Human Agency in the Age of Technology

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47476/jat.v7i2.2024.373

Keywords:

audiovisual translation, technology, artificial intelligence

Abstract

The landscape of audiovisual translation (AVT) is rapidly evolving due to AI and language technologies that are fundamentally reshaping production dynamics, workflows and professional profiles. This special issue examines the impact of these advancements on the media localization industry and, in particular, the professionals involved. Contributions in this special issue explore challenges faced by subtitlers in template-driven environments and the effectiveness of automatic speech recognition (ASR) tools, underscoring the need for human intervention to maintain quality. Additionally, the articles address broader social movements emphasizing representation and inclusion in media accessibility. Collectively, this issue illustrates that while technology offers efficiency, the irreplaceable role of human expertise in creativity and contextual adaptation remains crucial. The future of AVT will depend on a collaborative approach, where technological advancements complement human insight to enhance the quality and accessibility of translated media.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Nina Reviers, University of Antwerp

Nina Reviers (University of Antwerp) is professor in Audiovisual Translation and Media Accessibility at the Department of Applied Linguistics, Translation and Interpreting Studies and member of the TricS research group. She holds a PhD in Translation Studies  (University of Antwerp, 2018). Her research focuses on Media Accessibility, exploring the friction between accessibility, translation, technology and artistic creation. As co-founder of the OPEN Expertise Centre for Accessible Media and Culture, she values participatory approaches to access research. She is editorial board member of JAT and member of the Languages and the Media Steering Committee.

Gert Vercauteren, University of Antwerp

Gert Vercauteren is a tenure track lecturer in Translation Technology at the Department of Translators and Interpreters of University of Antwerp. He holds a PhD in Translation Studies and his research focuses on Media Accessibility in general and audio description in particular. His current research interests include the cognitive load imposed on people with sight loss by audio description, computer assisted and machine translation of audio description and the role and description of sound in AD. He is a member of the TricS research group and the OPEN Expertise Centre and a member of the editorial board of the new book series on audiovisual translation by Frank & Timme.

Joselia Neves, Independent researcher

Josélia Neves has a long career as a university teacher and researcher, in which she has taught languages (Portuguese and English), translation and topics on accessibility. She is considered a world-class expert in accessibility, audiovisual translation, multimodal and multisensory communication and has published and provided training on topics such as subtitling, audio description, audio-tactile transcreation, accessible websites, multisensory experiences, access to culture, the arts and tourism, and in strategizing for change. In Qatar, where she was Full Professor and Associate Dean at the College of Humanities and Social  Sciences, Hamad bin Khalifa University, from 2014 to 2023, she worked closely with Qatar Foundation, Qatar Museums, Qatar National Library, the Doha Film Institute, The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, among others, as a consultant, researcher and trainer, to produce relevant mediation services in the multicultural environment that characterizes the country. In recent years, she led important initiatives to provide user-sensitive accessibility services to fans from across the globe during the FIFA World Cup 2022TM. Back to Portugal, she continues to work on her chosen topics, and is always open to new partnerships and projects. She is a member of TransMedia Research Group, the European Association for Studies in Screen Translation (ESIST), Accessible Portugal, and the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT).

Downloads

Published

2024-12-19

How to Cite

Reviers, N., Vercauteren, G., & Neves, J. (2024). Human Agency in the Age of Technology. Journal of Audiovisual Translation, 7(2), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.47476/jat.v7i2.2024.373

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 2 (2024): Special Issue 2024: Human agency in the age of technology

Section

Introduction