Neural Machine Translation of Arabic to English Legal Texts Using Trados Studio: Efficiency and Consistency From the Perspective of Saudi Translation Students’ Post-Editing Practices

Abstract

This article examines the efficiency and consistency of Trados Studio in Arabic-English legal translation by analyzing the post-editing practices of 15 female Saudi translation students. The legal texts used are moderately complex, laden with Saudi-specific legal terminology and Islamic rules, sourced from Adel Azzam Saqf Al-Hait's "The Reliable Guide to Legal Translation" (2012). The Trados Studio Machine Translation Post-Editing Questionnaire (TMTPEQ) was employed to gather users’ insights. The study utilizes mixed methods, combining qualitative content analysis of Trados Studio-translated texts and student post-editing tasks with descriptive quantitative analysis of the questionnaire. The results reveal the ongoing challenge of achieving precision and extra-linguistic significance in written texts, especially in legal translation, exacerbated by specialized terminology, cultural nuances, and complex syntax. They also underscore the significance of qualitative assessments in post-edited translations, emphasizing the multifaceted role of translators encompassing linguistic, cultural, and specialized content precision and functional and legal equivalence.