在AI时代，很多行业都面临着重塑甚至颠覆。那么，就翻译这一行业来说，新技术的诞生是否意味着人工翻译的终结？我们还有必要学习外语吗？相比于机器翻译，人类翻译又有哪些独到之处呢？昨日（11月9日），新中国翻译事业70年论坛暨2019中国翻译协会年会在北京开幕，国际译联主席凯文·夸克（Kevin Quirk）在开幕式致辞中就这些问题作了深入探讨。小百通特将其发言编译出来，推送给大家。
中国翻译协会是国际译联中的
“重量级成员”
国际译联（FIT）已经同世界上130多个翻译协会建立了良好的交流和合作。我们代表了这个行业的8.5万余名杰出翻译。
FIT -The International Federation of Translators – gathers together some 130 associations of translators, terminologists and interpreters from around the world, representing around 85,000 of the best professionals in our industry.
作为众多翻译协会的国际联合组织，我们当中有很多大的成员单位，包括美国译联（ATA）、法国译协（SFT）、英国翻译研究会（ITI）、德国译协（BDÜ）。
As a Federation of translators' associations, we include among our members some of the largest associations in the world, including ATA in the USA, SFT in France, ITI in the UK, BDÜ in Germany.
当然，还有中国翻译协会（TAC）。它是所有协会成员中体量最大的组织，是名副其实的最重量级的成员。
Of course, Translators Association of China (TAC), the biggest of them all. A veritable powerhouse among translators' associations.
无论规模大小，国际译联的每个成员都有其独特之处和专研领域。他们所代表的不同文化和语言也形成了国际译联的多元性。
Each of these associations – from the largest to the smallest – has its own special characteristics, peculiarities and areas of focus. In sum then they are, in other words, as diverse as the cultures and the languages they represent.
国际译联的成员协会所属的每个会员都有一个共同点——致力于翻译行业。即，每一位成员都是专业人士，致力于提供高质量的翻译、术语或口译服务。
What each of our members have in common, however, is a commitment to the profession. That is, every one of them – and you yourselves – are all professionals who provide high quality translation, terminology or interpreting services.
世界上所有翻译
都具备四大共性
通过近年来我在世界各地所到之处与许多笔译、口译工作者以及术语专家的接触和会谈，我得出以下四点关于翻译工作者特征的观察或者论断，亦或是事实。
From my travels around the world in recent years and from speaking and meeting with translators, terminologists and interpreters in a wide range of countries, I feel qualified to make the following four observations or claims, or even undeniable facts – truths about translators.
我认为，这些是世界上所有的翻译所具备的共同特点。正是这些特征才使得我们人类翻译工作者能够联合起来。
These traits, I believe, are common to translators throughout the world and they are characteristics that I believe essentially unite us as human translators.
第一，翻译对语言的热爱超过了常人。
1. Translators possess an above-average love of language.
第二，翻译使用新技术的意愿要比常人更强烈（在搜索引擎出现之前，我们自己常常就是搜索引擎）。
2. Translators show an above-average willingness to adopt and embrace new technology(We were Baidu before Baidu even existed).
第三，翻译拥有超过常人的智商。
3. Translators are of above-average intelligence.
第四，翻译的美超过了常人。
4. Translators are of above-average beauty.
当然，我在这里所说的美是指内在美。它反映了你对语言的超常热爱，对使用新技术的更强意愿，以及更高的智力水平。当我环顾会场四周，我可以说我的第四点论断，这也是最具争议的论断，并没有错。
By beauty here, I mean, an inner beauty reflecting your above-average love of language, your above-average willingness to adapt to new technology and your above-average intelligence, but as I look around the room, I can also say that I am not wrong about my fourth (most contentious) claim either.
新中国翻译事业70年：
反映中国70年发展
我每次参加中国译协大会的时候，精心制定的会议主题都给我留下了深刻的印象。今年的主题是“新中国翻译事业70年”，这确实是一个非常合适的主题，能够反映出中华人民共和国70年的发展。
Every time I have attended the TAC Conference, I have been impressed by the themes you have chosen for your conferences, and this year's theme – Translation in China – 70 Years of Development – is indeed no exception, mirroring as it does 70 years of development of the People's Republic of China.
因此，我建议大家去参观一下“新中国翻译事业70年掠影图片展”。这个图片展非常生动地展示了过去70年中国翻译事业取得的巨大成就。
In this respect, I urge you all to take time to view the newly opened Photo Exhibition on 70 Years of Translation Work in China, as it provides a visual representation of the way in which translation work has developed in China over the years.
在我看来，中国译协在积极促进中国翻译事业发展方面所取得的成就值得我们致以最崇高的敬意。
In my opinion, what TAC is achieving here in terms of development of the translating profession deserves our utmost respect.
中国译协在国际译联中常常发挥关键作用。从我最早的记忆起，中国译协在国际译联的最高机构理事会中就有代表席位。
TAC has always played a key role within FIT, and for as long as I can remember, TAC has always had a representative on FIT Council, FIT's supreme body between Congresses.
我要感谢中国译协为建立国际译联亚洲区域中心所给予的大力支持。这已经成为我在担任主席期间个人非常大的心愿。
I am particularly indebted to TAC for their strong support in helping develop and create a FIT Asia Regional Centre, which has been one of my personal ambitions during my presidency.
我希望亚洲区域中心的建立能填补我们在亚洲的空白。这也是继现有的欧洲、北美和拉丁美洲区域中心之后，国际译联又一个重要的区域中心。
Very shortly, I hope FIT will be able to present news of the establishment of such a regional centre – to complement our existing centres in Europe, North America and Latin America.
翻译的未来会怎样？
我愿意用剩下的时间谈谈那些对我们的职业来说可以称之为威胁（的确是巨大威胁）的事物，即机器翻译、神经机器翻译以及人工智能。
I would like to use the rest of my allotted time to say a few words about something that has been perceived by some as a threat – indeed, a great threat – to our profession, namely machine translation, neural machine translation and artificial intelligence.
我知道许多有志成为翻译工作者的年轻人都十分关心的一个问题是：新技术的诞生是否意味着人工翻译的终结？正如一些专家所高调宣称的那样。
I know that one pertinent question being asked by many young people who may be interested in becoming a translator or an interpreter is: Will the introduction of new technologies herald the imminent death of the human translator, as some pundits have glibly claimed?
两年前，我主持召开过一个由欧盟委员会翻译总干事所安排的研讨会。会议的主题就是：机器翻译对译者意味着什么？
Two years ago I moderated a panel discussion arranged by the Director General of Translation in the European Commission on what machine translation will mean for translators.
作为这个研讨会上唯一的翻译从业者，我从其他与会的学者和技术专家那里得知，五年后将不再需要人类翻译了。
As the only practitioner – the only practising translator on the panel – I was reliably informed, in no uncertain words, by the other panelists – scholars and technologists – that within five years there would no longer be a need for human translators.
事实上，他们甚至告诉我要为那些即将完全被机器取代的翻译工作者们找到一个新的名称。
In fact, I was even told we would need to find a new name for the work carried out by humans as the role of translator would be taken over completely by machines.
这些权威人士还为翻译工作者们提供了几个名称供选择，例如审读者、校订者、译后编辑、机器翻译老师，甚至“清洁者”。
Several names were offered by those same pundits for the new role for humans employed in the translation process, including reviewer, reviser, post-editor, machine translation teacher and even cleaner.
我很明确地说，我不会把自己称为“国际清洁者联合会主席”。
I made it quite clear, however, that I had no intention of ever calling myself President of the International Federation of Cleaners.
此事已经过去了两年，尽管技术发展的脚步很快。但万幸的是，我们还在这里。
Well, a couple of years have passed since then and even though the pace of technological development is very fast, we are still here, thankfully, and for a very good reason.
我想，这里有很多炒作的成分，但我还是充满了希望。
I think it is fair to say there is a lot of hype out there, but in my mind there is also a lot of hope.
不是希望翻译很快消失，不是希望翻译被机器所取代。而是希望机器翻译能够承担更多的翻译工作，同时，世界能够对新的文化敞开怀抱。
Not hope that translators will soon disappear and be replaced completely by automated translation and interpretation for that matter. Rather, there is hope in that machine translation appears to produce more translations and at the same time to open up the world to new cultures.
此外，有明确迹象表明，只要翻译工作者能够提供高质量的专业语言服务，那么对熟练人工翻译的需求将会更大。
Furthermore, there are clear indications that there is more work out there for skilled human translators, as long as they continue to provide high-quality professional language services.
我建议大家不断精益求精。要广泛地阅读，不断地提高水平。努力让自己做到最好！
I urge you all to excel at what you do. Read widely and improve at all times! Be the best you can at what you do!
我要在此重申，翻译工作者们已经具有很强的适应性，他们是杰出的翻译，在未来的许多年里都不会被机器所取代。
I would like to reiterate here though that human translators, who we have already established are highly adaptable, are truly brilliant and will not be replaced for many, many years to come.
最后，我们要认识到人工翻译是一项伟大的工作。
Finally, it is essential that we continue to recognise the great work human translators do.
去年，中国译协请国际译联为举办韩素音国际翻译大赛提供支持。今年我很高兴国际译联将参与大赛的颁奖仪式。
Last year, I was honoured when TAC asked FIT to support the Han Suyin International Translation Contest, and this year I am very happy that FIT will also be involved in the award ceremony later today.
在我看来，这样的大赛非常重要，让我们能够认识到我们这个领域的佼佼者。我认为，让翻译工作者认识到自身所从事的是一项伟大的工作也是翻译协会的职责所在。
In my opinion, such contests are important as we recognise the best of the best in our field. And I consider recognition and acknowledgement of the brilliant work we do as human translators a highly important part of a translators associations's work.
我愿意用我作的一首诗来结束此次发言。我用这首诗来赞美来自中国译协的翻译工作者们。
I would like toend on another self-composed – and mediocre at best –poem in praise of you – the translators and interpreters from TAC.
我要向今天的同声传译工作者们表达歉意和感谢。抱歉我在发言的结尾给了你们一个难题，但我知道，你们都是优秀的翻译，一定没问题！
I would like to apologise and thank the brilliant interpreters in the booths! Thank you, I am sorry to throw this at you – all very last minute – but I know you –as brilliant human translators and interpreters – will manage!
致中国译协译者的赞美诗
Poem in praise oftranslators and interpreters from TAC
On this most momentous day
Let bells peal and flagpoles sway.
Let's raise our gazes and sing the praises
Of the people of TAC in every way.
For you are the ones who make thousands of choices
While lending your readers your very clear voices
Reflecting the cadence and the tone
Of utterances soppy or dry to the bone.
Whether it's text or speech, you do your best
Ask any one of us; it's always a test
Of your envious strengths as you work your magic
On texts highly serious or even most tragic.
Whether connecting nations
Or fostering peace,
You create understanding
You're truly outstanding!
You deserve to be praised
You deserve to be proud!
You deserve a poem to be read out loud!
来源 / 国际译联主席凯文·夸克（Kevin Quirk）在新中国翻译事业70年论坛暨2019中国翻译协会年会上的致辞
翻译整理 / 白石
编辑 / 宁静
