The future of translation in Europe is a topic that has sparked much debate, especially with the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). While AI chatbots and machine translation engines are making significant inroads into various industries, the translation sector is facing a unique challenge.
The Threat of AI
For literary translators, the rise of AI poses a significant threat to their livelihoods. Surveys conducted in France and Britain reveal a growing concern among translators about the potential replacement of their work by AI. The translation industry, with its diverse language landscape and thriving tech sector, is particularly vulnerable to disruption.
One translator, Yoann Gentric, experimented with DeepL, an AI translation engine, to test its capabilities. While AI translated the meaning of a sentence, it failed to capture the stylistic nuances, highlighting the limitations of machine translation. Gentric's own translation, published later, demonstrated the human touch that adds depth and creativity to the art of translation.
Impact on Translators
The nature of translation work has already shifted for many professionals. Translators like Laura Radosh are now receiving fewer job offers and are often tasked with 'post-editing' - a time-consuming and less creatively fulfilling process. Post-editing involves correcting machine-translated texts, which are often paid at unacceptable rates compared to translating from scratch.
The financial implications are significant. Regular technical translations are also seeing a decline in rates, with some translators receiving offers as low as 60 cents per line. This is a far cry from the average income for literary translators, which is already low, with many earning less than €20,000 per year before tax.
The Human Advantage
Despite the challenges, there is a silver lining for literary translators. The speed of technological change has revealed the unique strengths of human translators, particularly in understanding context and creating original content. Machine translators often struggle with context, leading to comical errors, as seen in the case of Springer Nature's auto-translated book.
Jörn Cambreleng, director of Atlas, a French literary translation organization, emphasizes the creative aspect of human translation: "Good human translators strive to put into words something that has never been said before."
In Germany, literature in translation has shown resilience, with a high percentage of translated books published annually. Authors are also increasingly contractually obliging publishers not to use AI in the translation process, recognizing the value of human translators.
Katy Derbyshire, a translator based in Berlin, highlights the human element: "Being human helps. My body has experienced all the pain and joy that literature strives to convey."
The Way Forward
While AI continues to evolve, human translators remain indispensable for their creativity, understanding of context, and ability to capture the essence of a text. As Fernando Prieto Ramos from the University of Geneva's faculty of translation and interpreting notes, the trend of interest in machine translation is gradually reverting, with a more diversified training offer.
The future of translation lies in recognizing and valuing the unique skills of human translators, ensuring their work remains relevant and financially viable in an AI-driven world.
