Complementarity between translation memories and computer-aided translation tools: Implications for translator training

The leading edge of technological development which translators up to now have only dreamed of is perhaps the shift to Translation Memories (TMs). Since they came onto the market in the 1990s, TMs have gained importance in translation training for enhancing speed, productivity and quality. The translator's demanding job goes far beyond mere knowledge of two languages and cultures to ineluctable knowledge of technological skills. The present article shows that introducing TMs to translator training has indeed given the translation profession a new lease on life. The article is based on hands-on experience from the MA Translation and Interpreting programme at Al-Quds University in which a one-off translation technology (TT) course is offered as part of the requirements for a master's degree in Translation and Interpreting. The article reveals that although translation students stand in awe of TMs, they are faced with the multifarious intricacies of TMs, mainly because (1) they are unperceptive rather than perspicacious; (2) they are unable to be conversant with Computer-Aided Translation (CAT) tools; and (3) they are unable to integrate these tools with one another for the sake of appropriate translation. The article concludes that integrating CAT tools with TMs may give rise to optimal translation, with minimal communication breakdowns and maximal communicative thrust.