2014. Report and
Follow-Up Actions (European Commission, 2014).
3
Taris, Toon, and Hans De Witte. The Fun and Frustration of
Modern Working Life: Contributions from an Occupational
Health Psychology Perspective (Pelckmans Pro, 2019).
4
Moorkens, Joss. " Under Pressure: Translation in Times of
Austerity, " Perspectives (February 2017), 464-477.
5 Slator 2022 Language Industry Market Report (Slator, 2022).
6
Ruffo, Paola. In-Between Role and Technology: Literary
Translators on Navigating the New Socio-Technological
Paradigm (PhD dissertation, Harriot Watt University, 2021).
7
Schwabe, Henrik, and Fulvio Castellaci. " Automation,
Workers' Skills, and Job Satisfaction, " PLoS ONE (November
30, 2020).
8
Mahand, Thalmus, and Cam Caldwell. " Quiet Quitting-
Causes and Opportunities, " Business and Management
Research (January 2023), 9-19.
9
Georgakopoulou, Y., A. Hecker, A. Guerberof, and W.
Kolb. " Technology and Creativity: Friends or Foes? " Panel
discussion at the Translating Europe Forum 2023: Achieving
Excellence in Translation in Brussels, Belgium.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
ATA Statement on Artificial Intelligence (American Translators
Association, 2023).
AI Survey for Individual Literary Translators (European Council
of Literary Translators' Association, 2024).
Silvestri, Holly. " Brave New World: AI and Interpreting, "
The ATA Chronicle (American Translators Association,
January/February 2024).
Slow Translation Manifesto (Institute of Translation and
Interpreting, 2024).
" SoA Survey Reveals a Third of Translators and Quarter of
Illustrators Losing Work to AI " (The Society of Authors, 2024).
Gys-Walt van Egdom is affiliated with
Utrecht University (The Netherlands). He has
a PhD in linguistics and literary studies and a
master's degree in translation studies. He lectures
on translation and translation studies. His research
interests include translation didactics, translation evaluation,
translation ethics, translation processes, and human-computer
interaction. g.m.w.vanegdom@uu.nl
American Translators Association 19

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The ATA Chronicle - July/August 2024

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