Why Specialised Translators Are in Demand Today

Humans were the first translators and have worked alone to perform translations for many centuries. They relied on their own skills to create the most accurate translations and the recipients of the translations were never really given the chance to dispute the quality of the translations. With the rise of artificial intelligence, machine translators have been taking on translation roles as they are quick to deliver and cost-effective. However, there are so many flaws in the quality of these translations as it is difficult to program them to understand nuances, idiomatic language, and the culture of the targeted audience. Because the errors were so blaringly obvious, translation companies couldn’t depend upon them to meet client requirements with first-class translations, fit for purpose.

To enhance the quality of machine-translated material human translators still play an editorial role by editing the machine translations so that translation accuracy can be assured. Humans are far more competent than machines when translating many different types of content like marketing and creative content, novels, poetry, contracts, apps, and user interfaces. They are far more effective at creating accurate translations when technical jargon is used.

Specialized translators

These are far more in demand than ever before because of the global growth in highly technical industries, the rise in inter-border business transactions, and the popularity of telehealth.

Technical industries

Throughout the world, the fastest growth in industries has been in the technology sector. A good example is in information technology and connected industries like cybersecurity are increasing rapidly. Emerging tech including the Internet of Things software, virtual and augmented reality, and big data are all expected to have at least doubled by 2023. The software sector of the IT industry is expected to grow quickly from now and up to 2023. The release of more and mobile apps is part of today’s growth trend.

Biotechnology is also projected to increase at rates from 7 to 15.28 percent which includes the provision of drugs.

IT and biotech use their own unique lingo which not everyone understands. If a translation is required it is necessary to choose a specialized translator who has the knowledge to translate this type of content accurately. The translator will be required to translate materials and technical specifications for use within companies and to others involved in the industry. The software will require localization, not just translation so that it is relevant in the targeted country. The faster these technical industries grow in importance the quicker translators will be required who are specialists in these fields.

The medical industry

This industry is growing throughout the world as products like medical devices, over-the-counter drugs, and diagnostics tools are increasing at 7% annually. Translators are required with the knowledge of unique medical terminology to support this growth.

Environmental & conservation sciences

The environmental & conservation industry is growing globally. The price of renewable energy, like wind and solar, has dropped in recent years leading to an increase in demand for this energy source. As the demand grows, these industries need to increase their communication materials which are shared with stakeholders such as the general public and governments who are responsible for making policies. Environmental & conservation sciences and engineering fields use their own unique terminology. The terminology is often not accessible for machine translations, so a specialist human translator is required to perform accurate translations.

Telehealth

Telehealth has been on the rise which commonly uses the video medical appointment system and not one-to-one personal interactions between the patient and medical practitioners. This trend to access a video medical appointment has created a demand for medical interpreting services, typically using a video interpreting app. which lets the user access a medical interpreter using either wireless Internet or the 4G/5G telephone network. The advantages of this technology are the following:

• 24/7 access with translators ready to respond in just 30 seconds;
• confirming through facial expression that something has been understood;
• cost-effectiveness;
• conversations have good results.

Translators who offer these specialized services need medical training, plus linguistics training.

International contracts

As more and more business takes place in the international market this means more contracts require translations. Companies need human translators who are legal document specialists so that the contract gets the most accurate translation.