Trainee Translators’ Perceptions of the Role of Pronunciation and Speech Technologies in the Technology-Driven Translation Profession

We live in a world of rapid technological advances which constantly affect the work of professional translators. Suitable training is therefore required for future translators to be able to compete on the translation market. With the rise of translation technologies, new ideas have been put forward on how to make translators faster and more efficient. Among the technologies that future translators may not be adequately familiar with are speech recognition tools; these enable translators to dictate their sight translation and have it typed out, allowing more time to focus on the content. However, as with all digital tools, the quality of input is important; a question thus arises on the role pronunciation assumes in such work. The present study aimed to establish how much awareness there is amongst the trainee translators of the possibilities afforded by speech technologies and to explore their perceptions of the role played by pronunciation

Translating in Theory and Action: Contemporary Contexts in Translation

The guest editors' objective was to open up a space for researchers to reflect on and rethink the role of different categories of translation and interpreting in contemporary contexts, engaging with both theory and practice.

Translation Work Placement in Slovenia

Following the Bologna reform, Translation Work Placement, designed as a practical, hands-on experience in translation, has become a compulsory part of EMT translator training at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Combined with courses entailing Situated Learning and professional aspects of translation, it offers an insight into real-life translation practices enabling MA-level trainee translators to gain new skills and experience. This paper explores the work-readiness of future translators from the perspective of Language Service Providers (LSPs) offering work placement to trainees from the University of Ljubljana. Our study investigates the expectations and impressions of Slovene LSPs on trainee translators’ profession-related knowledge, skills and competences. The findings of the survey with LSPs in Slovenia reveal that Translation Work Placement is a contributing factor in bridging the gap between the educational and workplace settings. However, the results of the study also show that in addition to the development of disciplinary knowledge, skills and competences, translator training could place more efforts into the acquisition of those transferable skills and competences which foster professional development and enhance employability in the ever-changing professional workplace settings

Pogled bodočih slovenskih prevajalcev na specifiko angleške izgovarjave

While the importance of excellent pronunciation skills for language professionals is indisputable, research attention has focused mainly on the pronunciation skills of teachers. Nevertheless translators, and even more so interpreters, who are constantly engaged in multi-lingual communication with their clients, face a tough competition in the global market and those with poor pronunciation skills are at a considerable disadvantage. Developing good pronunciation skills is thus an aspect that should not be neglected in the training of translators and interpreters, since it may directly affect their prospects of employment. The paper explores the views of Slovene trainee translators on the pronunciation of English. Their self-perception of English pronunciation skills and expectations concerning their pronunciation are examined by using a questionnaire administered to trainee translators at the University of Ljubljana. The questionnaire results provide an insight into the participants’ perceptions of their attained pronunciation proficiency and their attention to pronunciation instruction. The analysis of the replies reveals that trainee translators view pronunciation as an important element of their speaking proficiency, highlighting the issue of intelligibility as an essential component of communicative competence. The findings raise interesting issues important for pronunciation teaching in translator training, underlining the necessity to identify specific learner needs of future translators and interpreters.Odlična izgovarjava je nedvomno eden od ključnih elementov jezikovnega znanja vseh, ki se profesionalno ukvarjajo z jeziki. Kljub temu, da se raziskave s tega področja večinoma osredotočajo na učitelje jezika, nikakor ne moremo mimo dejstva, da so v medjezikovno komunikacijo nenehno vključeni tudi prevajalci, še posebej pa tolmači. Ti so obenem izpostavljeni hudi konkurenci na mednarodnem trgu in se zaradi slabe izgovarjave lahko znajdejo v bistveno slabšem položaju. Pri izobraževanju bodočih prevajalcev in tolmačev torej nikakor ne bi smeli zanemarjati razvijanja govornih kompetenc in izgovarjave, saj so prav te veščine neposredno povezane z njihovo zaposljivostjo. V članku se osredotočamo na percepcijo govora in poglede bodočih slovenskih prevajalcev in tolmačev na angleško izgovarjavo. S pomočjo vprašalnika, ki smo ga razdelili med študente Oddelka za prevajalstvo v Ljubljani, raziskujemo, kakšno je njihovo zavedanje o lastni izgovarjavi v angleškem jeziku in kakšna so njihova pričakovanja. Rezultati vprašalnika ponujajo vpogled v to, kako študenti zaznavajo doslej usvojene govorne veščine in kakšno pozornost namenjajo izboljšanju svoje izgovarjave pri urah angleške fonetike. Analiza rezultatov kaže, da študenti prevajalstva dojemajo izgovarjavo kot izjemno pomemben element svojih govornih sposobnosti, jasnost in razumljivost pa se jim zdita ključna elementa komunikacijske kompetence. Rezultati raziskave obenem potrjujejo pomen specifičnih učnih potreb študentov, kar je nujno upoštevati tudi pri poučevanju izgovarjave v izobraževalnem procesu bodočih prevajalcev in tolmačev

Ključna vloga praktičnega uposabljanja v visokošolskem izobraževanju: kaj prevajalska praksa nudi bodočemu prevajalcu?

V prispevku predstavljamo Prevajalsko prakso Oddelka za prevajalstvo Univerze v Ljubljani, ki je zasnovana praktično in usmerjena ciljno. S prenovo študijskih programov po smernicah bolonjske reforme je na Oddelku za prevajalstvo kot obvezni del magistrskega programa Prevajanje/Tolmačenje predvideno praktično usposabljanje v obliki Prevajalske prakse. Prevajalska praksa je za študente odlična priložnost za vpogled v realno prevajalsko situacijo, delodajalci pa tako lahko spoznajo potencialne bodoče sodelavce. Namen Prevajalske prakse je obogatiti in nadgraditi kakovost študija, omogočiti kasnejšo zaposljivost, ponuditi študentom, da že med študijem spoznajo dobre prakse s področja prevajanja in ponuditi možnosti dela z najsodobnejšimi tehnologijami. Študenti dobijo priložnost, da znanje, pridobljeno na fakulteti, prenesejo v svoje prevajalsko delo in obenem pridobivajo znanja, veščine in izkušnje, ki jim bodo kasneje omogočile učinkovitejšo integracijo v prevajalski sektor. V prispevku podrobneje pregledamo specifične pristope k izvajanju takšne študentske prakse, ki so se v zadnjih desetih letih izoblikovali na Oddelku za prevajalstvo in ponujajo model dobre prakse tudi v širšem okviru praktičnega usposabljanja

Use of Suite Crm in digital marketing

Suite CRM je odprtokodna rešitev za upravljanje odnosov s strankami, za mala in srednja velika podjetja. Predstavljena je relavantna literatura o digitalnem marketingu, opisane so značilnosti programske rešitve in prikazana dva primera uporabe. Izdelali smo ponudbo in uporabili možnost pošiljanja v pdf formatu z elektronsko pošto. Če kupec ponudbo sprejme, iz nje generiramo račun. Pošiljanje e-novic izvedemo v več korakih, določimo vrsto in naziv kampanje, kreiramo obstoječe sezname naročnikov, kreiramo sporočilo in določimo čas pošiljanja novic.Podana je SWOT analiza, katera je pokazala, da je največja slabost zahtevno poznavanje angleškega jezika. Največje tveganje je odtekanje informacij, največja prednost pa je digitalna transformacija procesov v marketingu.Suite CRM is open-source solution for costumer relationship management in small and medium sized enterprises. A review of the relevant digital marketing literature is presented. The features of the Suite CRM are described, and the two use cases are shown. When creating the quote we used a powerful editor to prepare a template and then used the option of sending the document in pdf format by email.If the buyer accepts the offer, an invoice is generated from the quote. Sending an e-newsletter to a group of recipients is a multi-step marketing compaign in Suite CRM terminology: selecting the type and the name of the campaign, creating or using existing or creating a new mmessege template and determining the time of sending an e-newsletter. A brief SWOT analysis for the tested tool is given. Analyisis showed that the advantage is mainly the integrity of the approach. The biggest weakness is the reqzired knowledge of English language and related terminology. The big risk is the information leakage, greatest opportunity is digital transformation of processes in marketing

Comparison of physically based material systems

V okviru diplomske naloge smo analizirali obstoječe sisteme fizikalno osnovanih materialov in nove raziskave na področju ter implementirali svoj dodatek za Blender s tremi različnimi pristopi. Pristop Algorithmic je temeljil na razpoložljivih orodjih v programu Blender, pristopa MaterialGAN in NeuralMaterial pa sta izkoriščala različne modele strojnega učenja. Po implementaciji dodatka smo izpeljali uporabniško študijo, s katero smo želeli oceniti primernost in enostavnost uporabe posameznih pristopov. Tekom študije so sodelujoči izpolnjevali anketo, ki je zajemala standardizirane vprašalnike SUS (angl. System Usability Scale) za ocenjevanje uporabnosti pristopov. Z vsakim pristopom so uporabniki reševali nalogo, v kateri so morali zapolniti pripravljeno 3D sceno z materiali, čim bolj podobnimi materialom v ciljni sceni. Merili smo hitrost in natančnost rešenih nalog ter spremljali komentarje uporabnikov tekom študije. Po analizi rezultatov smo ugotovili, da so se vsi trije pristopi izkazali za izjemno uporabne, a iz različnih razlogov. Pristopa MaterialGAN in NeuralMaterial ponujata dobre razširitve obstoječih pristopov z iterativnim načinom dela in pridobivanjem prepričljivih materialov iz fotografij z bliskavico, pristop Algorithmic pa je mnogo hitrejši in bolj enostaven za uporabo, čeprav v primerjavi z obstoječimi pristopi ponuja manj novih funkcionalnosti.In this thesis, we have analyzed available systems of physically-based materials along with the latest studies in its field. We used the findings of our analysis to develop a Blender add-on with three different approaches for authoring materials. The first approach, Algorithmic, used only available tools in Blender, while the other two approaches, MaterialGAN and NeuralMaterial, used machine learning models. We performed a user study of our implementations, in which we focused on the usability and ease of use of each approach. For this, we used a form, which included the SUS (System Usability Scale) questionnaire. With each of the approaches, users had to perform a task in which they tried to fill a blank 3D scene with materials as similar as possible to those in the target 3D scene. During the study we measured the average task solving time along with the accuracy of user solutions and users\u27 comments about their experience. The results showed that all three approaches have proved extremely useful to the users, but each for different reasons. Both MaterialGAN and NeuralMaterial offered new additions with an iterative workflow and easier extraction of materials directly from flash photos, while Algorithmic was much faster and easier to use, but lacked new worthwile improvements

Changing Trends in the Use of Translation Resources: The Case of Trainee Translators in Slovenia

This paper explores the changes detected in the utilization of translation resources1 by trainee translators working with the Slovene–English language pair in Slovenia. To test the assumption that rapid advances in information and communication technologies have made a significant impact on translation practice, a study involving two generations of translation students in Ljubljana was designed to examine whether their practice of using translation aids has changed over a certain period of time. This population will soon have to compete with their professional counterparts; it is therefore crucial they are fully equipped not only with the necessary translation knowledge, but also that they are skilled in advanced translation aids, as this will cater for the demands of the modern translation market where an efficient use of translation resources appears to be vital for successful intercultural communication. The results of the study indicate some changes can be detected even within a short period of time

Organizational climate, satisfaction and monitoring employees in the organization

Delovno okolje se nenehno spreminja, zato je nujno prilagajanje organizacije tem razmeram. Od organizacijske klime je odvisno, kako hitro se bo organizacija uspela prilagoditi novostim. Za uspešno poslovanje organizacije je bistveno spremljanje, poznavanje in razumevanje klime. Z organizacijsko klimo ugotavljamo, kako posameznik zaznava svojo organizacijo in kako dojema možnosti in razmere za delo v njej. Pri tem je pomembno vodenje zaposlenih, saj vodje lahko z usmerjanjem v želeno smer in dobrim odnosom do sodelavcev ustvarijo pozitivno klimo. Zadovoljni in visoko motivirani zaposleni delajo bolj kakovostno, so produktivnejši in pripomorejo k večji uspešnosti organizacije, pri tem se posamezniki dobro počutijo, so spoštovani in cenjeni. Kadri so tisti, ki ustvarjajo in določajo klimo in kulturo organizacije. Za ugotavljanje zadovoljstva, učinkovitosti in uspešnosti zaposlenih ter doseganja strateških ciljev v organizacijah uporabljajo metode merjenja organizacijske klime. Empirični del naloge zajema raziskavo znotraj kadrovskega oddelka v organizaciji. V raziskavo sta bila vključena 102 anketiranca. Rezultati analize so pokazali, da zaposleni svoje delo opravljajo vestno in odgovorno. Najslabše strinjanje so izrazili v zvezi z delovnimi procesi in pravili poslovanja. S spremembo in izboljšanjem delovnih procesov, s popravljenimi in dopolnjenimi pravili bi bilo delo še kvalitetnejše. Pomembno je, da pri rednih oblikah komuniciranja z zaposlenimi vodje namenjajo več pozornosti poslanstvu, viziji, namenu in pomenu ter identiteti organizacije, v kateri skupaj z zaposlenimi povečujejo občutek zavezanosti in pripadnosti. Vsi zaposleni bi radi naredili več za organizacijo, vsi bi se radi izpopolnjevali in izobraževali, napredovali in si gradili kariero. Pri tem pa bi morali biti bolje informirani, da bi dosegali svoje cilje in cilje organizacije. Pozitiven odnos zaposlenih do organizacije se pokaže v občutku pripadnosti, jasno predstavljenih ciljih, spodbujanju samoiniciativnosti ter inovativnosti in izpostavljanju dosežkov pri delu. Zadovoljni zaposleni bodo delali bolje in učinkoviteje.The work environment is constantly changing, so it is a necessary for the organization to adapt to this situation. How quickly the organization is able to adapt to changes depends on the organizational climate. Monitoring the organizational climate, knowledge and understanding of the climate is essential for the successful business operation of the organization. By organizational climate we research how individuals perceive their organization and how they perceive opportunities and working conditions. It is important that managers lead employees in the desired direction and good relationship to their colleagues in order to create a positive climate. Satisfied and motivated employees work better, are more productive and help enhance the performance of the organization. In such a climate individuals feel well, they are respected and valued. Human resources are the ones that create and provide climate and culture of the organization. To determine satisfaction, efficiency and effectiveness of employees and achievement of strategic objectives, organizations use methods of measuring organizational climate. The empirical part of the work includes research within a personnel department of the organization. In the research we included 102 respondents. We came to the conclusion that the employees perform their work conscientiously and responsibly. The worst agreement was expressed in respect of work process and business rules. By changing and improving work procedures and by amending and completing rules work would be performed even better. As regards regular communication with the employees it is important that the managers devote more attention to the mission, vision, purpose, meaning and identity of the organization in order to increase a sense of commitment and belonging. All employees would like to contribute more to the organization, to educate themselves and improve their knowledge, to develop and build a career. To achieve their personal goals and objectives of the organization the employees should be more informed. A positive relationship of the employees to the organization is demonstrated in the sense of belonging and loyalty, clearly communicated goals and objectives, in encouraging self- initiative and innovation and highlighting the achievements at work. Satisfied employees will work better and will be more efficient

The profiles of a community interpreter and of an intercultural mediator in Greece, Italy, Norway and Slovenia

The chapter provides an insight into the existing situation and describes the profiles of community interpreters and intercultural mediators in four different European states: Greece, Italy, Norway and Slovenia. In Greece, professions of community interpreters and intercultural mediators are not certified, and some training for these profiles is provided by governmental bodies and NGOs. In Italy, there exists a terminological fuzziness since the term %mediator% is used for both community interpreters and intercultural mediators. The profile description for the profession of intercultural mediators exists in some Italian regions: the chapter provides the description of the profile and training provided for intercultural mediators in Emilia-Romagna. In Norway, community interpreters are called public service interpreters and also cover court interpreting. The chapter provides the description of Norwegian national register of interpreters and the training of public service interpreters in Norway. In Slovenia, both professions, that of community interpreters and that of intercultural mediators, were certified in July 2020. The chapter also provides English translations of the Slovene occupational standards and vocational qualifications for the national certification of the professions of intercultural mediator and community interpreter. The trainees are asked to discuss the relevance of the professionalisation of community interpreters and intercultural mediators