Lecture
Leiden Translation Talk 9 May: Human-technology relations and the permeating presence of machine translation tools
- Date
- Tuesday 9 May 2023
- Time
- Series
- Leiden Translation Talks
- Location
-
P.J. Veth
Nonnensteeg 1-3
2311 VJ Leiden - Room
- 1.07 (Digital Lab)
This talk will present findings from my work on uses and perceptions of machine translation (MT) as a ‘gisting’ or communication tool. I will discuss findings from two empirical studies: a news framing analysis of the coverage of MT in the English-language press and a survey of 1,200 United Kingdom residents. I will draw on these two studies, as well as on broader social and political phenomena, to examine the diverse nature of human-MT relationships. The talk will argue that the permeating presence of MT in both virtual and physical spaces can give rise to human-MT encounters that transcend conscious decisions to operate MT tools directly. I will conclude the talk by highlighting key points from the discussion – to appear as a journal article in 2023 – and by arguing that everyday uses of MT matter not only for the understanding of the effects that MT has on society but also for the understanding of evolving conceptions of translation and interpreting themselves.
About the speaker
Lucas Nunes Vieira is a Senior Lecturer in Translation Studies at the University of Bristol. He is currently Principal Investigator of the AHRC-funded project “Critical language barriers: Understanding the role of online translation tools in high-stakes professional sectors”.