Journal of Languages, Linguistics and Literary Studies (JOLLS) Volume 5. June 2018 ISSN: 2536-6300 Http://www.jolls.com.ng CC BY-NC-ND Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Samson Fabian Nzuanke & Uchechi Chinaka Page 36 TECHNOLOGY AND TRANSLATION: AREAS OF CONVERGENCE AND DIVERGENCE BETWEEN MACHINE TRANSLATION AND COMPUTER- ASSISTED TRANSLATION 1 SAMSON FABIAN NZUANKE & 2 CHINAKA UCHECHI NGOZI 1 University of Calabar. 2 Languages Division, ECOWAS, Abuja Abstract The global translation industry has been transformed by technological advancement whose objective is to facilitate the work of translators. Though the translation industry in Nigeria has grown over time and come under the concomitant influence of this technological advancement, many translators based in Nigeria, as shown in an earlier study by Nzuanke and Uchechi Chinaka (2018), are still not conversant with the workings of these recent translation tools. This study, anchored on Computational Linguistics (CL), uses secondary data to describe technological tools needed in translation and explain the difference between Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) and Machine Translation (MT). It presents a practical example of the workings of MT (Google Translate and Reverso) and Computer-Assisted human translation not only in a bid to introduce state-of-the-art translation tools that translators in Nigeria may need to do their job more effectively and efficiently, but also to sensitize the latter to the need to embrace the new translation tools. The study is expected to edify translators generally on the usefulness of recent translation tools in the exercise of their profession. Keywords: Computational Linguistics, Technology, Machine Translation, Computer- Assisted Translation Introduction Throughout history, technology and translation have always been inextricably linked in one form or another. For the most part, translation has facilitated the dissemination of technology by making new scientific and technological expertise available to a wider audience. Conversely, technology has also played a significant role in the promotion of translation (Byrne, 2007). In the last three decades, technological advancement with the internet has worked hand-in-glove with translation to change business models throughout the world in all industries and business sectors. In the construction industry, internet-based tools in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) allow communication between even very remote users and enable them to share files, comment on changes and post requests for information (Arif and Karam, 2001; De Lapp et al., 2004). The areas of ICT application common to professions are administration, communication, marketing, desktop publishing, presentation and project management (Doherty, 1997; Arif and Karam, 2001). In the translation industry, information technology has created new demands for translations and placed new demands on translators, requiring them to adopt new technologies and practices as part of their day-to-day work. Indeed, technology has almost created its own demand. By facilitating global business, it creates a demand for new processes which inevitably involve the use of technology. This increased “technologisation” or digitisation (Austermühl 2001 p. 5) of translation raises the expectation and demand for more technology, faster turnaround and better services. This expansion of the working field of translators has brought with it various expectations like technology use. Thus, translators as experts are expected to improve themselves and cope with the needs of the current conditions in order to meet these demands.