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More and more professional translators use automated translation (machine translation, MT). Many say it is easier to edit MT output than translate from scratch. MT is also available in leading translation software, e.g. SDL Trados Studio, memoQ, Déjà Vu and Wordfast. Should MT be taught in formal translation training? To answer this question, we must first understand how trainee translators use MT. This study aims to gain this knowledge. This study uses text analysis. The students post-edited a legal text using MT tools, which meant correcting the MT output. The edited versions of the text were analysed to answer the following questions: What are the most common errors in French and English MT output? How critical are the students about the text generated by MT? How good are the students at spotting mistakes? Can they spot and fix mistakes? This study shows that editing machine translation is as hard for students as traditional translation. It needs different skills, like critical thinking and paying attention. Translation students should be taught how to use MT technology effectively.

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This page is a summary of: Machine Translation in the Hands of Trainee Translators – an Empirical Study, March 2017, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1515/slgr-2017-0012.
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