{"title":"Building Bridges Between Technical and Professional Communication and Translation Studies","authors":"Belén López-Arroyo;Xiaobo Wang;Suguru Ishizaki","doi":"10.1109/TPC.2024.3433688","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TPC.2024.3433688","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":46950,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication","volume":"67 3","pages":"260-265"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=10645245","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142045118","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"IEEE Professional Communication Society Information","authors":"","doi":"10.1109/TPC.2024.3444437","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TPC.2024.3444437","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":46950,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication","volume":"67 3","pages":"C2-C2"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=10645251","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142045139","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication Information for Authors","authors":"","doi":"10.1109/TPC.2024.3444438","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TPC.2024.3444438","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":46950,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication","volume":"67 3","pages":"C3-C3"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=10645244","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142045261","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Audit Report in Contrast: Developing Corpus-Informed Applications for Spanish Users of English for Business Purposes","authors":"Marlén Izquierdo","doi":"10.1109/TPC.2024.3415242","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TPC.2024.3415242","url":null,"abstract":"Background: This article argues for the intersection of intercultural technical and professional communication (TPC), contrastive rhetoric, and corpus linguistics as a powerful alliance to perform application-oriented genre analysis. Literature review: Research into technical and professional communication has long been interested in genre analysis from an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) approach. Genres are a frequent form of professional communication; reports, in particular, have received great attention in the field of English for Business Purposes (EBP). Nevertheless, existing research has criticized that many ESP/EBP coursebooks are not really tailored to the trade, let alone contain the language used in real-life professional settings. Consequently, specialized corpora for genre description pertain. Aim: This study analyzes the audit report business genre to develop applications of language use for EBP learners. Research questions: 1. What characterizes the audit report (AuR) genre macrostructure in English (EN) and Spanish (ES)? 2. Are there noticeable differences between EN and ES in terms of genre realization? 3. How can the findings of descriptive research be applied in professional contexts? Method: An ad-hoc comparable corpus of authentic AuRs was compiled, tagged at the rhetorical level and browsed following a top-down procedure. First, the macrostructure of the AuR was pinned down and then compared cross-linguistically in search of similarities and differences. Then auditors’ self-mention markers and verbs referring to their tasks were examined. Results: Minor differences were observed at the rhetorical level, as opposed to the findings at the level of grammatical realization. A two-fold proposal is made to transfer descriptive knowledge to an ESP educational setting and to the workplace.","PeriodicalId":46950,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication","volume":"67 3","pages":"333-351"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142045109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Setting Foundations: An Integrative Literature Review at the Intersections of Technical and Professional Communication and Translation Studies","authors":"Ashleigh Petts;Saveena Chakrika Veeramoothoo;Massimo Verzella","doi":"10.1109/TPC.2024.3418168","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TPC.2024.3418168","url":null,"abstract":"Research problem: In our increasingly globalized world, the fields of technical and professional communication (TPC) and translation studies (TS) share many points of contact, especially among practitioners. However, within academia, the fields remain largely siloed. To help bridge the gaps between TPC and TS, to advance interdisciplinary research in the two fields, and understand how technical communication and translation can be discursively integrated, this article offers an integrative literature review of research in TPC and TS that focuses on intersections between the two fields. Research questions: 1. What are the research questions, purposes, and objectives in the research under study? 2. Who is represented in the literature, and what languages do they speak? Methodology: To understand how the fields are converging, we conducted a staged integrative literature review of peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters in TPC and TS. Next, we performed a thematic analysis to investigate patterns across the collected literature. Results and conclusions: Our analysis suggests five themes that help connect research and practice in TPC and TS, including pedagogical approaches for training students for careers in international technical communication and translation; collaborations among practitioners in both fields; questions of social justice, language diversity, and language access; available resources and tools; and the role of culture in translation. We conclude by advocating for a stronger integration of the two fields and by suggesting how to build on the foundations of research work conducted in the five identified themes.","PeriodicalId":46950,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication","volume":"67 3","pages":"285-300"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142077643","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Technology-Powered Multilingual Professional and Technical Writing: An Integrative Literature Review of Landmark and the Latest Writing Assistance Tools","authors":"Lucía Sanz-Valdivieso","doi":"10.1109/TPC.2024.3419288","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TPC.2024.3419288","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Linguistic research and technological developments have influenced the habits of numerous language and nonlanguage practitioners. However, the wide offering of writing tools is often scattered and does not always reach potential users in a systematized way. Research methodology: This integrative literature review examines scholarly publications to identify writing assistance tools that may serve international and multilingual professionals in different fields. Tools are characterized by working languages, domains, writing stage of application, functionalities, underlying technologies, origin, and type of access. Results and discussion: The analysis reveals that most tools are multilingual, scarce in terms of domains of specialization, and designed to be used in the writing stage, rather than prewriting or postwriting. Natural language generation, translation, implementation of suggestions, and integration into other software are the most common functionalities, often in combination with others. Language-model- based and language-generation tools predominate, followed by neural machine translation and pattern-matching technology. Conclusions and further research: This literature review provides a compendium of writing assistance tools and a framework for their classification. Nevertheless, professionals’ writing needs differ widely, and writing technologies evolve rapidly, so these findings will need to be updated or complemented by different data collection and analytical approaches. One thing is certain: professionals need to stay up to date not only through traditionally reliable sources, but also through nonacademic media that allow them to learn about the latest developments in the field.","PeriodicalId":46950,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication","volume":"67 3","pages":"301-315"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142045224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Translation and Localization in Global Technical Communication","authors":"Beau Pihlaja;Meghalee Das;Laurena Davis;Aliethia Dean;Danyela M. Fonseca;Elizabeth Hughes;Regan Joswiak;Laura Koleva;Min Yang;Jiaxin Zhang","doi":"10.1109/TPC.2024.3418237","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TPC.2024.3418237","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Many technical and professional communication (TPC) students, practitioners, and instructors are not trained translators or localizers. However, translation and localization competencies are important in today's interconnected world and should be part of international TPC instruction. To meet this need, TPC instruction may incorporate exposure to translation issues into coursework and explore the growing use of technologies in the translation process. About the case: Recognizing the need to incorporate translation and localization (T&L) into a graduate seminar on “Global Technical Communication” (GTC), the course's instructor and students co-constructed a unique translation assignment that embraced the limitations created by most instructors’ and students’ lack of exposure to or experience with the translation process. Situating the case: TPC education has been criticized for focusing increasingly on TPC and writing classrooms as the object of study rather than sites where students eventually work and apply their knowledge. While study abroad programs or globally connected learning communities are ideal for teaching “real-world” T&L skills, substantial material limitations can impede their widespread adoption. Methods/approach: This experience report was co-authored by the instructor and TPC students from the 2020 and 2022 iterations of the GTC graduate seminar. We describe the translation assignment, its development, and the groups’ final submissions and reflections. Results/discussion: Students’ group and instructor reflections suggest the assignment's potential to facilitate closer engagement with real-world global TPC processes, deeper consideration of language and culture's relationship in TPC, and developing appropriate levels of confidence in working on similar projects as TPC researchers or practitioners. Conclusions: Our experience report provides proof of concept for how we might begin introducing T&L practices to TPC students in low-stakes but meaningful assignments.","PeriodicalId":46950,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication","volume":"67 3","pages":"386-402"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142045138","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Positive Evaluation in the Translation of Online Promotional Discourse in the Cheese Industry","authors":"Belén Labrador;Noelia Ramón","doi":"10.1109/TPC.2024.3417056","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TPC.2024.3417056","url":null,"abstract":"Background: The bulk of international trade has led to increasing demand for specialized professional communication texts in multilingual contexts. Persuasive language is required in promotional discourse to sell products. When transactions are carried out with foreign countries, translation becomes essential for successful commercial exchange. Literature review: Persuasion requires the use of positive evaluation to describe products. This article addresses the need to contrast the expression of positive evaluation in English and Spanish online promotional cheese descriptions. Research questions: 1. What are the linguistic resources used to express positive evaluation in English and Spanish in online promotional texts of the cheese industry? 2. What is the distribution across parts of speech and semantic categories and subcategories between these two languages? 3. How can semantic tags in bilingual comparable corpora provide useful information for translation practice? Methodology: Empirical data have been extracted from Online Cheese Descriptions (OCD), a semantically tagged English-Spanish corpus, and classified using the Appraisal Framework into the subcategories of appreciation, judgment, affect, and graduation. Results and discussion: Tests of statistical significance have revealed cross-linguistic differences, mainly in appreciation, thus leading to a qualitative analysis. The findings also include a large inventory of all evaluative items that express appreciation for cheeses in both languages and general guidelines for translators. Conclusions: This multilayer corpus-based analysis has yielded relevant data that can be used to enhance the second-language writing and translation processes required for marketing cheese in English and Spanish, thus supporting international professionals in their communication in multilingual contexts.","PeriodicalId":46950,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication","volume":"67 3","pages":"316-332"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142045223","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Evolutionary Convergence of Technical Communication and Translation: An Integrative Literature Review of Scholarship From 2000 to 2022","authors":"Giuseppe Palumbo;Ann Hill Duin","doi":"10.1109/TPC.2024.3411888","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TPC.2024.3411888","url":null,"abstract":"Background and key aims: As a result of economic, social, and technological changes, companies wishing to compete in the global economy see both technical communication and translation as integral to continued relevance. The purpose of our research is to identify the evolutionary convergence of technical communication and translation through an analysis of published academic studies. Method: We conducted an integrative literature review for the period extending from 2000 to 2022. We selected publications from online bibliographic databases and then followed a staged review process aimed at identifying relevant studies. We carried out an overall thematic analysis, complemented by an analysis of subgroups of sources. We also looked at the “initial drivers” behind studies. Then, we explored possibilities for using network visualizations to account for the interaction between papers and the associated relevance both disciplinarily and globally. Results and discussion: The themes of field convergence and localization are represented consistently throughout the two-decade period. The need for virtual team collaboration accelerated during the second decade, largely because of online collaborative projects between students of technical communication and students of translation. Surprisingly, technology was the focus of only a minority of papers. Exploratory use of visualization tools showed that there still is a lack of overlap in terms of scholarly attention across the US and Europe. Conclusions: Our study shows thematic convergence in scholarship in the two disciplines. Future similar studies might gain from using network visualizations to better illustrate the interaction between studies.","PeriodicalId":46950,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication","volume":"67 3","pages":"266-284"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142045119","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Integrating Technical Communication Into China's Translation and Interpreting Curriculum: Course Design, Practice, and Evaluation of Two Graduate Classes","authors":"Lin Dong;Shuangyan Li","doi":"10.1109/TPC.2024.3413368","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TPC.2024.3413368","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Graduates with master's degrees in Translation and Interpreting (MTI) are an important workforce in technical communication. To meet this need, we examined the pedagogy of trans-writing to better integrate technical communication (TC) into translation programs. This teaching case from two Chinese universities discusses the curriculum design, its implementation, and teaching effectiveness. Situating the case: While an increasing number of universities in China are interested in embedding TC courses into their translation programs, no research-backed effective solution has been identified. About the case: To boost the employability of MTI students, we designed the courses as “user-centered trans-writing with global content,” which features trans-writing as a strategy for global content creation, user research as the core learning task, and team projects as the primary form of engagement. Methods: We used a mixed method of interviews and surveys to investigate the course effectiveness, each targeting different groups of stakeholders. Results: We synthesized a competence framework for trans-writers based on interviews, which showed that graduates (who work as trans-writers) and their employers prioritized language/culture, user-centered mindset, and cooperation as core competencies. A survey focusing on other graduates who took our courses but did not become trans-writers also revealed positive learning outcomes, including expanded professional visions and enhanced skills in user awareness, project management, collaboration, and communication. Conclusion: The trans-writing approach is effective in equipping MTI students with the necessary competencies for global technical communication.","PeriodicalId":46950,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication","volume":"67 3","pages":"369-385"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142045137","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}