1887
image of Ergonomics, well-being and sustainability in translator training environments
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

Abstract

This study investigates ergonomics, well-being and sustainability in translation through the eyes of trainers and students, drawing on insights from a small-scale survey involving 60 respondents from Canada and beyond. Participants highlighted challenges related to non-ergonomic conditions and tools in educational environments, which often contribute to health issues and frustration. They also reported on strategies to cope with or prevent health issues, as well as on their use of mobile devices and speech-based techniques and tools in their academic work. The findings underscore the need for interdisciplinary research on ergonomics and well-being in translator training, and point toward implications for developing practices that support long-term health and career sustainability among trainers and students. This study also advocates for the gradual integration of speech-based multimodal technologies, as well as physical activity, into translation curricula, aligning with the demands of the ubiquitous computing era and prioritizing ergonomics for trainers and students.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/ts.25005.zap
2026-01-27
2026-02-14
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Angelone, Erik, Gary Massey, and Maureen Ehrensberger-Dow
    2024 “Introduction: Contextualizing language industry studies.” InThe Handbook of the Language Industry, Edited byGary Massey, Maureen Ehrensberger-Dow and Erik Angelone, –. De Gruyter Mouton. 10.1515/9783110716047‑001
    https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110716047-001 [Google Scholar]
  2. Bednárová-Gibová, Klaudia
    2021 “Organizational Ergonomics of Translation as a Powerful Predictor of Translators’ Happiness at Work?” Perspectives (): –. 10.1080/0907676X.2020.1753788
    https://doi.org/10.1080/0907676X.2020.1753788 [Google Scholar]
  3. Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL), European Commission Representation in the UK, and Institute of Translation and Interpreting
    Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL), European Commission Representation in the UK, and Institute of Translation and Interpreting 2017 “UK Translator Survey: Final Report.” Chartered Institute of Linguists.
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Ciobanu, Dragoș
    2018 “Automatic Speech Recognition in the Professional Translation Process.” InExploring the Situational Interface of Translation and Cognition, edited byMaureen Ehrensberger-Dow and Birgitta Englund Dimitrova, –. John Benjamins. 10.1075/bct.101.07cio
    https://doi.org/10.1075/bct.101.07cio [Google Scholar]
  5. Courtney, Jennifer, and Mary Phelan
    2019 “Translators’ Experiences of Occupational Stress and Job Satisfaction.” Translation and Interpreting (): –. 10.12807/ti.111201.2019.a06
    https://doi.org/10.12807/ti.111201.2019.a06 [Google Scholar]
  6. CSA Research
    CSA Research 2024 The Largest Language Service Providers: 2024. AccessedJune 24, 2025. https://csa-research.com/Featured-Content/For-LSPs/Global-Language-Services-Industry-2025/The-Largest-Language-Service-Providers-2024
  7. Daiute, Colette
    1985Writing and Computers. Addison-Wesley.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Ehrensberger-Dow, Maureen, Andrea Hunziker Heeb, Gary Massey, Ursula Meidert, Silke Neumann, and Heidrun Becker
    2016 “An International Survey of the Ergonomics of Professional Translation.” ILCEA, . 10.4000/ilcea.4004
    https://doi.org/10.4000/ilcea.4004 [Google Scholar]
  9. Ehrensberger-Dow, Maureen, and Andrea Heeb Hunziker
    2025 “Ergonomics in Translation Work.” InThe Routledge Handbook of the Translation Industry, edited byCallum Walker and Joseph Lambert, –. Routledge. 10.4324/9781003381303‑15
    https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003381303-15 [Google Scholar]
  10. Fontinha, Rita, Simon Easton, and Darren Van Laar
    2019 “Overtime and Quality of Working Life in Academics and Nonacademics: The Role of Perceived Work-Life Balance.” International Journal of Stress Management (): –. 10.1037/str0000067
    https://doi.org/10.1037/str0000067 [Google Scholar]
  11. Frérot, Cécile, Elisabeth Lavault-Olléon, and Lionel Karagouch
    2019 “Designing an Authentic Translation Environment for Future Translators: Integrating a Collaborative and Ergonomic Perspective into Translator Training.” InTRAlinea, . https://www.intralinea.org/specials/article/2427
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Giancola, Kiara
    2024 “Orality in Post-Editing: Methodological Insights.” InProceedings of Mardi des Chercheurs, Mons, Belgium. https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12907/48807
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Goldsmith, Emma
    2024 “Upper-Body Musculoskeletal Pain and Eye Strain among Language Professionals: A Descriptive, Cross-Sectional Study.” ArXiv. 10.48550/arXiv.2409.19598
    https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2409.19598 [Google Scholar]
  14. Herbig, Nico, Tim Düwel, Santanu Pal, Kalliopi Meladaki, Mahsa Monshizadeh, Antonio Krüger, and Josef van Genabith
    2020 “MMPE: A Multi-Modal Interface for Post-Editing Machine Translation.” InProceedings of the 58th Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics, –. Association for Computational Linguistics. 10.18653/v1/2020.acl‑main.155
    https://doi.org/10.18653/v1/2020.acl-main.155 [Google Scholar]
  15. Hétu, Marie-Pierre
    2012 “Le travail au dictaphone, une solution ergonomique?” Circuit, .
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Hubscher-Davidson, Severine
    2024 “Psychological sustainability in the translation professions: Findings from two intervention studies.” Mikael, –. 10.61200/mikael.135918
    https://doi.org/10.61200/mikael.135918 [Google Scholar]
  17. Hubscher-Davidson, Severine, and Stéphanie Panichelli-Batalla
    2025 “Global sustainable development and the wellbeing of language professionals.” InThe Routledge Handbook of the Translation Industry, edited byCallum Walker and Joseph Lambert, –. Routledge. 10.4324/9781003381303‑32
    https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003381303-32 [Google Scholar]
  18. International Ergonomics Association (IEA)
    International Ergonomics Association (IEA) 2025 “What Is Ergonomics (HFE)?” AccessedJune 24, 2024. https://iea.cc/about/what-is-ergonomics/
  19. ISO, 9241-210:2010
    ISO, 9241-210:2010 2010 “Ergonomics of Human System Interaction — Part 210: Human-Centred Design for Interactive Systems.” International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Switzerland.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Kappus, Martin, and Maureen Ehrensberger-Dow
    2020 “The Ergonomics of Translation Tools: Understanding When Less Is Actually More.” The Interpreter and Translator Trainer (): –. 10.1080/1750399X.2020.1839998
    https://doi.org/10.1080/1750399X.2020.1839998 [Google Scholar]
  21. Lavault-Olléon, Elisabeth
    2011 L’ergonomie, nouveau paradigme pour la traductologie. ILCEA, . 10.4000/ilcea.1078
    https://doi.org/10.4000/ilcea.1078 [Google Scholar]
  22. Lee, Charlotte T., Grace K. Ting, Nick Bellissimo, and Saman Khalesi
    2022 “The Associations between Lifestyle Factors and Mental Well-being in Baccalaureate Nursing Students: An Observational Study.” Nursing & Health Sciences (): –. 10.1111/nhs.12923
    https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.12923 [Google Scholar]
  23. Liyanapathirana, Jeevanthi, Pierrette Bouillon, and Jonathan Mutal
    2023 “A Pedagogical Platform for Spoken Post-Editing (PE): The Integration of Speech Input into COPECO.” InProceedings of HiT-IT 2023, edited byConstantin Orăsan, Ruslan Mitkov, Gloria Corpas Pastor and Johanna Monti, –. Naples, Italy. 10.26615/issn.2683‑0078.2023_018
    https://doi.org/10.26615/issn.2683-0078.2023_018 [Google Scholar]
  24. Lopez Guix, Juan Gabriel, and Jacqueline Minett Wilkinson
    1997Manual de traducción inglés-castellano: teoría y práctica. Gedisa Editorial.
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Mees, Inger M., Barbara Dragsted, Inge Gorm Hansen, and Arnt Lykke Jakobsen
    2013 “Sound Effects in Translation.” Target (): –. 10.1075/target.25.1.11mee
    https://doi.org/10.1075/target.25.1.11mee [Google Scholar]
  26. Moorkens, Joss, Sheila Castilho, Federico Gaspari, Antonio Toral, and Maja Popović
    2024 “Proposal for a Triple Bottom Line for Translation Automation and Sustainability: An Editorial Position Paper.” Journal of Specialised Translation: –. 10.26034/cm.jostrans.2024.4706
    https://doi.org/10.26034/cm.jostrans.2024.4706 [Google Scholar]
  27. O’Brien, Sharon
    2023 “Human-Centered Augmented Translation: Against Antagonistic Dualisms.” Perspectives (): –. 10.1080/0907676X.2023.2247423
    https://doi.org/10.1080/0907676X.2023.2247423 [Google Scholar]
  28. O’Brien, Sharon, and Maureen Ehrensberger-Dow
    2017 “Why Ergonomics Matters to Professional Translators.” The ATA Chronicle. https://www.atanet.org/resources/why-ergonomics-matters-to-professional-translators/
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Ottiaq
    Ottiaq 2012 L’ergonomie et les langagiers. Circuit (). AccessedJuly 3, 2025. https://www.circuitmagazine.org/images/stories/documents/archives/CI_116_12.pdf
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Ottiaq
    Ottiaq 2021 Apprendre et exercer nos professions en tout confort. Circuit (). AccessedJuly 3, 2025. https://www.circuitmagazine.org/archive/numero-151
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Oviatt, Sharon
    2012 “Multimodal Interfaces.” InThe Human-Computer Interaction Handbook: Fundamentals, Evolving Technologies and Emerging Applications, edited byJulie A. Jacko, 3rd ed., –. Lawrence Erlbaum.
    [Google Scholar]
  32. Penet, JC.
    2024Working as a Professional Translator. Routledge. 10.4324/9781003220442
    https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003220442 [Google Scholar]
  33. Rothwell, Andrew, Joss Moorkens, María Fernández-Parra, Joanna Drugan, and Frank Austermühl
    2023Translation Tools and Technologies. Routledge. 10.4324/9781003160793‑1
    https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003160793-1 [Google Scholar]
  34. Sakamoto, Akiko, Darren van Laar, Joss Moorkens, and Félix do Carmo
    2024 “Measuring Translators’ Quality of Working Life and Their Career Motivation.” Translation Spaces, (), –. 10.1075/ts.23026.sak
    https://doi.org/10.1075/ts.23026.sak [Google Scholar]
  35. Serón-Ordóñez, Inmaculada, and Adrià Martín-Mor
    2016 “Translation and Mobile Devices.” Tradumàtica, –.
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Teixeira, Carlos S. C., Joss Moorkens, Daniel Turner, Joris Vreeke, and Andy Way
    2019 “Creating a Multimodal Translation Tool and Testing Machine Translation Integration Using Touch and Voice.” Informatics (): . 10.3390/informatics6010013
    https://doi.org/10.3390/informatics6010013 [Google Scholar]
  37. Teixeira, Carlos S. C., and Sharon O’Brien
    2017 “Investigating the Cognitive Ergonomic Aspects of Translation Tools in a Workplace Setting.” Translation Spaces (): –. 10.1075/ts.6.1.05tei
    https://doi.org/10.1075/ts.6.1.05tei [Google Scholar]
  38. Van Egdom, Gys-Walt, Patrick Cadwell, Hendrik Kockaert, and Winibert Segers
    2020 “A Turn to Ergonomics in Translator and Interpreter Training.” The Interpreter and Translator Trainer (): –. 10.1080/1750399X.2020.1846930
    https://doi.org/10.1080/1750399X.2020.1846930 [Google Scholar]
  39. Vicente, Kim
    2004Le facteur humain : Réinventer notre rapport à la technologie (Trad. N. Guillet). Logiques.
    [Google Scholar]
  40. Zapata, Julian, and Elizabeth Saint
    2017 “Traduire à voix haute : la traduction dictée interactive comme solution ergonomique.” InTRAlinea.
    [Google Scholar]
  41. Zapata, Julian, and Jean Quirion
    2016 “La traduction dictée interactive et sa nécessaire intégration à la formation des traducteurs.” Babel (): –. 10.1075/babel.62.4.01zap
    https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.62.4.01zap [Google Scholar]
  42. Zapata, Julian, Alina Secară, and Dragoș Ciobanu
    2023 “Past, Present and Future of Speech Technologies in Translation — Life beyond the Keyboard.” InProceedings of the 44th Translating and the Computer (TC44) Conference, edited byJoss Moorkens and Vilelmini Sosoni, –. Luxembourg.
    [Google Scholar]
  43. Zapata, Julian, Gys-Walt Van Egdom, and Christophe Declercq
    2026 “Marginal Gains for Monumental Results: Setting the Stage for Enhanced Performance and Well-being in Translation Practice through Sports.” Journal of Specialised Translation: -.10.26034/cm.jostrans.2026.5676
    https://doi.org/10.26034/cm.jostrans.2026.5676 [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/ts.25005.zap
Loading
/content/journals/10.1075/ts.25005.zap
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error