Translation and Post-Editing Projects

Translation and Post-Editing Projects - Russian

The version you’re consulting is not final. This course description may change. The final version will be published on 1st June.

5.00 credits

22.5 h + 45.0 h

Teacher(s)

Pasquier Christine (coordinator);

Language

French

Prerequisites

The prerequisite(s) for this Teaching Unit for the programmes/courses that offer this Teaching Unit are specified at the end of this sheet.

The prerequisite(s) for this Teaching Unit (Unité d’enseignement – UE) for the programmes/courses that offer this Teaching Unit are specified at the end of this sheet.

Main themes

Translation and/or post-editing of specialised texts, particularly in the economic, legal, technical and/or scientific fields.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

Contribution of teaching unit to learning outcomes assigned to programme
This unit contributes to the acquisition and development of the following learning outcomes, as assigned to the Master's degree in translation:

analyse a source document, identify potential textual and cognitive difficulties and assess the strategies and resources needed to reformulate it in line with communicative needs (1 – Translation);
summarise, rephrase, restructure, and shorten a message and adapt it to market needs rapidly and accurately in at least one target language, using written and/or spoken communication (2 – Translation);
implement the instructions, style guides, or conventions relevant to a particular translation (5 – Translation);
translate general and domain-specific material in one or several fields from one or several source languages into their target language(s), producing a ‘fit for purpose’ translation (6 – Translation);
translate different types of material on and for different kinds of media and target audiences, using appropriate tools and techniques (7 – Translation);
check, review, revise and evaluate their own work and that of others according to standard or work-specific quality objectives and assess the appropriateness of using tools for the work at hand (11 – Translation);
post-edit MT output using style guides and terminology glossaries to maintain quality standards in MT-enhanced translation projects (14 – Translation);
make effective use of search engines, corpus-based tools, text analysis tools, computer-assisted translation (CAT) and quality assurance (QA) tools where appropriate (16 – Technology);
plan and manage time (including complying with deadlines) (21 – Personal and Interpersonal);
work both autonomously and in virtual, multicultural and multilingual teams, using appropriate communication technologies (23 – Personal and Interpersonal);
clarify the requirements, objectives and purposes of the client, recipients of the language service and other stakeholders and offer the appropriate services to meet those requirements (29 – Service Provision);
interact at all stages with the client (negotiate deadlines, rates/invoicing, working conditions, access to information, contracts, rights, responsibilities, language service specifications, tender specifications, offer feedback etc.) (30 – Service Provision).

Specific learning outcomes on completion of teaching unit
On completing this unit the student is able to:

negotiate the price, deadlines and terms and conditions for a translation or post-editing project with a fictitious or real client;
draw up a quote and an invoice;
compile and use the semantic, phraseological and terminological content of a corpus of comparable and/or parallel specialised texts using dedicated tools (CAT tools, MT and/or AI);
translate or post-edit from Russian into French a specialised text within a given time frame, drawing on prior documentary and terminological research and using dedicated tools (CAT tools, MT and/or AI);
justify, where appropriate, translation or post-editing choices based on the documentary sources consulted.

Content

This course sets out to simulate the realistic conditions of a translation project. Students will have to tackle the various steps of a Russian-into-French translation project with professionalism, from order to delivery (i.e. administrative tasks, documentary and terminological research, translation, revision, post-editing).
Students will be asked to translate one or several texts dealing with the two specialized translation fields selected at the start of the academic year, among economic translation, legal translation and scientific/technical translation. Students can mix fields as they wish in their two C languages.
The different tasks will be carried out in the computer lab, meeting specific deadlines and relying on CAT tools when appropriate.
If need be, the student may be asked to do a preliminary work according to the instructions given by the teacher via the e-learning platform.

Teaching methods

Compulsory workshops in the computer lab.

In-situ training in specialized translation in the working conditions of a professional translator’s workstation.

Using machine translation software during a translation exercise or exam is strictly forbidden. Such software may only be used as a starting point for a post-editing exercise given by the teacher.
The student’s presence is requested at all in-situ training sessions. In case of an unjustified absence at the training sessions, the student may be sanctioned, according to article 72 of the General Regulations for Studies and Examinations, the teachers being allowed to propose to the jury to oppose the registration for the January or September sessions of a student who has not attended at least 80% of the courses.

Preliminary work according to the instructions given by the teacher via the e-learning platform (if need be).

Evaluation methods

Over the course of the term the term: formative assessment of the student's work.
January and August/September sessions: written examination (4 hours per specialized translation field) in the working conditions of a professional translator’s workstation.

Each exam will consist in the translation of one or several texts – and, in need be, other specific tasks - on matters in connection with the topics dealt with over the course of the term.
In accordance with the specific goals of each specialized translation examination, access to certain resources may be restricted ot blocked. In need be, these restrictions will be explicitly formulated in the task description published on Moodle.
The use of MT (machine translation) is strictly forbidden in any translation exercise or examination work, unless explicitly specified otherwise - where applicable - in the specific context of a post-editing exercise proposed by the teacher for teaching purposes. Similarly, the use of any software or application based on AI (artificial intelligence), such as ChatGPT, is strictly forbidden in writing and editing exercises.
In any case, a paper to be presented or submitted as part of the course or examination session will be a personal work that reflects the student's personal skills. Unless explicitly specified otherwise, the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and machine translation (MT) is strictly prohibited. Any use of AI in the frame of tasks in which AI is explicitely forbidden will be automatically considered a case of cheating.
Unless explicitly specified otherwise, the use of machine translation software or generative artificial intelligence (AI) is STRICTLY prohibited, whether in the context of practical exercises or examinations. In any case, generative artificial intelligences (AI) must be used responsibly and in accordance with the practices of academic and scientific integrity and the specifications of the exercise or examination. Scientific integrity meaning always citing all sources used, the use of AI must be mentionned in all instances. In any case, all sources used will be appropriately cited and referenced.
Any irregularity, such as the use of machine translation (MT) programs, the writing of a paper by third parties or with the help of an AI, plagiarism, cheating by exchanging information between students or attempting to exchange information with outsiders, etc. will be penalized in accordance with the University General Study and Examination Regulations (RGEE).

The overall mark will be calculated by averaging the two marks.

In case of an overall fail mark (global failure), only the failed parts will have to be retaken during the August/September exam session.
In case of an unjustified absence in one of the two parts of the examination, the student will have to retake both during the August/September exam session.

Bibliography

Références bibliographiques spécifiques mises à disposition par les enseignants sur la plateforme Moodle.

Teaching materials

Mis à disposition sur la plateforme Moodle.

Faculty or entity

> LSTI

Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme

Sigle

Credits

Prerequisites

Learning outcomes

Master [120] in Translation

TRAD2M

LTRAD2161