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As business trends and market studies show, the changes in the industry of language translation is one that is full to increasing positive directions that validates its invaluable contribution in the world today. Businesses have relentlessly performed global operations because of translation. And the business of translation would not have attained the valuation it now enjoys if it was less receptive to the changes that occurred in the last thirty years.

Language Translation

Translation, as we know it, evolved and developed from a need to communicate effectively with people and organizations that use languages different from what others may be using. The desire to connect with others is what prompted linguists to devise ways and mediums to facilitate these complicated web of linguistic differences.

Within the last twenty years, language companies have witnessed a dramatic swell in operations simply by just looking at the support and investment from many industries. In fact a growing number of industries needing translation help have gradually risen since 2003. Based on a study by the Common Sense Advisory, the industry of translation in the global market was estimated at £21 billion in 2012. This, and a remarkable 12.17 % annual growth rate, speaks so much of what the future has in store for this industry. Statistical data shows that more and more companies are taking an active stance in supporting the industry by providing a number of projects that employ varying mediums of communication. Technological breakthroughs are seen as positive hints in the operation of these projects among language companies.

Machine translation

Machine translation was initially received by some language companies quite negatively. It solicited the same stance from translators who reasoned that their services may soon be terminated owing to the capacity of this new tool to translate even big bulks of projects. In the long run, however, MT proved to be helpful in post-editing procedures because it made the translator’s job easier and more convenient, and that it also helped clients in getting results with such short turn-around time.

With MT, most language companies can now process post-editing-work of approximately 5000-word projects per day which is more than the usual 2000 words they used to have. And no, it did not imperil the livelihood of most human translators. To a certain degree, it even helped them because MTs are not able to perform functions that are otherwise delegated to humans – such as translating context and idioms.

Furthermore, MT cannot provide the personalized touch a human translator can give to a language translation project.

What most analysts would say about the industry is that it will continue to grow, perhaps even surpassing present expectations. The industry, according to some translators, is seen to become easier and faster due to the advances we are making in our technology.

Clients, in hindsight, say that the future of human translation is seen to become cheaper and accessible to many people in the world.

True enough. These expectations are remarkable to note considering that the industry has not been greatly affected by global crises, like the recession that hit the US in 2007. For sure, these positive changes will bring about many opportunities for translators and the business of language translation in many years to come .