TECHNOLOGIES FOR TRANSLATION AND POST-EDITING MOD.2

This is one of the core courses of the MA in Translation and Interpreting and is aimed at students of both curricula (English/Spanish/LIS and English/Chinese).
The main aim of the course is to provide students with key information about post-editing (with reference to the currently available ISO standard), to practise post-editing (with varying degrees of intervention in the raw MT output) and proof-reading, and to use Trados Studio 2022.

Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and competences
By the end of the course, students will have acquired knowledge of:
- knowledge of the essential contents of the ISO 18587 standard on post-editing
- knowledge of the skills and competences required of post-editors according to ISO 18587
- CAT tools (Trados Studio 2022): advanced features

Applying knowledge and competences
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- carry out post-editing with varying degrees of intervention on the raw output
- carry out proof-reading
- use the advanced features in Trados Studio 2022

Making judgements
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- assess the extent to which machine translation is appropriate and/or requires the intervention of the human translator
- evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the technological tools used during the course

Communication skills:
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- use the metalanguage of translation technology
- being able to work effectively in a team
- being able to communicate difficulties, doubts or critical issues

Learning skills:
By the end on the course, students will be able to nurture and enrich their knowledge and skills through training

- Advanced knowledge of English language (level B2/C1)
- Excellent knowledge of the Italian language (at least B2 for international students)
- Positive attitude to technology
- Positive attitude to teamwork
- Critical thinking
- Attention to detail

The course will cover the following topics
1. Machine translation: evolution, main aspects, types, tools, critical analysis
2. Post-editing (PE vs. translation vs. revision, ISO 18587, skills, types of PE, editing actions, etc.)
3. Artificial intelligence: ethical and conscious use applied to translation
4. Proof-reading
5. Trados Studio 2022: advanced features
6. Practical exercises (in class, at home, individual and group)

All the needed content will be in the slides provided by the lecturer.
Some readings and other useful resources will be made available on the course Moodle space.

The final examination must be conducted in groups and will be structured as follows:

1. Project work on post-editing to be delivered on Moodle
This project work is aimed at assessing the mastery of machine translation and post-editing in both theory and practice

2. Brief oral discussion of the work carried out (the grade assigned to the Project may be confirmed, raised or lowered depending on the outcome of the discussion.
The oral test, based on the Project work, is aimed at assessing the student's command of metalanguage, decision-making skills and judgement with regard to the required tasks

3. As an integral part of the exam, all students must obtain the "Post-editing Machine Translation Certification" provided by RWS according to the instructions provided by the lecturer. This course is entirely online, free of charge, and consists of a single module, with certification upon completion. All instructions will be provided during the course.

written and oral

Evaluation Criteria
1. Project Work on PE
Quality of web-based documentation (linguistic research, image search, source consultation, terminology databases, etc.)
Ability to identify critical issues and intervene appropriately and effectively
Ability to adhere to the PE brief and follow all the instructions contained within it
Score: ___/30

2. Oral Exam
Ability to critically analyze the tool used and the output produced (advantages, limitations, errors, etc.)
Ability to justify one's choices
The score obtained in the project work on PE may be confirmed, increased, or lowered based on the skills demonstrated during the oral exam.

The final grade will be calculated as the mathematical average of the score obtained in Module 1 and the score obtained in Module 2.

The course will be held in Italian and will consist of both lecture-based and interactive classes. For learning purposes, students are required to actively participate in the course-related activities.
All students are required to sign up to the Moodle course that will be published on the lecturer’s personal unive webpage and, for exam preparation, refer to the materials and activities that will be uploaded in Moodle on a weekly basis.

The contents of the course might be slightly modified depending on the needs of the class as well as on the relevant tools made available by the University.
Trados Studio is designed to run on Windows OS machines. It can also be used on Mac, but a Windows virtual machine must be installed on the Mac. If obtaining a Windows computer with sufficient performance is not possible, the PCs available at the Treviso Campus can be used.

System Requirements:
Trados Studio can run on the latest versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11. Windows 11 is recommended, as it is currently the best-supported Microsoft operating system. As a minimum requirement, it is recommended to use a computer with an Intel or compatible processor, 8 GB of RAM, and a screen resolution of 1024 x 768. For optimal performance, a 64-bit operating system, 16 GB of RAM, an SSD drive, and a next-generation Intel or compatible CPU are recommended. Full support for 4K high-resolution screens will be gradually implemented in future versions. Trados Studio requires .NET Framework 4.8.

Important information:
Given the complexity of the topics, students who are unable to attend for various reasons (Erasmus mobility, prolonged illness, work, etc.) are encouraged to contact the lecturer (mariaelisa.fina@unive.it) in advance to receive guidance aimed at mitigating any disadvantages due to their absence.

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Cities, infrastructure and social capital" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development