We are seeing a very rapid development of technologies today, and the demands for translators show no sign of weakening. In fact, the technical translator is increasingly dependent on information technology (IT). For his technical portuguese translation service, his adaptation to these technologies is key. Translators and translation companies that fail to adapt become obsolete. The first theories on automatic technical translation processes began in the seventeenth century, when some philosophers like Leibniz and Descartes had the idea of codifying words that were related between the different languages. It was a work that had only a theoretical approach.The first automatic technical translation system appeared in 1933, when Smirnov-Trojanskij presented a mechanism that allowed simultaneous translation between several languages at once. In the late 1950s, the use of a scientific calculator that used a small amount of data and provided a word-for-word translation was introduced. Weaver Memorandum is an example of a system that automatically translated segments between the Russian and English language.But the great progress of the translation service with the use of automatic translation happened in 1954, when the Georgetown-IBM Experiment appeared, which allowed the translation of 60 sentences between Russian and English. Using a restricted lexicographic resource – with approximately 250 entries – and only six grammatical rules.In the 1990’s, IBM presented the first prototype of an automatic translation system, creating an internal translation agency that used this technology and offered new directions for technology applied to the technical translation service.Nowadays, several systems are being developed and give support to the translation service of both the portuguese translation companies and the translators.
The role of AI in the evolution of translation: will technology replace translators?
Translation is a human activity that dates back to antiquity, being essential for communication between different peoples and cultures. With the advancement of technology, new