Modern Technology in Translation Practice and Research: Scope and Attitudes of Users

Abstract

In translation studies and research, there is a general motivation today to integrate some aspects of scientific observations and to employ electronic tools in all stages of research, including data collection, description, analysis, presentation, and inference. Electronic methods are now used to test well-established hypotheses in translation or enrich the discipline with new paradigms. The main aim of this paper is to measure the attitudes of different sections of the translation community towards translation tools and resources in translation practice and research using a questionnaire and a structured interview. The paper reports the responses of 111 translators, instructors, and students of translation from different areas and universities in KSA to explore their attitudes toward translation tools and resources in translation practice and research. The findings of the study indicate that instructors and translators are more skeptical about translator tools and resources than students. Another finding shows that there is no difference between men and women in using technological tools and resources in translation practice and research.