Machine translation today
Mikel L. Forcada · Handbook of translation studies · 2010
Machine translation (MT) is the translation, by means of a computer using suitable software, of a text written in the source language (SL) which produces another text in the target language (TL) which may be called its raw translation. This definition seems to imply that the resulting TL translation may be used as a professional product would, but machine translation and professional translation, even if closely related in purpose, are not interchangeable products (Sager 1994: 261). Machine translation should be clearly distinguished from other translation techno logies such as computeraided translation*. In MT, translation is performed by the com puter, with no human intervention in the process (although, as will be seen, there may be need for human intervention before or after it); in computeraided translation, translation is performed by a professional with the aid of a range of translation tools* to help them.