Interpreting - Volume 26, Issue 2, 2024

Abstract

As an introduction to a selection of current research on the theme of interpreting and technology this article offers an overview of the technologization of interpreting in the course of the past century, with particular emphasis on developments during recent decades. The application of various types of technology in different professional domains and settings is discussed with reference to the main functions of technology: enabling service delivery, assisting the process and replacing human agency. A brief review of some (proto)typical applications of technology in different settings and modalities of interaction then serves as a backdrop to a summary discussion of the technology-related literature to date and an introduction to the current research presented in Interpreting 26:2 (2024).

Abstract

The author reports on the findings of a survey among conference interpreters regarding their readiness for and perceptions of digital technologies and artificial intelligence. The Technology Readiness Index (TRI 2.0) was administered to a sample of 496 conference interpreters, most of them members of AIIC. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 of them to gain deeper insights into their attitudes towards AI-enabled tools and the potential impact on their professional practice. The results indicate a cautious openness towards technology balanced by concerns about cognitive load, ethical issues and the impact on traditional skills. The findings suggest the need for comprehensive training to enhance technological skills while maintaining ethical standards and also for research on the cognitive effects of AI-generated content and the evolving role of interpreters in a technology-driven landscape.

Abstract

The trend towards remote interpreting has caused a radical change for interpreters worldwide, one that has shifted their workplace from well-known physical spaces to new digital spaces. Research to date has documented specific settings, language combinations and/or interpreting modes, and it has usually focused on certain forms of remote interpreting (e.g., video remote interpreting, video relay service). The combinations of different characteristics and factors in remote interpreting are almost infinite, however, and single terms fail to depict and cover all possible variations. This article proposes an analytical framework that uses conceptualisations of space, body and presence to analyse interpreting assignments in digital spaces, regardless of language combination, setting and mode. Two examples are used to illustrate the application of this framework: a hybrid conference and a meeting in virtual reality (VR), both of them involving sign language interpreting. The use of VR has undergone a substantial increase in the past few years, having developed rapidly. It is therefore possible that future interpreting assignments might take place in this new digital space. The application of these two scenarios shows that the analytical framework can be used both to reflect on past and to anticipate future assignments.

Abstract

This study investigates the visual processing patterns during computer-assisted consecutive interpreting (CACI). In phase I of the proposed CACI workflow, the interpreter listens to the source speech and respeaks it into speech recognition (SR) software. In phase II, the interpreter produces target speech supported by the SR text and its machine translation (MT) output. A group of students performed CACI with their eye movements tracked. In phase I, the participants devoted the majority of their attention to listening and respeaking, with very limited attention distributed to the SR text. However, a positive correlation was found between the percentage of dwell time on the SR text and the quality of respeaking, which suggests that active monitoring could be important. In phase II, the participants devoted more visual attention to the MT text than to the SR text and engaged in deeper and more effortful processing when reading the MT text. We identified a positive correlation between the percentage of dwell time on the MT text and interpreting quality in the L2–L1 direction but not in the L1–L2 direction. These results contribute to our understanding of computer-assisted interpreting and can provide insights for future research and training in this area.

Abstract

This study examines the effect of real-time subtitles generated by automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology on interpreting accuracy and interpreters’ cognitive load. Multiple measurements — including interpreting accuracy, the NASA-TLX for subjective ratings of cognitive load, eye-tracking and theta power as indicated by EEG recordings — were applied. Twenty-three professional simultaneous interpreters worked with a video recording of a speech presented in five conditions: a baseline without subtitles and then with subtitles of varying levels of precision (100%, 95%, 90% and 80%). The results reveal that the presence of subtitles significantly improved interpreting accuracy, with a suggested optimal precision rate of 90% or higher. The interpreters looked more at the subtitles, regardless of their level of precision, than the speaker. Contrary to our predictions, the presence of subtitles decreased, rather than increased, the cognitive load (although this outcome was shown by the EEG data only and not by the self-reported data). We conclude that the cognitive cost of processing subtitles as an additional information channel is offset by the cognitive gain achieved through visual prompting. The study highlights a complex effect of subtitles on interpreting, with such factors as subtitle presence and precision modulating the interpreters’ cognitive load in such a workflow.

Abstract

Computer-assisted interpreting (CAI) tools use speech recognition and machine translation to display numbers and names on a screen or automatically suggest renditions for technical terms. One way to improve the usability of CAI tools may be to use augmented reality (AR) technology, which allows information to be displayed wherever convenient. Instead of having to look down at a tablet or a laptop, the interpreter can see the term or number projected directly into their field of vision, allowing them to maintain their focus on the speaker and the audio input. In this study, we investigated the affordances of AR in simultaneous interpreting. Nine professional conference interpreters each interpreted two technical talks: one with numerals, proper nouns and suggestions for technical terms automatically shown on an AR display and the other with an MS Word glossary on a laptop. The results indicate a hypothetical use case for AR technologies in interpreting but highlight the practical limitations, such as a lack of comfort in wearing the AR equipment, a lack of ergonomic and intuitive interaction with virtual objects, and distraction and interference with the interpreting process in the form of additional visual input.

This article reviews Interpreting technologies – current and future trends978 90 272 1413 3

This article reviews Interactional dynamics in remote interpreting: Micro-analytical approaches9781032213286