H.

Panasiuk

Post-editing involves the review and revision of machine-generated or automatic

translations with the aim of enhancing their quality. There exist different levels of
post-editing, each characterized by varying degrees of intensity and emphasis.

1. The Nature of Post-Editing and Differences from Editing:

Post-editing is a crucial process aimed at refining and enhancing the quality of

machine-generated or automatic translations. This involves the careful review and
revision of translated content. It's important to note that post-editing occurs at various
levels, each distinguished by its own intensity and focus. The goal is to bring
machine-generated translations closer to the standards of human-generated
translations through meticulous editing.

Distinctions from Editing:

While editing traditionally revolves around the assessment and correction of content
generated by humans, post-editing takes on a different role. It focuses on modifying
machine-generated content, addressing particular challenges inherent in automated
translation processes.

2. Quality Issues in Machine Translation:

Challenges in Machine Translation:

Several challenges persist within the realm of machine translation (MT), including:

Lack of Context Understanding: MT engines often struggle to grasp the context

surrounding the text, leading to potential inaccuracies in translation.

Ambiguities, Idiomatic Expressions, and Language Nuances: The inherent

complexity of language, including ambiguities, idioms, and nuanced expressions,
poses difficulties for MT engines and can result in translation inaccuracies.

Mishandling of Domain-Specific Terminology and Jargon: MT systems may

encounter challenges in accurately handling industry-specific terms and jargon,
contributing to potential errors in the translated content.

Significance of Post-Editing:

Post-editing plays a crucial role in mitigating and resolving quality issues inherent in
machine-generated translations. Through careful review and revision, post-editing
contributes to achieving a higher standard of accuracy and coherence in the translated
content.

3. Areas of Research in Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE):

Current research endeavors in the field of machine translation post-editing (MTPE)
are directed towards:

Developing More Effective Post-Editing Strategies: Investigating and refining

strategies to make the post-editing process more efficient and impactful in improving
translation quality.

Enhancing Machine Translation Engines for Specific Domains: Tailoring

machine translation engines to excel in specific domains, addressing the unique
linguistic and terminological challenges posed by different subject areas.

Exploring Ways to Reduce the Need for Extensive Post-Editing: Exploring

innovative approaches and technologies to minimize the necessity for extensive post-
editing, ultimately streamlining the translation workflow.

4. Levels and Skills of Post-Editing:

Post-Editing Levels:

Light Post-Editing: Involves a rapid review with the primary objective of gaining a
general understanding of the content.

Typically addresses basic errors without extensive modifications.

Full Post-Editing: Encompasses thorough and comprehensive editing to ensure the

translation meets high-quality standards.

Requires in-depth revisions to refine and enhance the accuracy and fluency of the
translated content.

Skills:

1. Subject Matter Expertise, Language Proficiency, and Contrastive Language

Knowledge:

Post-editors should possess expertise in the subject matter, a high level of proficiency
in the target language, and a strong understanding of contrastive linguistics.

These skills are crucial for ensuring accurate and contextually appropriate post-edits.

2. Positive Perception of MT:

A favorable view of Machine Translation (MT) is correlated with enhanced post-

editing performance.

Post-editors who hold a positive opinion of MT are likely to approach their tasks with
greater efficiency and effectiveness.
 5. Pre-Editing Steps:

Pre-editing is a crucial step in optimizing text for machine translation, encompassing

various actions to enhance overall translation quality. It involves making adjustments
to the text before the machine translation process, including corrections for errors,
proper formatting, and tagging non-translatable elements. The goal is to ensure that
the content is clear, concise, and grammatically sound, facilitating more effective
machine translation. Additionally, crafting shorter, unambiguous sentences and
employing the active voice are recommended strategies to further improve the output
quality of machine translation. These pre-editing practices collectively contribute to
refining the text and minimizing challenges during the translation process.