Written translation via sight translation

Abstract

The article dwells on an alternative approach to doing written translation powered by speech-to-text software. Triggered by a new trend in the professional community around the globe, it is mostly about replacing manual typing with a faster dictation coupled with special speech recognition technologies. The researches note that this entails swapping written translation with sight translation, a move fraught with greater difficulties due to time limitations and simultaneous perception, processing, translation and output of the target text. The paper focuses on major cognitive processes engaged in both types of translation. This has gone a long way in establishing hallmarks of the alternative approach and figuring out ways of optimizing the most complex aspects in sight translation to tailor it for a phase in written translation, providing faster input of the target text. The ultimate test of the compliance of the target text quality with the requirements for written translation comes in the form of an experiment encompassing adequacy, equivalence and pragmatic adaptation, provided by the conventional and alternative approaches. Based on the analysis of the two types of translation and experimental verification of the prompted hypothesis confirmed the feasibility of achieving better performance without compromising the quality of the target text by replacing written translation processes with some of those employed in sight interpretation. Though the approach is suitable for both young and experienced translators, the latter have better chances of achieving higher quality and productivity. Major constraints on the way of specialists with limited practice are the lack of sufficient number of ready templates and clichés, poor terminology base, and inadequate sight translation skills. Further attempts to expand the study of the speech-to-text powered approach to written translation may include dictation strategies and integration of the tool into the suite of modern translation software.

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