AI & Machine Translations
Why they aren't all bad, and how they increase efficiency if used the right way.
Susanne Mueller 13th December 2022
If you're a fiction author considering having your novels translated, you no doubt know of the growing prevalence of Artificial Intelligence and machine translation tools like Google Translate, Microsoft Translator, and DeepL. The use of these tools has become widespread in recent years, with major companies and translation services utilizing them for a variety of tasks, including translating web content, legal contracts, and academic publications. With the growing interest of Indie authors in translating fiction to open up new markets, translators and translation services are in higher demand than ever.
However, on the topic of fiction translation, a quick browse of writing blogs and Indie author Facebook groups tends to reveal an outright horror at the thought that a translator may let a tool like DeepL anywhere near their "baby." Is it a justified fear? Not entirely. While it is perfectly reasonable to shun a pure (untouched by a human) machine translation, some of the concerns relating to AI translations are overblown.
There are many reasons why authors and publishers should not be afraid to use artificial intelligence or machine translations. For one, these technologies are incredibly fast and efficient. They can process and translate large amounts of text in a fraction of the time it would take a human translator to do the same. This can save translators a significant amount of time and effort, allowing them to focus on other aspects of their work. A human translation with a human edit can take two to four months depending on the word count. This timeframe can be cut down to as little as three weeks to a month if the translator uses AI to do the first draft of a translation, then carefully edits line by line to correct or amend the translations as required.
Besides speed, another advantage of using AI/machine translations is that they are much cheaper than hiring a human translator. With a human translator, you still need a second qualified translator to perform an edit for you, then possibly a third to proofread. By allowing your translator to use AI in the first instance, you can cut three steps down to two, and the cost savings really add up, especially over multiple books. This can be especially beneficial for Indie authors who may not have a large budget to work with.
All of the above comes with a warning. AI/machine translations should never be used as a replacement for human translators, particularly for fiction. While these technologies can be incredibly helpful, they still require human intervention before publishing to ensure that the translations are accurate and appropriate. This is especially important for fiction authors who need to make sure that their work is translated in a way that captures the original meaning and intent of the text without idioms and phrases that the target reader will not understand, for instance "Bite the bullet" - this phrase means to face a difficult situation bravely and without hesitation but in German, there is no equivalent phrase or idiom that conveys the same meaning, and it would be read literally.
So, the message is, don't be afraid of AI translation tools, embrace them! But always use them in conjunction with human involvement before publishing to ensure that the translations are accurate and appropriate. By doing so, authors can take advantage of the many benefits that these technologies have to offer while still maintaining the integrity of their work.
However, on the topic of fiction translation, a quick browse of writing blogs and Indie author Facebook groups tends to reveal an outright horror at the thought that a translator may let a tool like DeepL anywhere near their "baby." Is it a justified fear? Not entirely. While it is perfectly reasonable to shun a pure (untouched by a human) machine translation, some of the concerns relating to AI translations are overblown.
There are many reasons why authors and publishers should not be afraid to use artificial intelligence or machine translations. For one, these technologies are incredibly fast and efficient. They can process and translate large amounts of text in a fraction of the time it would take a human translator to do the same. This can save translators a significant amount of time and effort, allowing them to focus on other aspects of their work. A human translation with a human edit can take two to four months depending on the word count. This timeframe can be cut down to as little as three weeks to a month if the translator uses AI to do the first draft of a translation, then carefully edits line by line to correct or amend the translations as required.
Besides speed, another advantage of using AI/machine translations is that they are much cheaper than hiring a human translator. With a human translator, you still need a second qualified translator to perform an edit for you, then possibly a third to proofread. By allowing your translator to use AI in the first instance, you can cut three steps down to two, and the cost savings really add up, especially over multiple books. This can be especially beneficial for Indie authors who may not have a large budget to work with.
All of the above comes with a warning. AI/machine translations should never be used as a replacement for human translators, particularly for fiction. While these technologies can be incredibly helpful, they still require human intervention before publishing to ensure that the translations are accurate and appropriate. This is especially important for fiction authors who need to make sure that their work is translated in a way that captures the original meaning and intent of the text without idioms and phrases that the target reader will not understand, for instance "Bite the bullet" - this phrase means to face a difficult situation bravely and without hesitation but in German, there is no equivalent phrase or idiom that conveys the same meaning, and it would be read literally.
So, the message is, don't be afraid of AI translation tools, embrace them! But always use them in conjunction with human involvement before publishing to ensure that the translations are accurate and appropriate. By doing so, authors can take advantage of the many benefits that these technologies have to offer while still maintaining the integrity of their work.