Artificial Intelligence as a Tool for Enhancing Translation Quality: A Comparative Analysis of Human and Machine Approaches
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63034/esr-600Keywords:
language education, machine translation, Google Translate, AI-assisted translationAbstract
This study compares the quality of translations from English into Russian produced by Google Translate (GT) with those completed by student translators. Despite significant advances in neural machine translation, many instructors continue to view tools such as GT with skepticism and often discourage their use. To examine whether this attitude is justified, 20 students from Kazakhstani universities majoring in Translation Studies produced Russian translations. These translations, along with their GT-generated counterparts, were evaluated by 10 instructors with professional experience in language and translation. The analysis showed that the instructors rated the GT translations significantly higher, suggesting that the system is capable of producing higher-quality texts than those generated by students. An interesting pattern also emerged: although machine translations consistently received higher scores, instructors frequently misidentified the best translations as human-produced and the weaker ones as machine-generated. This points to the presence of persistent biases against translations created with the help of artificial intelligence.The findings highlight the importance of integrating AI tools into translation training. Their use can help students better prepare for a professional environment in which AI plays an increasingly prominent role. At the same time, instructors should develop pedagogical strategies that leverage the advantages of AI without undermining the development of essential translation skills.
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