Computer Aided Translation – possibilities, limitations and changes in the field of professional translation

Abstract

The aim of this article is to investigate the usefulness and applicability of CAT (Computer-Aided Translation) programmes in relation to the qualities (e.g. standardisation, predictability, terminology) of the translated text. In the study both scientific articles and translator’s forums are taken into account in order to establish advantages and limitations of commercial CATs. It appears that CAT programmes influence cognitively the translator’s work and even though they are supposed to facilitate his or her work, they may hinder or slow down the process of translation. These programmes are also applicable only in the case of certain types of texts, namely those which are standard and predictable and they fail in the case of texts which are linguistically or culturally-coloured. Furthermore, translators express numerous practical concerns regarding CATs (e.g. their price, instability). However, their use has become a very basic translation skill and it is no longer an advantage but an absolute necessity for anyone wishing to work as a translator.