The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
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@Linguist_CIOL APRIL/MAY The Linguist 25 SECTION HEADER REVIEWS In Interpreters vs Machines: Can Interpreters Survive in an AI-Dominated World? consultant interpreter Jonathan Downie recognises that interpreting is under threat like never before and asks whether computers might soon be able to replace humans. He has chosen to structure the book like a computer game, on five progressive 'levels'. Level 1 compares the "unmistakably robotic" conduit model, in which interpreters are present simply to "process language", with the triadic model in which interpreters are partners and participants who "work with people to make meaning". Cognitive models and theories are clearly explained before the author explores how computers 'interpret'. Level 2 delves into interpreters' presentation of themselves, setting this against the often "wild and nearly unbelievable claims" of the machine interpreting industry. Level 3 proposes a toolbox for interpreters to negotiate a future where human interpreting is the gold standard of the language industry. In Level 4, Downie identifies the problem of effective marketing for human interpreters to not only survive but thrive. There is "a yawning gap between understanding a language and being able to understand what the language is doing", he says. Arguing that while machines can't ever 'get it', humans can, he concludes that the greatest thing we have to sell is our humanity. The 'game' culminates in Level 5: 'Game Over' (or maybe not). Downie acknowledges that his book has just scratched the surface of Routledge 2019, 162 pp; ISBN 9781138586437 Paperback £29.99 Sense in translation is a longstanding topic, linked largely to contrasts between the sense of a text or phrase and its underlying meaning. Caroline Rabourdin's book refers more to the senses in that it proposes a connection between linguistic and spatial translation. This builds on the concept of the body as an expression, as projected by the French philosopher Maurice Merleau- Ponty and other thinkers ranging from Routledge Focus 2020, 96 pp; ISBN 9780367266998 Hardback £45 Descartes to Ferdinand Saussure and Jacques Derrida. All the chapters, apart from the last one, are based on conference papers given over the past few years. They draw on the author's own experience as an architect operating in the UK but with a very broad international reach. Language and the experience of the body in the milieu that surrounds it are inextricably linked and the one develops on the basis of the other. This raises the interesting question of bilingual speakers and (as happens increasingly in the modern world) plurilingual speakers who may find themselves in a range of cultural contexts. Physical distance may be supplemented by the visual experience of painting, photography and film. This in turn raises another issue, all too frequently seen in the modern world, which is the experience of the displaced person, whose senses are not so much stimulated as assailed by contexts with which they are not familiar. They may also encounter hostility, which will affect the way in which they view the world around them and how they may translate what they view, through the senses, into something that they can comprehend. There is an interesting discussion as to why people choose to enter a different linguistic environment, whether for travel abroad, study or work, or by using a different language for a particular purpose, as in the case of Samuel Beckett, whose preferred writing language was French. The final chapter applies all these points to the current uncertainties regarding EU nationals living in the UK, the question of Leave to Remain, and the extent to which the change in external factors will have an impact on the people who opt to stay here. The book is subtitled 'Essays on the bilingual body', and each chapter looks at the topic of language within the surrounding environment from a different angle. It does rely heavily on the context of French philosophy and may, therefore, not be easily accessible to the general reader, but it raises interesting questions about language, identity and the environment around us. Tim Connell FCIL Interpreters vs Machines Jonathan Downie Sense in Translation Caroline Rabourdin the subject, and that the technology is advancing so fast that some of what was considered state-of-the-art when the book was written will already be yesterday's news by the time it is read. That said, he challenges interpreters to continue to make a difference by being prepared to "continually learn, grow and deliver added value". In an age of increasing artificial intelligence, he argues, it is down to human intelligence to deliver when it really matters. Downie demonstrates a solid understanding of current research in Interpreting Studies, illustrating his points through interesting case studies that draw the reader in, while also taking a pragmatic view of the issues. Interpreters vs Machines is intelligently written, incisive, well referenced, and provides an eminently practical resource for interpreters looking to safeguard their professional future. Amanda Haste MCIL