Computer-aided technical translation workflows - man-machine in the construction and transfer of corporate knowledge

Abstract

The translation of technical documents is no longer a process to be tackled once the source text has been produced elsewhere in the corporation or institution. Instead, translation and intercultural issues are taken into account prior to the production of the technical source-text which, most frequently, gains a dynamic feature. From this standpoint, one might think that the translator loses the leading role against the technical writer, who would become the key intercultural communicator for the global marketplace. However, as it has happened to other stakeholders in the multilingual documentation chain, the translator is no longer empty-handed and is gradually developing some technologically-driven competencies that allow them to expand their battle area and contribute to knowledge transfer in our society. This paper provides an overview of the latest workflow patterns leading to multilingual technical documentation production and management, their ideal circumstances and problems, as well as deriving consequences for higher education degree programmes in translation and technical communication.