Addressing MT literacy in a specialized translation class: An experimental study

Abstract The use of MT tools is typically covered in translation technology courses, but with the significant advances in AI-based MT and the ubiquitous presence of MT tools, issues relating to MT inevitably also arise in practical translation classes. This paper focuses on exploring how MT literacy can be incorporated into a specialized translation class. By contrasting trainee translators' performance in post-editing and translation, the study examines which aspects of MT literacy emerge as particularly relevant. In addition, the participants' views on the post-editing and translation assignments are compared. The results reveal that while MT output can be useful to trainee translators faced with a demanding source text, the benefits of MT tools coexist with challenges. Addressing issues relating to comprehension, terminology and rhetoric, five aspects of MT literacy that need to be addressed in a specialized translation class are identified. The findings suggest that the integration of MT literacy into specialized translation courses is crucial for successful use of MT tools in translation.