Prolegomena zu einer an Embodiment orientierten Fachkommunikationswissenschaft

Abstract Product investigation, i. e., trying out a technical product, is a necessary activity in order to post-edit AI-based translations of information products such as user manuals in a product-safe manner. Product investigation can be understood as a form of embodiment (Zlatev 2013). An example, analysed on the basis of three models devised in the field of specialized 1 communication studies (Schubert 2007; Holste 2024; Schenda 2024), is used to illustrate the relevance of product investigation for the post-editing of information products in mono- and multilingual technical documentation. First, the architecture of hybrid systems – a combination of rule-based and AI-based systems – is briefly outlined (Krüger 2023) and current trends towards hybrid systems in the mono- and multilingual technical documentation process are pointed out. In the following, an example illustrates how product investigation may enhance post-editing, thus indicating that translators actually handling the product can access knowledge which remains inaccessible to AI/machine translators. To conclude, the article outlines possibilities for empirical research into product investigating as part of the post-editing process. The article is intended as a prelude to more in-depth empirical research (Heidrich et al. i. V.), such as that envisaged in the planned ‘UX4tech-kom’ research lab at TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences.