Call for papers: Translation technologies for professionals within and beyond the language industries (special issue of Revista Tradumàtica)
Deadline for submission of full papers: 31 March 2025 Publication date: December 2025 GUEST EDITORS * Lynne Bowker, Full Professor and Canada Research Chair in Translation, Technologies, and Society (Département de langues, linguistique et traduction) at the Université Laval in Quebec. * Mary Nurminen, University Instructor, Language Studies, University of Tampere. * Pilar Sánchez-Gijón, Full Professor, Departament de Traducció i Interpretació i Estudis de l'Àsia Oriental, UAB. DESCRIPTION The widespread deployment of machine translation (MT) tools, along with the rapid development of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and its use as a translation technology, have been explicitly addressed in many conferences, professional blogs and academic papers. But to what extent have they already changed, or will they significantly change, the landscape of multilingual communication, translation and interpreting in professional settings - both within and beyond the language industries? As these technologies develop, their adoption and implementation may vary significantly between different users. In this Call for Papers, we seek contributions that explore the adoption and use of translation technologies within and beyond the language industries, including how tool selections are made, how the technologies are integrated and employed in work processes, and what types of expectations different user groups have for translation tools. We welcome results that explore the factors that influence the decision to use MT or GenAI tools, the ways tools are selected and used, and the impact of these decisions on the different sectors in which translation technologies are used in professional settings. Professional translators and interpreters, as well as language and translation companies, are increasingly integrating GenAI tools into their workflows. They are also strengthening their use of other translation technologies such as MT, CAT tools and terminology extraction and management tools. Professionals outside the language industries have also been adopting language and translation technologies as tools needed in their daily work. Tools such as online MT or GenAI systems are increasingly used by non-translators for professional purposes. This highlights the broad applicability and potential of the technologies, but also raises questions about the risks associated with a wide and rapid adoption of technologies that is not accompanied by a similar rise in the digital literacies needed for critical use of those tools. Different users also have different expectations for these technologies. Professional translators and interpreters make their technological choices based on a wide range of criteria. Sometimes a choice may be dictated by a client or employer, leaving language professionals to find creative ways to work within those constraints. Other times, their pursuit of improving their professional performance may lead them to try to incorporate the latest technologies into their workflow. On the other hand, some non-translation professionals may prioritise convenience, ease of use or cost-effectiveness, seeking solutions that offer immediate results for practical communication needs. Yet others may be encouraged by employers to experiment with newly released or acquired technologies. Meanwhile, as we look to the future, the technology landscape in the language industries continues to evolve, as shown by the European Language Industry Survey 2024 (ELIS, 2024), as well as an overview of the language industry landscape in China (Shi et al. 2022). This Call for Papers aims to promote a deeper understanding of how professionals in any field are using translation and other language technologies (including MT and GenAI) in different ways and for different purposes. Contributions that investigate who uses these technologies, what criteria they use to choose the most appropriate set of tools, and what their expectations are in terms of accuracy, fluency, pragmatics, user experience, or other aspects are welcome. We invite papers that describe the landscape of technologies used for translation, broadly defined, by both professional translators and professionals in other fields who have translation-related needs. TOPICS OF INTEREST We invite original research papers using a diverse range of methods on the following topics: 1. Technological advances in language and translation technologies and their use by professionals within or beyond the language industries. * MT innovations that are particularly relevant in professional settings * Developments in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and its applications in professional settings * GenAI as a tool for translation and non-translation professionals 2. Factors influencing the choice of technology: * Technology choice determinants in translation and non-translation settings * The role of cost, accuracy, convenience, integration into other tools of the profession, speed, and ease of use in technology adoption in translation and non-translation professional settings * The influence of the requirements of specific professional settings on technology choice within and beyond the language industries 3. The professional use of translation technologies: * Adoption and integration of stand-alone or GenAI tools by professional translators and interpreters * Adoption and integration of stand-alone or GenAI tools by non-translation-oriented professionals and organisations * Case studies of translation technology adoption by translation and interpreting companies * Case studies on the adoption of translation technologies by non-translation-oriented organisations for their multilingual tasks 4. Expectations and challenges: * Professional translators' and interpreters' expectations of GenAI and translation technologies * The translation industry's expectations and implementations of GenAI and translation tools 5. Future trends and innovations: * Emerging trends in AI and translation technology in the professional environment * Predictions for the future landscape of translation technologies and their applications * Potential advances in translation-related AI that could further revolutionise professional settings within and beyond the language industries SUBMISSION GUIDELINES Submit full papers under 7500 words in English, Spanish or Catalan (references not included in the word count) to the Reivsta Tradumàtica - Dossier section (https://revistes.uab.cat/tradumatica). CfP: Translation technologies for professionals within and beyond the language industries<https://tinyurl.com/dossier2025EN> (https://tinyurl.com/dossier2025EN) ES: Tecnologías de traducción para profesionales dentro y fuera de las industrias de la lengua<https://tinyurl.com/dossier2025ES> (https://tinyurl.com/dossier2025ES) CA: Tecnologies de traducció per a professionals dins i fora de les indústries de la llengua<https://shorturl.at/jbu0T> (https://shorturl.at/jbu0T) Dossier Tradumàtica, Revista Tradumàtica ----------------------------- Mary Nurminen, PhD University Instructor, Tampere University [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> +358-45-1047117 [cid:[email protected]] Democratic Epistemic Capacity in the Era of Algorithms https://www.decatutkimus.fi/home
