The translation mode of machine translation and post-translation editing can greatly improve translation efficiency and achieve the best balance of time, quality and cost in translation projects. The National Machine Translation and Post-translation Translation and Editing Competition, which aims to improve the translation ability and human-machine collaboration ability of participants, enhance market competitiveness and discover high-quality translation talents in the new era, has become the most influential event in machine translation.
The first machine translation and post-translation editing competition jointly held by Tmxmall and 51 Find Translation in the first half of 2019 attracted more than 1,400 translation enthusiasts, while the second machine translation and post-translation editing competition held by Sogou Translation in the second half of the year had more than 3,000 participants from more than 90 enterprises as well as 230 universities.
Since the launch of the third national machine translation and post-translation editing competition of Tencent TranSmart on May 18, it has received attention from all parties. More than 370 participating universities and 80 participating organizations, with a total of more than 4,200 participants, have registered for the competition, spreading across 10 countries (China, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Singapore, Australia, South Korea, etc.) and 31 provinces across the world. This year's competition is guided by the National Steering Committee of Translation Degree (MTI) Education, supported by the Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, and co-organized by the School of Foreign Languages of Tongji University, Shanghai Association of Scientific and Technical Translators and Jiangsu Association of Scientific and Technical Translators, and co-organized by 51 Find a Translator and One Technology. After two rounds of competition between the preliminary round and the final round, more than 60 winners were finally produced. The award ceremony of the contest was held online on July 18.
The online award ceremony was attended by leading experts in translation academia and industry in China, teachers and students from universities around the world, including Professor He Gangqiang, President of Shanghai Society of Scientific and Technical Translation, Professor Zhao Junfeng, Secretary General of National MTI Education Steering Committee, Professor Zuo Biao, former President of Shanghai Society of Scientific and Technical Translation and Head of Shanghai Maritime University, Professor Song Zhiping, Head of MTI of Shanghai Maritime University, Professor Eddie Wu, Dean of School of Foreign Languages of Tongji University Prof. Eddie Wu, PhD supervisor, Prof. Li Mei, Vice President of Shanghai Society of Scientific and Technical Translation and PhD supervisor of Tongji University, Dr. Huang Guoping, Senior Researcher of Tencent AI Lab, Mr. Zhang Jing, General Manager of One Technology, and Dr. Wang Huashu of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies delivered speeches at the ceremony. Nearly 9,000 online visitors shared a feast with the theme of machine translation and post-translation editing.
At the grand award ceremony, Shanghai Maritime University won many honors.
After 4,200 contestants competed in the preliminary round, more than 200 contestants from 114 different regions and institutions (including 102 universities) advanced to the final round, and more than 60 winners were finally born. Among them, Liu Shijie, a 2019 MTI student from Shanghai Maritime University, stood out in the final round and won the winner's award. This is also the second prize in the national competition of translation technology after Liu Shijie won the second prize in the student forum with his speech of Translation Technology and Maritime Corpus Building in the second civil aviation master's degree construction seminar hosted by Civil Aviation Flight Academy of China on May 17.
Among more than 370 participating universities, ten excellent organizational units were evaluated, and Shanghai Maritime University, with more than 100 students participating, won the title of excellent organizational unit.
Professor Song Zhiping, head of MTI at Shanghai Maritime University, actively organized students to participate in the event and was selected as an excellent instructor.
Professor Song also delivered a speech as the representative of the Outstanding Organization Unit Award. He pointed out that the current era must require us to actively explore and embrace technology in the era of rapid development, and quoted from an article he wrote in 2002.
At the end of the award ceremony, Professor Zuo Biao, former President of Shanghai Society of Scientific and Technological Translation, winner of National May Day Labor Medal, National Outstanding Educator, Shanghai Model Worker, and Professor of College of Foreign Languages of Shanghai Maritime University, gave a closing speech for the award ceremony. After his speech, Mr. Zuo was so excited that he recited Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in English and Chinese with his lingering baritone voice at the request of the audience. The award ceremony was brought to a climax.
In this competition, Shanghai Maritime University was listed among the winners three times and two people delivered speeches, fully highlighting the achievements and influence of the school in the field of translation technology.
(Reported by the College of Foreign Languages office; Translated by Li Huixian)
