Expanding the possibilities of translation memory systems : from the translators wishlist to the developers design
Translation Memory systems have become established as a key technology to address the challenges faced by the language services industry today. Despite flourishing research on how TM technology could reach the next level of technical sophistication, there has been a lack of systematic research on the usability aspects of TM systems, leaving many questions unanswered as to how translators' actual needs could be met more effectively by future TM solutions. The goal of this thesis has been to bridge the gap between current R&D efforts and translators' work reality by identifying and investigating the needs of modern translation professionals with reference to TM technology. A survey was used to elicit information from TM users, with 874 translation professionals giving their views on what they liked, disliked and wished for in TM systems. The information was analysed using a system of coding and analytical elements of the grounded theory approach, as well as user profiling, in order to reveal the needs of various distinct groups of translation professionals, in relation also to particular TM use situations. The identified needs relate to the functionality of TM systems, specifically to the TM translation editor,
Lagoudaki, Pelagia Maria
Expanding the possibilities of translation memory systems : from the translators wishlist to the developers design. Translation Memory systems have become established as a key technology to address the challenges faced by the language services industry today. Despite flourishing research on how TM technology could reach the next level of technical sophistication, there has been a lack of systematic research on the usability aspects of TM systems, leaving many questions unanswered as to how translators' actual needs could be met more effectively by future TM solutions. The goal of this thesis has been to bridge the gap between current R&D efforts and translators' work reality by identifying and investigating the needs of modern translation professionals with reference to TM technology. A survey was used to elicit information from TM users, with 874 translation professionals giving their views on what they liked, disliked and wished for in TM systems. The information was analysed using a system of coding and analytical elements of the grounded theory approach, as well as user profiling, in order to reveal the needs of various distinct groups of translation professionals, in relation also to particular TM use situations. The identified needs relate to the functionality of TM systems, specifically to the TM translation editor,
expanding possibility translation memory system translator developer design translation memory system become_establish key technology address_challenge face language service industry today despite flourish technology could reach next level technical sophistication lack systematic aspects system leave many question unanswered translator actual need could meet effectively future solution goal bridge_gap current effort translator_work reality identify investigate need modern translation professional reference technology survey use elicit information user translation professional give view like system information analyse_use system cod analytical element ground_theory well user profile order_reveal need various distinct group translation professional relation also particular use situation identify need relate functionality system specifically translation editor