Exploring the Gap: The Challenge of Achieving Human-like Generalization for Concept-based Translation Instruction Using Large Language Models

Abstract

Our study utilizes concept description instructions and few-shot learning examples to examine the effectiveness of a large language model (GPT-4) in generating Chinese-to-English translations that embody related translation concepts. We discovered that human language experts possess superior abductive reasoning skills compared to GPT-4. Therefore, it is crucial for humans to employ abductive reasoning to craft more detailed instructions and infuse additional logic into exemplary prompts, a step essential for guiding a large language model effectively, in contrast to the more intuitive understanding a human expert might have. This approach would make the prompt engineering process more complicated and less human-like. Emphasizing domain-specific abductive reasoning stands out as a crucial aspect of human-like learning that AI/ML systems based on large language models should aim to replicate.