The adoption of computer-aided translation tools by freelance translators in the UK

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The adoption of
computer-aided translation
tools by freelance translators
in the UK
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• A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University.
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The Adoption
of
Computer-Aided Translation Tools
by Freelance Translators in the UK
by
Joaquin Granell Zafra
A Doctoral Thesis
Submitted in fulfilment the
partial of
for
the
requirement award of
The Degree Doctor Philosophy
of of of
Loughborough University
January 2006
by Joaquin
© Copyright Granen Zafra, 2006
X
A Joaquin Lafy,
mis queridos padres, y
debo todo to
a quienes que soy.
A hermano, Sergio,
mi estimado
to importante
por que es para mi.
Ya impetiso, Debora,
mi ml amodo
(o
porque ml vida no serio misma sin ml amanecer.
To Joaquin Laly,
my parents, and
to brother, Sergio,
my
Debora.
to
and
Abstract
The demand for by business has increased
translation the
services community significantly
decade fuelled by industry
the
over past or so, socio-economic changes, such as globalisation,
between European Technological developments,
and closer collaboration countries. such as
Internet, business, increase in
the advent of the the rise of electronic and the the use of
documents have demand for At
electronic also contributed to the translation. the same time,
high-quality in
translators are required to produce translations ever-shorter time periods.
Running in increasing demand for
parallel with the translation services, various organisational
developments have had, indeed have, impact UK
and are continuing to a considerable on the
For large have been divesting
translation services sector. example, many organisations
in-house focus business
themselves of translation teams to on their core to reduce costs,
in increasing being freelance
resulting an number of translation assignments outsourced to
businesses.
translation
Among information (ICT)
the range of and communication technologies available to
translators today, Computer-aided translation (CAT) tools, have been designed to increase
helping demand for
translators' productivity and efficiency, thus them to meet the their
Whilst there has been discussion
services. much among translators about the suitability of
CAT tools for freelance translators, there have been few studies investigating their use by
freelancers. Research to date has focused instead features
the the technical
on analysis of of
CAT tools, or on their use in large translation departments.
This study investigates the uptake of CAT tools by freelance translators based in the UK
and
their these tools. In to developed
perceptions of order achieve this,
a research model was
drawing
ICT in
on previous research undertaken about adoption small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs). The study was undertaken in two In the first
phases. phase, a mail
freelance
survey was conducted of a sample of translators to determine levels
of uptake of
CAT
tools, to
explore the characteristics of the adopters of these tools, and the perceptions of
the tools among freelancers. In the second phase, an online survey of adopters and non-
CAT in facilitate investigation drives
adopters of tools was undertaken order to the of what
impact CAT
the adoption of these tools, as well as the of tool adoption.
The findings (to 391
the
of mail survey which usable responses were received) revealed a
low level CAT (28%), half
rather of uptake of tools and showed that almost of the translators
in familiar Further
the these tools.
sample were not with quantitative analysis revealed a
between CAT
the tools the
positive relationship adoption of and adoption of other specialist-
by in A
purpose software used translators to support the activities their workflow. number of
CAT identified. These included fact
tool the that
characteristics of adopters were adopters
be holding degree in Most
tended to translators, translation
young a university studies. of
In
those the tools technical translation. translators'
using undertook addition, although
CAT ICT in
perceptions of tools were generally positive, attitudes towards general were more
in benefits from
positive and clearer terms of specifying the and problems arising their use.
In 19 CAT
the second phase of the study, a sample of adopters of tools was employed to
determinants This
explore the of the adoption of these tools. phase showed that the main
for CAT
motivators tool adoption were the perceived advantages of the tools, such as
increasing job
productivity, enhancing effectiveness as translators, or making the translation
Also 34 CAT identify factors deterring
easier. a sample of tool non-adopters was used to the
translators from adopting these tools. It was found that the main inhibitor of CAT tool
difficulty learning This
adoption was the perceived of to use these tools. phase also captured
impact CAT It found
the translators' perceptions of the of tools on their work. was that
impacts CAT largely included increase in
overall, the of adopting tools were positive, and an
increased
the quality of the translations undertaken and productivity.
This research contributes to the existing body of literature about CAT tools by providing a
instruments for investigating CAT in freelance
model and tool adoption the context of
businesses. The findings
translation of this study make a timely and relevant contribution to
the translation sector in the UK by providing indicators of CAT tool adoption among
freelance in UK, factors impacts
translators the the affecting this adoption, and the of the
adoption on the work of the freelancers. The study benefits various key stakeholders in the
freelancers,
translation
sector, notably existing newly-qualified translators, translator trainers,
bodies for developers
professional translators, and the distributors CAT tools by
and of
CAT
providing evidence regarding tool uptake, characteristics of adopters, adoption
determinants impacts
and of adoption.
Acknowledgements
I like Dr Heather Fulford, for her ideas,
to to
would express my gratitude my supervisor,
encouragement and guidance throughout the PhD. I am also grateful to my director of
Professor Malcom King Professor John Wilson for
their
and useful advice, opinion,
research,
Dr Dave Coates for his help
to
and support, advice and with statistics.
Also, I like
would to thank to all the translators who gave up part of their time to complete my
surveys, and collaborate with this research.
I Engineering Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
thank the
acknowledge and and
funded
who my research.
I would also like to thank my fellow office mates and friends for walking this path alongside
me in an always friendly atmosphere, in particular to Avi and Matoula (thanks to you two for
friendship, but Christian, Fena, Vagelis, Lip Sam, Nikos,
your support, and company), also to
Stewart, Kelvin, Lia, Gunawan, Sigrun, Azu... I forget here.
and anyone may
Special thanks to Jose Manos, for friendship, kind
must go and your companionship,
tolerance, and sharing three great years living together. Best of luck, doctors!
I deep to Nacho (someday, 1,000 ), John (thanks
owe gratitude we'll reach the metres! mate!
looks Isabel, for friendship,
perl easier now), and your support, and taking good care of me
during last PhD.
the stage of my
I like to thank friends in Spain, Javi Xavi, for
would also my specially and your
friendship, during from home.
encouragement, and support all this time away
My deepest for love,
to their
gratitude goes my parents unconditional continuous support, and
for believing in Also Sergio, for I be
always me. to understanding that could not always there.
Last but least, I Debbie, for her kindest love,
not want to thank support, unconditional and
huge during last I have in life.
patience the three years. am privileged to you my
To family, for
all my thank you again giving me encouragement and support throughout all
this time and making this thesis possible.
111
Table Contents
of
ii
Abstract
......................................................................................................................................
Acknowledgements
iii
...................................................................................................................
iv
Table Contents
of
......................................................................................................................
ix
List Appendices
of
....................................................................................................................
List Tables
x
of
.............................................................................................................................
iii
List Figures
of
..........................
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION
1
1.1. Background
and context
...........................................................................................
5
1.2. Aims
and objectives
.................................................................................................
6
1.3. Organisation the thesis
of
.........................................................................................
CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW
8
2.1. Introduction
..............................................................................................................
8
2.2. Literature to translation
related studies
....................................................................
8
2.2.1. The role of the translator
..................................................................................
2.2.2. Tools 10
to support translators
............................................................................
2.3. ICT, in businesses 24
adoption small
...........................................................................
2.3.1. ICT SMEs 25
and
...............................................................................................
2.4. Summary the 41
of chapter
..........................................................................................
CHAPTER 3. RESEARCH FRAMEWORK
3.1. Introduction 43
............................................................................................................
3.2. Research 44
objectives
................................................................................................
3.3. The 45
research model
.................................................................................................
3.3.1. CAT 46
tool
adoption
.........................................................................................
3.3.2. Determinants CAT 48
tool
of adoption
..............................................................
3.3.3. Impacts CAT 50
tool
of adoption
.......................................................................
iv
Contents
Table
of
51
3.3.4. Strengths limitations
the
and of research model
............................................
52
3.4. Research
questions
.................................................................................................
53
3.4.1. CAT ICT by freelance
tool translators
and adoption
.....................................
55
3.4.2. Characteristics freelance
translators
of
..........................................................
3.4.3. Characteristics freelance businesses 55
translation
of
........................................
3.4.4. Perceptions CAT 56
tools
of
...............................................................................
3.4.5. Motivators inhibitors CAT 57
tool
and of adoption
...........................................
3.4.6. Impacts CAT 57
tool
of adoption
.......................................................................
59
3.5. Summary
the
of chapter
..........................................................................................
CHAPTER 4. RESEARCH DESIGN
4.1. Introduction 60
............................................................................................................
60
4.2. Research
approaches
..............................................................................................
4.3. Research justification 63
approach: selection and
.......................................................
4.4. Phase 1- CAT 65
tool
usage study
.............................................................................
4.4.1. Questionnaire design 66
considerations
..............................................................
4.4.2. The 67
the
structure of questionnaire
..................................................................
4.4.3. Questionnaire 72
refinement
...............................................................................
4.5. Population 72
...............................................................................................................
4.5.1. SMEs, businesses freelance 73
translators
micro and
........................................
4.5.2. Sampling frame 74
..............................................................................................
4.5.3. Pre-screening 75
exercise
...................................................................................
4.5.4. Non-response bias 78
..........................................................................................
4.6. The data 81
analysis scheme
.......................................................................................
4.7. Summary the 82
of chapter
..........................................................................................
CHAPTER 5. THE SAMPLE
5.1. Introduction 84
............................................................................................................
5.2. Profile 84
of respondents
.............................................................................................
5.2.1. Age 84
.................................................................................................................
5.2.2. Gender 85
............................................................................................................
5.2.3. Educational level 86
............................................................................................
5.2.4. Translation 87
qualifications
..............................................................................
5.2.5. Length 88
translation
of experience
....................................................................
5.2.6. Membership bodies 89
of professional
...............................................................
5.2.7. Volume
translation
of work undertaken
...............................
V
Table Contents
of
90
5.2.8. Languages
translated
......................................................................................
91
5.2.9. Subject
translated
areas
.
.................................................................................
92
5.2.10. ICT
training
.
..................................................................................................
93
5.2.11. ICT
qualifications
.
.........................................................................................
93
5.3. ICT
usage
.
..............................................................................................................
94
5.3.1. Document
production activities
.
....................................................................
94
5.3.2. Information
search and retrieval activities
.................................................... .
94
5.3.3. Business
management activities
.
...................................................................
5.3.4. Translation 95
creation activities
.
.......................................................................
95
5.3.5. Communication
activities
............................................................................. .
95
5.3.6. Marketing
and work procurement activities
..................................................
5.3.7. Summary findings ICT 96
of on usage
...............................................................
97
5.4. Familiarity ICT
and experience with
......................................................................
98
5.4.1. Document
production activities
.....................................................................
5.4.2. Information 98
search and retrieval activities
.....................................................
5.4.3. Business 100
management activities
..................................................................
5.4.4. Translation 100
creation activities
......................................................................
5.4.5. Communication 101
activities
............................................................................
5.4.6. Marketing 101
and work procurement activities
................................................
5.5. Relationship between ICT familiarity ICT 103
usage and and experience with
.........
5.6. Summary the 104
of chapter
........................................................................................
CHAPTER 6. EXPLORING THE ADOPTION OF CAT TOOLS
6.1. Introduction 106
..........................................................................................................
6.2. Exploring between CAT
the relationship the adoption of tools and the adoption
ICT 106
of
...................................................................................................................
6.2.1. The 108
prediction model
...................................................................................
6.2.2. Comparison Chi-Square 110
with results
...........................................................
6.3. Exploring between CAT levels knowledge
the tool
relationship adoption and of
ICT 112
of
...................................................................................................................
6.4. Summary 118
the
of chapter
........................................................................................
CHAPTER 7. CHARACTERISTICS OF CAT TOOL ADOPTERS
7.1. Introduction 120
..........................................................................................................
7.2. Profile CAT 120
tool
of adopters
................................................................................
7.2.1. Chi-Square 121
tests
...........................................................................................
7.2.2. Logistic 130
regression analysis
.........................................................................
vi