METM24 presentation
GenAI prompt engineering for language professionals
Michael Farrell, Mortara, Italy
The emergence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has heralded a paradigm shift in the realm of language services and blown the lid off the language professional’s toolbox. Far surpassing the capabilities of conventional machine translation systems, GenAI not only replicates their functions but, through the art of prompt engineering, can be used to help in previously unimaginable ways, including:
- Looking up the definitions of words and finding words from their definitions
- Searching for synonyms and metaphors
- Finding context-specific translations
- Rephrasing clumsy sentences
- Finding the meaning of terms in specific domains
- Proofreading, and correcting grammar and spelling
- Summarizing, shortening, and simplifying
- Adjusting style and tone of voice
- Avoiding gender bias
- Providing back-translations
- Brainstorming alternatives…
Virtually the only limit is the user’s imagination.
Scurry along to my presentation and delve into the intricacies of prompt engineering to grasp the fundamental ABCs, explore practical examples adaptable to various language pairs, and discover computer-aided translation tools that integrate these innovative techniques. We will compare the results with those obtained utilizing conventional tools and look at whether professional translators actually use these capabilities of GenAI in practice by considering the findings of a recent survey. This comprehensive overview caters to language professionals across the spectrum, from neophytes to seasoned veterans working in varied fields and linguistic domains. Embark on a journey to unlock the full potential of GenAI, revolutionizing the way you approach your craft and ushering in a new era of creative translation and editing.
Full disclosure: GenAI played an instrumental role in creating this abstract.
About the presenter
Michael Farrell is primarily a freelance translator and transcreator. Over the years, he has acquired experience in the cultural tourism field and in transcreating advertising copy and press releases, chiefly for the promotion of technology products. Besides this, he is also an untenured lecturer in post-editing, machine translation, and computer tools for translators at the IULM University, Milan, Italy, the developer of the terminology search tool IntelliWebSearch, a qualified member of the Italian Association of Translators and Interpreters (AITI), and webmaster of Mediterranean Editors and Translators.
