Today’s post is about the improvements in the field of terminology support for interpreters through computer-assisted interpreting (CAI) tools. InterpretBank is an example of such tools, it was developed as part of a PhD project and it uses IATE as one of its terminology sources. Our guest writer Claudio Fantinuoli (Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germersheim) tells us all about it. 
InterpretBank is a computer-assisted interpreting (CAI) tool originally developed at the Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz in Germersheim as part of a PhD research project. The objective of this project was to create a computer program to support professional interpreters during all phases of the interpreting workflow, from preparation to the act of interpreting. With the aim of improving interpreting quality especially in the context of specialised events, InterpretBank focuses on the creation and management of specialised glossaries as well as on facilitating terminology memorization and retrieval during interpretation.
InterpretBank implements the results of several years of research and the feedbacks of a growing number of users. The tool integrates automatic translation and high-quality terminology databases, such as IATE, to reduce the effort and the time involved in writing glossaries. During preparation, a memorization utility helps interpreters learning the event-related terms. While interpreting, intelligent algorithms allow the user to access relevant terminology quickly and without distracting the interpreter from his or her primary activity – translating between languages. Several independent studies have confirmed that the tool can contribute to increasing the overall interpreting quality. We have now taken a further step forward integrating Speech Recognition.
The interest for the emerging field of CAI tools is growing: InterpretBank is taught in a large number of universities and in dedicated seminars held by professional associations around the world. InterpretBank is the tool of choice not only of many professionals but also when it comes to empirical research in the field of translation technology. In Germersheim, for example, an ongoing PhD project is investigating cognitive load in simultaneous interpreting with the support of terminology management tools.
More information about the tool at www.interpretbank.com
Share an article »
ProZ.com blog »
United States
Local time: 02:43
Russian to English
+ ...
There is nothing that can aid interpreters, other than hard word, top competence in both languages, and practice, years of practice--first just at home, for months, or years. I think he is not an interpreter himself--otherwise he would have known that such a program does not have much use, due to the limitations of time.
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:43
Portuguese to English
+ ...
And this software is very useful indeed for glossary building, term memorisation and yes, even term searches while interpreting.
United States
Local time: 23:43
English to Arabic
+ ...
May I observe -- with all due respect to all parties -- that while this searchable software may be a useful tool for translators, it has dubious-to-little usefulness to interpreters when they are engaged in supporting the participants during a bidirectionally-interactive and dynamic communicative event.
Unreasonable, if not hazardous to being kept on that assignment (much less being asked back again), if an interpreter must interrupt the principals, and then eff... See more
May I observe -- with all due respect to all parties -- that while this searchable software may be a useful tool for translators, it has dubious-to-little usefulness to interpreters when they are engaged in supporting the participants during a bidirectionally-interactive and dynamic communicative event.
Unreasonable, if not hazardous to being kept on that assignment (much less being asked back again), if an interpreter must interrupt the principals, and then effectively forces them to wait while the interpreter uses a device with that program to look up a possibly-apropos and correct term with accurate and clear correspondence between L1 and L2.
While this software may be somewhat useful to an interpreter in researching and compiling relevant terms / glossary, concepts and subject-specific expressions / jargon -- on an expectation that the principal party engaging the interpreter has provided that interpreter with the agenda, main points and text BEFORE the event which involves interpreting -- that application, as shown, relates to pre-event translating, not interpreting.
During pre-event preparation, I use some of the few reliable and accurate searchable programs for online term-searches between Arabic and English which produce the term, including its variants inside most-likely contexts, i.e. general, legal, industrial, commercial, governmental, technical, etc.
* One of those programs is especially useful when rendering into-Arabic equivalents of English adjective strings, such as "electromagnetic isotope separation" and its acronym "EMIS" used commonly in the field of nuclear engineering, or "synthetic aperture forward-scanning radar pod."
I provided linguist support to Bodies of the UN Organisation, such as UN Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Hope this helps. Today is Thursday, July 13, 2017.
Regards,
Stephen H. Franke
Arabic linguist, Arabic dialectologist
and Advisor/Trainer
San Pedro (Los Angeles Waterfront Area), California ▲ Collapse
United States
Local time: 02:43
Russian to English
+ ...
when you interpret. Any devices are strictly prohibited in most court rooms, conference places and hospital rooms, including phones. There is also no time to check anything. Most interpreters will tell you that. It may have some use for training, perhaps, but not interpreting.
Germany
Local time: 08:43
Member (2020)
English to German
No matter how well prepared you are, it can happen that you need to look something up. I have downloaded the trial version of the previous... See more
No matter how well prepared you are, it can happen that you need to look something up. I have downloaded the trial version of the previous InterpretBank version, and I found it very helpful. I am looking forward to testing the new InterpretBank version for MacOS when I have more time during the summer holidays.
Connie ▲ Collapse
Local time: 08:43
Italian to English
I wonder what this means in practice. I’ve seen plenty of implementations of spaced repetition for long-term memory retention, but I’m unaware of any widely accepted method for using computers to assist the short-term memory.
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:43
Portuguese to English
+ ...
when you interpret. Any devices are strictly prohibited in most court rooms, conference places and hospital rooms, including phones. There is also no time to check anything. Most interpreters will tell you that. It may have some use for training, perhaps, but not interpreting.
Interpreters have been bringing their own laptops and tablets into booths for years, Lilian. And to quote you, ''most interpreters will tell you that''.
United States
Local time: 02:43
German to English
And your arguments "There is nothing that can aid interpreters, other than hard word, top competence in both languages, and practice, years of practice--first just at home, for months, or years. ", sorry, what does it mean? Nobody is saying everyone without the characteristics you are pointing at can be an interpreter just by using such a tool (which seems to me your reasoning).
I used a similar tool in the past (Interplex) and I switched to InterpretBank one year ago. Happy with it. It helps me organize my terminology and prepare my glossaries in a better way. And yes, now and then I do look up terms while in the booth
PS: out of interest I have done a short internet search. He is an researcher in interpreting studies and a conference interpreter. ▲ Collapse
To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:
You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »
This discussion can also be accessed via the ProZ.com forum pages.