Automatic subtitling and machine translation in aiding English to Thai simultaneous interpretation

Abstract

With the development of automatic speech recognition (ASR) and machine translation (MT) technology in recent years, their uses in simultaneous interpretation (SI) have been a subject of interest. This research, conducted to study these technologies in aiding the SI process, has four participants interpreted (English to Thai) three comparable speeches with automatic subtitling, with MT, and without subtitling. An audience then rated the interpretation renditions and answered a comprehension questionnaire. According to the participants, automatic subtitling allowed them to cross-check their translation, while MT provided a way to decrease the cognitive effort. According to the audience, automatic subtitling has a slight advantage; however, this could be considered statistically insignificant, and further studies are needed. Further analysis could also be made concerning the accuracy, interpretation qualities, and psychoanalysis of body language during the interpretation session. This research provides information on how ASR and MT technologies could be beneficial regarding human SI.