Quezil - News on Language & Technology

Rabdan Academy has launched a pioneering programme aimed at training Emirati translators in the fields of defence and security.

The Specialised Translation in Defence and Security programme, the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, is designed to provide participants with the necessary expertise in simultaneous and consecutive interpretation within military and security contexts.

The programme is accredited for 40 hours of training, which are recognised within the UAE’s national qualifications framework.

This initiative aims to enhance the capabilities of UAE nationals, equipping them with the skills required for translating sensitive military and security terminology, ensuring accuracy and confidentiality in high-stakes environments.

More information at https://ra.ac.ae/

Unbabel on Wednesday announced a translation service powered by artificial intelligence, adding another rival to a highly competitive space — with its CEO warning that humans may not be needed for translation at all in three years.

Widn.AI is Unbabel’s new product and is based on the company’s proprietary large language model (LLM) called Tower. An LLM is an AI model that underpins applications like OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Unbabel’s LLM allows AI translation in 32 languages, Vasco Pedro, the company’s CEO, told CNBC in an interview at the Web Summit in Lisbon.

Position: Volunteer Translator (English to Arabic / English to Dari / English to Farsi / English to Filipino / English to Myanmar Language (Burmese) / English to Pashto / English to Turkish / English to Urdu)

Organization: Relief International

Location(s) where the role is to be performed: Remote

Timings: 1-2 hours per week depending on need

Dates: Flexible

Background Checks Requirements: Depending on the nature of the role, if the candidate is traveling to RI field operations they will require advanced pre appointment checks.

Role summary.

Relief International is seeking volunteers to support with translating training material from English to Arabic / Dari / Farsi / Filipino / Myanmar Language (Burmese) / Pashto / Turkish / Urdu.

Tasks will include, but are not limited to.

• Translating training material
• Proof reading training material
• Copy editing as required, ensuring the text is grammatically accurate

Learning objectives.

• Receive in house training on the humanitarian sector

Role Requirements.

• Experience in translating text from English to one or more of the following languages: Arabic / Dari / Farsi / Filipino / Myanmar Language (Burmese) / Pashto / Turkish / Urdu.
• Strong IT skills
• Fluency in spoken and written Arabic / Dari / Farsi / Filipino / Myanmar Language (Burmese) / Pashto / Turkish / Urdu.
• Fluency in spoken and written English

To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button in the job advert page.

Grand Prix de Traductologie de la SoFT

Vous êtes l’auteur d’un ouvrage publié en 2023 ou 2024 en traductologie ?

Vous êtes spécialiste du domaine de l’histoire, de la théorie, de la méthodologie ou de l’enseignement de la traduction ?

Vous pouvez concourir pour le Grand Prix de Traductologie de la Société Française de Traductologie (SoFT).

Ce prix est destiné à récompenser tous les deux ans l’auteur d’une monographie écrite en langue française, publiée dans un pays francophone et portant sur l’un des domaines d’études suivants :

- Histoire des traductions
- Théorie de la traduction
- Méthodologie de la traduction
- Enseignement de la traduction 

Il a été instauré afin de souligner l’importance de la discipline de la traductologie en langue française. Ce Prix a donc pour vocation d’attirer l’attention sur la nécessité d’une réflexion traductologique pour mener à bien la tâche du traducteur, que cette réflexion se déploie dans une approche philosophique, linguistique, littéraire ou qu’elle fasse appel aux connaissances technologiques récentes. 

Le Prix sera attribué à une monographie parue entre le 1er janvier 2023 et le 31 janvier 2025.

Lire le règlement et les modalités de candidature…

Pour en savoir plus, veuillez contacter prix.traductologie@gmail.com.

DeepL unveils next frontier for Language AI with voice translation solution: DeepL Voice

DeepL, a leading global Language AI company, today announced the launch of its first voice translation solution DeepL Voice, with the first two products unveiled: Voice for Meetings and Voice for Conversations.

DeepL Voice makes it possible to conduct virtual meetings across several languages as well as real-time translation for in-person conversations.

Effective communication in the language of your customer is critical to business success.

In fact, over the next three years, 79 percent of business leaders anticipate that translation and localization will play an increasingly significant role in their business strategies. That’s according to a recent global survey of 2,000 business leaders, conducted by Censuswide for Phrase.

As organizations expand globally, they need reliable, efficient translation tools. Enter ChatGPT, a popular large language model (LLM) that many companies are considering for their translation needs.

But is ChatGPT the right tool for this task? Let's explore its strengths, limitations, and why a hybrid approach may be best for enterprises.

Rome-based Translated, a provider of AI-powered language solutions, announced Lara on Monday as its official translation AI platform for individuals, teams, and enterprises.

The announcement comes three years after raising $30M in funding led by private investment house Ardian in 2021.

As per the company’s claims, Lara outperforms popular machine translation systems compared to popular machine translation tools, including Google Translate, DeepL, and OpenAI’s GPT-4o tuned for translation.

The Italian company says Lara consistently demonstrates superior accuracy, making fewer errors than median professional translators and approaching the language singularity.

Translated thinks that soon, the top 1 per cent of professional translators will spend the same amount of time reviewing AI-generated translations as they do with those from other translators.

Remote medical interpreting (RMI) may be hindering healthcare communication rather than helping it, according to a new study from the University of Surrey.

The Faculty of Arts and Design’s Language Practice programme, Durban University of Technology (DUT) recently hosted its annual Language Practice Day, bringing together students and professionals to explore the evolving role of language in society.

The event attracted guests from various fields, including representatives from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Ukhozi FM, Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, eThekwini Municipality and the uMsunduzi Municipality.

The keynote address was delivered by Dr Phindile Dlamini, a linguist specialising in African languages. Dr Dlamini has made significant contributions across various fields in the language space, including translation, editing, publishing, material development and creative writing.

She is also a published author of over 30 isiZulu children’s books, some of which have been translated into English and isiXhosa. Her collection of 15 children’s books, titled ‘UGwajo’ and published by Shuter and Shooter Publishers, is part of the Foundation Phase curriculum in schools throughout South Africa.

His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan BIn Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, commended the completion of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language, highlighting it as a significant achievement for the Arab and Islamic communities.

Sheikh Sultan highlighted the importance of language as a pillar of national pride, preserving its knowledge, history, and culture.

Sheikh Sultan commended the devoted efforts of everyone involved in this vital endeavour throughout the seven-year journey, acknowledging their steadfast dedication to supporting researchers, scholars, and future generations.

On Monday, at the headquarters of Al Qasimi Publication, he delivered a speech highlighting the achievement of printing all 127 volumes of the Historic Arabic Language Dictionary.

Le président de l’Association Sénégalaise des Traducteurs (ASTRA), Daouda Gassama a plaidé lundi à Dakar pour le recrutement des diplômés et l’assainissement du métier de traducteur au Sénégal. Il a fait ce plaidoyer au cours de la célébration de la journée mondiale de la traduction ce 30 septembre.

Les traducteurs réunis dans une association souhaitent réguler, assainir et promouvoir leur métier peu connu du grand public malgré son rôle prépondérant dans la communication des masses. 

Revenant sur le thème de leur journée ayant trait: « Traduire tout un art à protéger », le président de l’Association Sénégalaise des traducteurs (ASTRA), Daouda Gassama, a rappelé l’importance de sauvegarder ce métier.

International Translation Day, celebrated annually on September 30th, serves as a global celebration dedicated to recognizing the invaluable contributions of translators and interpreters in bridging linguistic and cultural divides.

The theme of ITD 2024 calls for us to protect translation as an art, protect copyright and related rights, and protect our livelihoods, thereby ensuring the future and sustainability of our profession.

Languages, with their complex implications for identity, communication, social integration, education and development, are of strategic importance for people and the planet. There is growing awareness that languages play a vital role in development, in ensuring cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, but also in attaining quality education for all and strengthening cooperation, in building inclusive knowledge societies and preserving cultural heritage, and in mobilizing political will for applying the benefits of science and technology to sustainable development.

The New Mexico court system is in need of interpreters.

They are looking for people who are bilingual in any two languages—not just Spanish. In the last year, the court provided interpreters for 50 different languages in the state, with the top five most requested interpreter services being Spanish, Navajo, ASL, Arabic, and Vietnamese.

The court system is also offering scholarships to their Justice System Interpreter Program, which will train interpreters and get them through official qualifications.

To learn more or apply, contact Freda Valdez at aocfev@nmcourts.gov.

Companies can now create custom translation glossaries with a single file upload

Since its founding in 2017, DeepL has been raising machine translation standards, successfully rivalling giants such as Google Translate. Today, the startup unveiled an ‘industry-first’ AI-powered glossary generator for businesses.

The new tool works as a supplement of DeepL’s Glossary feature, first launched in 2020. Glossary enables professionals and companies to personalise translations based on their needs, from technical terminology to product names and branded terms.

“Many businesses struggle to get consistent and accurate messaging when they are communicating in different languages and across platforms,” David Parry-Jones, DeepL’s chief revenue officer, told TNW.