FIT Position Paper on the Use of AI in Interpreting
August 2024
FIT Position Paper on the Use of AI in Interpreting
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the field of translation and interpreting presents significant issues for both professional interpreters and the individuals whose words they interpret. As a global body representing over 65,000 individual translation, interpreting and terminology practitioners in over 65 countries, the stance of the International Federation of Translators is firmly against the replacement of human interpreters with unsupervised, unrevised machine interpreting and translation, as it creates unacceptable levels of risk and error, and undermines the role of professional interpreters and translators. Cases are arising in which governments and organisations are tempted to use unsupervised AI translation tools for either translation or interpreting.
FIT Position Paper on Translation Grades
July 2024
FIT Position Paper on Translation Grades
FIT, the voice of associations of translators, interpreters and terminologists around the world, sees the need to state its position on translation grades. This position paper will discuss translation grades as defined in the CSA Research report “Making the (Translation) Grade: Tying Translation Quality to Stakeholder Requirements and Use Cases” (Lommel & DePalma, 2022), and some of the issues raised during the webinar organised jointly by CSA Research, a research company focused on the global content and language services markets, and FIT North America, held online on 9 March, 2023. We will also consider other articles on the subject and, more broadly, the ways in which public, private and NGOs’ translation services are currently offered on the market. A caveat, as of date of sharing this latest version of the paper with FIT members (February, 2024), the concept of “grades” has already been included in 2023 international standard ASTM F2575-23e2: Standard Practice for Language Translation.
FIT Position Paper on Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
July 2022
FIT Position Paper on Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
FIT, the voice of associations of translators, terminologists and interpreters around the world, wishes to state its position on Continuing Professional Development (CPD). This paper is aimed not only at the FIT associations and their individual members but also at a wider readership.
FIT Position Paper on Educating the Next Generation of Translators
April 2022
FIT Position Paper on Educating the Next Generation of Translators
FIT, the global organisation representing associations of translators, terminologists and interpreters, sees a need to state its position on educating the next generation of translators, while drawing attention to various questions that should be taken into account.
FIT Position Paper on Translation, Localisation and Transcreation
January 2022
FIT Position Paper on Translation, Localisation and Transcreation
The language industry differentiates between translation, localisation and transcreation as distinct activities. Nevertheless, many professional translators are engaged in localisation and transcreation projects, which raises the question of the role of translation in these multilingual language services. The purpose of this paper is to provide an answer to this question from the perspective of FIT, as the representative of professional translators on the world stage.
FIT Position Paper on Post-Editing
May 2021
FIT Position Paper on Post-Editing
FIT, as the voice of associations of translators, terminologists and interpreters around the world, would like to provide information on post-editing and draw attention to some of the risks and consequences.
FIT Position Paper on the Role of FIT
May 2020
FIT Position Paper on the Role of FIT
The International Federation of Translators (FIT) unites over 130 professional associations, training institutes and research centres worldwide, thus representing more than 85,000 translators, terminologists and interpreters in some 55 countries. On the basis of this strong position, FIT is able to play a significant role in the translation, terminology and interpreting sector and, beyond that, in society as a whole.
FIT Position Paper on Machine Translation
August 2019 (updated)
FIT Position Paper on Machine Translation
Machine Translation: 10 questions and answers
Machine Translation (MT), i.e. fully automatic translation using computers, which is viewed by some as the solution for obtaining more or less satisfactory translations quickly and cheaply, has been gaining considerable ground in recent times. FIT, as the voice of associations of translators, terminologists and interpreters around the world, would therefore like to provide some information on this subject and draw attention to diverse consequences for the users as well as professional translators and their associations.
FIT Discussion Paper on Remote Interpreting
June 2019
FIT, the voice of associations of translators, terminologists and interpreters around the world, would like to encourage a discussion on remote interpreting because of the numerous challenges posed by this form of interpreting.
Remote interpreting (RI), which is also known as distance interpreting, means that the interpreter is not in the same room as the speaker and/or the audience. There are various types of RI, depending on the equipment and type of connection used (video over internet or audio over internet or telephone). Consequently, in some cases the interpreter can see the speaker and possibly the audience on a screen; in others, the interpreter is unable to see either.
FIT Position Paper on International Standards
June 2017
FIT Position Paper on International Standards
FIT, the voice of associations of translators, interpreters and terminologists around the world, sees a need to state its position on international standards relating to those professions.
Standards in this context can be defined as a set of rules or guidelines aimed at harmonisation. Their application is not required by law, but a growing number of clients are demanding that translators and interpreters work in compliance with the standards and thus conform to the rules laid down in them.
FIT Position Paper on Relations between Freelancers and Translation Companies
June 2017
FIT Position Paper on Relations between Freelancers and Translation Companies
FIT, the voice of associations of translators, interpreters and terminologists around the world, sees a need to state its position on the relationship between freelance translators and translation companies.
In addition to serving direct clients, freelance translators may choose to collaborate with reputable translation companies, be they single or multi-language vendors (SLVs or MLVs). Provided that this collaboration is based on fair, precisely defined terms and conditions, it may offer certain advantages for both sides.
FIT Position Paper on the Future of Professional Translators
April 2017
FIT position paper on the Future of professional translators
What does the future hold for professional translators? FIT, as the voice of associations representing those professionals around the world, would like to draw attention to actual or conceivable developments and indicate what actions are recommendable.
FIT Position Paper on Crowdsourcing of Translation Services
August 2016
FIT Position Paper on Crowdsourcing of Translation Services
Crowdsourcing of Translation Services: Questions and Answers
In recent years, crowdsourcing has been an increasingly widespread phenomenon in the translation sector. FIT, as the voice of associations of translators, interpreters and terminologists around the world, would therefore like to provide some information on this subject and draw attention to diverse consequences for the users of translation services as well as professional translators and their associations.
FIT Position Paper on Internships
August 2016
FIT Position Paper on Internships
FIT, the voice of associations of translators, interpreters and terminologists around the world, sees a strong need to state its position on internships relating to those professions.
Internships come in many different forms. Basically they enable interns (students in secondary or higher education or postgraduates) to gain work experience in white-collar and professional careers at companies or institutions. Legislation on internships varies from one country to another, often with a distinction being made between for-profit and non-profit organisations.
FIT Position Paper on Machine Translation
August 2016. Updated version was published in August 2019.
FIT Position Paper on Machine Translation
Machine Translation: 10 questions and answers
Machine Translation (MT), i.e. fully automatic translation using computers, which is viewed by some as the solution for obtaining more or less satisfactory translations quickly and cheaply, has been gaining considerable ground in recent times. FIT, as the voice of associations of translators, interpreters and terminologists around the world, would like to provide some information on this subject and draw attention to diverse consequences for the users as well as professional translators and their associations.
Resolution on translators and interpreters in conflict zones
August 2014
Resolution on translators and interpreters in conflict zones
With great concern the participants at the 2014 FIT Statutory Congress also considered the situation of those colleagues who undertake their work in conflict zones all over the world.