Likely Trends for the Translation Industry in 2020

Last Updated On: October 25, 2023 by The Migration Translators

2019 is nearly over and the translation industry is facing similar predictions to those proposed for the beginning of 2019.

The continued rise of machine translation and post-editing

Machine translations have started to have more of an effect on the translation sector in recent years. The key reason for this recently is the initiation of neural machine translation or NMT. Neural Machine Translation (NMT) is the method used to get machines to learn how to translate. So far, the results have been so promising that machines have managed to achieve state-of-the-art performance for some language pairs. Due to these results, there has been a boost in demand for post-editing machine translations. By 2022, the expected value globally of machine translations is likely to be at least $980 billion.

Transcreation is alive and kicking

Transcreation is creative writing combined with localization. A translator or language service provider takes on a client’s specific texts or content pieces for the purpose of using them as a marketing tactic for a brand. The translation that is created makes it appear as though it was naturally written in that language and not just an adapted translation created using the word-for-word basic translation technique. This technique is set to spread more and more and it really falls in the hands of a human translator, not a machine, at least, not yet.

Localization of subtitling and videos

Increasingly online video content is taking over as the most popular media. According to Cisco, when we reach 2021, 80 percent of all online traffic will be in video form. This means a rise in demand for video translations and translated subtitles. Around 85 percent of the social media’s video content today is played in the absence of sound which means there is a need for subtitling in many languages.

E-learning and webinar

By 2025, e-learning is expected to reach a value of $355 billion. It is likely that translations of e-learning platforms are likely to increase to match the increase in demand for e-learning. It is not just the language used on the website that will require translations but also the software used to engage the learner.

Localization and globalization

With the implementation of more and more broadband connections and an increase in the speed of the internet, localization and globalization are still going to be a key part of the translation industry in the coming year.
Overall, despite the advent of yet more translation technology there is still going to be a consistent need for human translators and translation services throughout the coming year and beyond as the requirements for translations haven’t yet reached their peak.