Article published In: Human-centeredness in Translation: Advancing Translation Studies in a human-centered AI era
Guest-edited by Miguel A. Jiménez-Crespo
[InContext 5:1] 2025
► pp. 18–41
Human-centredness in translating with technology
A literary translator studies meta-analysis
Available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.
For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at rights@benjamins.nl.
Published online: 31 May 2025
https://doi.org/10.54754/incontext.v5i1.111
https://doi.org/10.54754/incontext.v5i1.111
Abstract
What are the potential impacts of new technological advancements over research on the lives and work of literary translators? The emerging concept of human-centredness in translating with Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers unique opportunities to address this question from the existing perspective of Literary Translator Studies. Whereas much research in Translation Studies focuses on texts and processes, Translator Studies delves into individual people practically engaged in translation. Ever since the term “Translator Studies” was employed by Andrew Chesterman in 2009, the interplay between humans and technology in the context of literary translation has remained a potential topic of research. However, studies in this area have historically placed focus on sociological, cultural, and cognitive aspects of the translation industry.
The sudden widespread availability of AI since the end of 2022, more than any previous technological development, carries with it substantial potential implications for literary translators. This article assesses the ways in which human-centredness is being studied at the beginning of the era of translation with AI. It synthesises existing Translator Studies research, identifying patterns and lacunae. It also takes stock of current conversations in the context of Literary Machine Translation and Computer-Assisted Literary Translation, in order to identify research questions and emerging methodological innovations at the point when the practical usability of generative AI in the context of literary translation is first emerging.
At present, research in Translator Studies that is relevant to both literature and technology does not appear to have changed substantially in response to the introduction of generally available Large Language Models. Based on these findings, the article looks to the future, suggesting research topics that move beyond the isolated case study model, integrating the impact of emerging technologies within and beyond Literary Translator Studies. It also suggests that human-centred research that considers the interplay of literary translators and technology could likely make extensive use of data drawn from direct interaction with the humans involved.
Astratta
Quali sono le possibili conseguenze degli sviluppi tecnologici più recenti per la ricerca sulla vita e sul lavoro di traduttori e traduttrici letterari? Il concetto di human centredness che si sta affermando in relazione al tradurre con l’ausilio dell’Intelligenza Artificiale (IA) offre l’opportunità di rispondere a questa domanda adottando la prospettiva dei Literary Translator Studies. Mentre gran parte degli studi sulla traduzione è focalizzata su testi e processi, i Translator Studies si concentrano sugli individui alle prese con la traduzione. Da quando Andrew Chesterman ha introdotto la denominazione ‘Translator Studies’ nel 2009, gli studi condotti in questo campo hanno evidenziato gli aspetti sociologici, culturali e cognitivi delle pratiche traduttive, mentre l’interazione fra umani e tecnologia nel contesto della traduzione letteraria è rimasta un argomento di ricerca solo in potenza
L’improvvisa e ampia disponibilità dell’IA a partire dalla fine del 2022 potrebbe avere conseguenze significative per traduttori e traduttrici letterari più di ogni altro sviluppo tecnologico precedente. Questo articolo esamina le modalità con cui il concetto di human centredness viene analizzato nella fase iniziale dell’era della traduzione con l’IA. L’articolo offre uno sguardo d’insieme sulla ricerca preesistente nell’ambito dei Translator Studies, individuandone tendenze e lacune. Inoltre, fa il punto sul dibattito sulla traduzione letteraria automatica e sulla traduzione letteraria assistita da computer al fine di individuare nuovi quesiti di ricerca e innovazioni metodologiche emergenti nel momento in cui l’IA generativa diventa utilizzabile nel contesto della traduzione letteraria.
Attualmente la ricerca nell’ambito dei Translator Studies che intreccia letteratura e tecnologia non sembra essere cambiata drasticamente in seguito alla diffusione generalizzata degli LLM. Sulla base di queste osservazioni, l’articolo propone linee di ricerca che vanno oltre lo studio di casi isolati, integrando l’impatto di tecnologie emergenti nei Literary Translator Studies così come in altri campi. Infine, l’articolo suggerisce che la ricerca sul rapporto tra traduttori e traduttrici letterari e tecnologia potrebbe avvalersi dei dati ricavati direttamente dai traduttori umani coinvolti nel processo.
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