TRAM449 Interpreting and Technologies

By the end of the module students will be able to:   

• Understand how technology can impact the interpreting process, the interaction between the participants in an interpreter-mediated event, the interpreting product and the delivery of interpreting services 
• Apply digital skills such as locating World-Wide Web resources, consulting on-line databases, compiling subject-specific electronic corpora and extracting terminology from them to support the preparation of an interpreting assignment 
• Distinguish between different configurations of distance/remote interpreting for the delivery of interpreting services, appreciate their different motivations and specific challenges in both present and future professional contexts 
• Use communication technologies such as videoconferencing, webconferencing, webcasting and different types of interpreting platforms confidently to deliver interpreting assignments in different interpreting situations 
• Recognize the principles of semi-automated and fully automated speech-to-text and speech-to-speech translation, and the advantages and disadvantages of using it as an emerging alternative to human interpreting 

• Overview of the evolution of interpreting technologies and reasons for the often complex relationship between interpreters and technology 
• Interpreting in the 21st Century: new tools and resources; from communication technologies to artificial intelligence (AI) 
• Classic tools for the preparation of interpreting assignments: Electronic glossaries and corpora; terminology extraction techniques; hands-on practice 
• Telephone and video-mediated interpreting in different settings (e.g. court, healthcare): comparing different modalities of distance interpreting in terms of interpreting quality, interaction and user experience; implications for the interpreting profession; hands-on practice 
• Simultaneous interpreting delivery platforms for remote simultaneous interpreting 
• Other technologies: portable and mobile devices for interpreting 
• AI-powered tools and technologies to support interpreters in the preparation of assignments and during assignments: automatic speech recognition (ASR), automatic summarisation, ChatGPT; machine translation (MT); hands-on practice 
• The changing landscape of the interpreting industry; market trends, perceptions of interpreters 
• Machine interpreting (speech-to-speech translation) as an emerging reality; current uses, limitations, future directions. 

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to: 
 

• provide students with a good understanding of, and opportunities for practice using technologies related to interpreting through hands-on and scaffolding learning 
• stimulate critical thinking and debate encouraging students’ reflection, adaptability, and creativity 
•  raise awareness of professional ethics and standards in global contexts 
•  provide opportunities for developing interpersonal and professional skills needed to progress and be employment ready 
• encourage student participation in both simulations and in-class discussions on the use of interpreting technologies, enabling them to develop as informed, confident and engaged independent learners 
• develop enterpreneurial skills beyond the lectures and make use of additional materials and resources provided by the School to support their future employment. 

Learning and teaching includes: 

• This module is co-taught by a number of staff who have expertise in the fields of remote/video-conference interpreting, respeaking, automatic interpreting, as well as corpus linguistics. Contact hours are shaped in the form of both lecturing and seminars. Hand-on sessions are organized to enable students’ active learning. Contact hours will be complemented with materials and activities for guided study posted on SurreyLearn.   
• Lectures will be interspersed with hands-on activities in class and opportunities for group and whole class discussions. Students are invited to contribute to discussions from their own background and experiences and are encouraged to be actively involved in problem solving, thus developing their own judgement and opinions.  
• Independent study during which students are expected to carry out research and read around the subject areas. To this end, students are encouraged to work individually as well as in groups, explore the history and current landscape of interpreting technologies being applied in different countries. This will enable students to develop increased global and cultural capabilities as well as resourcefulness and to enhance their knowledge base and competence on relevant and topical issues for interpreters. 

Students are encouraged to be active participants throughout the course, and in doing so, develop as informed, confident, collaborative and independent learners.   

• An Individual Practical Project and Report (1500 words) (50%) 
• An Essay (2000 words) (50%) 

The first assessment will use tailor-made content for students to critically comment on the use of selected interpreting technologies. The second assessment will invite students to provide an independent evaluation of the use of interpreting technologies by applying a range of skills developed at post-graduate level, including advanced analysis and synthesis of arguments and presentation. 

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