By Jose Palomino-Perez
April 11th, 2024
The ATA Language Technology Division (LTD) held ATA TEKTalks 3.2 on April 11th, 2024, featuring the fresh out-of-the-oven tool Metalinguist. This session explored how translators and interpreters can harness the power of technology to boost their efficiency and stay competitive. LTD’s commitment to the industry and its professionals is further emphasized by our new initiative, “NO LINGUIST LEFT BEHIND,” which highlights the importance of embracing technology for all language experts.
Innovative Solutions from Metalinguist
The focal point of the webinar was an in-depth presentation by Veronica Hylák, co-founder of Metalinguist. She brought her extensive experience in product innovation from Fortune 500 companies and U.S. intelligence systems to the forefront. Veronica’s discussion focused on how technology can be harmonized with traditional language services, providing insights into how professionals can leverage advanced tools to better compete in a market increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence.
In Veronica’s words: “Metalinguist is a sleek business client portal for both translation and interpreting, operational within 5 minutes, and optimizes client management operations in a way never standardized before in the industry. As language companies, we’ve noticed a shift: we’re not only competing with AI translation technology but also with the ease of use of these tools. Therefore, it’s critical for language companies to be more user-friendly than AI solutions like ChatGPT. Metalinguist provides a platform that makes ordering services as easy as using AI but with the quality assurance of your professional expertise and the reassurance of your branding.”
Key Features and Demonstrations
Veronica introduced several cutting-edge features of the Metalinguist platform, aimed at simplifying and enhancing the client management process. These included:
• Quick Client Onboarding: A streamlined process that allows language professionals to quickly and efficiently set up new client profiles.
• Customizable Client Interfaces: Options for professionals to tailor the client-facing aspects of their services, ensuring a personalized and branded experience.
• Integration with CAT Tools: Easy compatibility with existing Computer Assisted Translation tools, enhancing workflow without requiring significant changes to established processes.
A live demonstration of the Metalinguist environment provided attendees with a clear view of the platform’s potential to transform client interactions and project management.
Addressing Industry Concerns: Data Privacy and Client Experience
Veronica assured attendees of Metalinguist’s commitment to stringent data protection measures, emphasizing that the platform does not mine or misuse client data under any circumstances. The webinar also addressed how the platform maintains high standards of client service while integrating technological solutions, including maintaining human oversight over automated processes to ensure quality and accuracy.
Interactive Q&A Session
The session concluded with an interactive Q&A session, moderated by Daniel Sebesta, Administrator of ATA’s Language Technology Division, and Karen Leube, a member of the LTD Leadership Council. They facilitated a discussion where attendees explored further the capabilities of Metalinguist and its potential to enhance their professional workflows.
Q: Operational Enhancement: How does Metalinguist enhance the operational presence of linguists or language companies?
A: Metalinguist makes it feasible for even small entities to boost their operational capabilities, typically a feature only affordable to larger
companies.
Q: Ease of Use: How does the tool simplify client interactions?
A: With no client learning curve, Metalinguist allows quick and straightforward ordering, akin to a “drive-through” experience.
Q: Integration Capabilities: How well does Metalinguist integrate with popular CAT tools like Trados?
A: The platform offers a seamless three-click integration with Trados, syncing data effortlessly.
Q: Future Positioning: How does Metalinguist position language professionals for a lucrative career now and into the future?
A: By providing tools that not only keep pace with technological advancements but place linguists at the forefront of the industry’s
evolution.
Q: Freelancer and LSP Benefits: What are some specific benefits for freelancers and LSPs using Metalinguist?
A: LSPs report a fourfold increase in client contacts and a significant reduction in project management time, while freelancers can effectively operate as their own LSPs.
Q: Interpreter Scheduling: Does Metalinguist offer features for scheduling interpreters
A: Yes, an interpreting module is in beta testing, expanding capabilities to include in-person and virtual interpreting services.
Conclusion and Future Directions
This TEKTalks session underscored Metalinguist’s role as not just a tool but a partner for language professionals, championing the essential human element in translation and interpreting services. As businesses globally lean towards automation, Metalinguist ensures that the value of genuine human interaction is not only preserved but also enhanced.
The webinar was a resounding success, with over 450 participants, providing actionable insights and demonstrating Metalinguist’s potential to revolutionize how language professionals engage with technology. The ATA Technology Division remains committed to offering such enriching sessions, ensuring its members are well-equipped to meet the challenges of a dynamic industry landscape.
Honorable mention to Dmitry Beschetny who served as the ATA liaison and provided the transcript which is the base for this blog post.
For more information on this tool, visit: www.Metalinguist.com
Stay tuned for future ATA TEKTalks sessions!
NB: Claude 3, ChatGPT4, and Gemini 1.5 were all valuable little helpers in the creation of this blog post.