Expanding Our Horizons: LSPs Thinking outside the AI Box

Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash

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ChatGPT would start this article with:

In our interconnected world, the translation industry plays a pivotal role and effective communication is paramount, but it must navigate a rapidly evolving landscape where machine translation and AI-driven tools are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

I wouldn’t. But now that I have your attention, let’s get real.

We all know by now that AI is here to stay. And we all react differently to it. However, the fact is that LSPs and linguists alike are affected by it and experience varying levels of trepidation thinking about the future – and find different solutions to deal with the present.

One effective strategy is to expand our offerings beyond conventional services or translation (localization, transcreation, subtitling, etc.) by leveraging the linguistic skills and resources we already have. I am sure we are not the only ones who have noticed the MTPE takeover for some language combinations and felt the need to create supplemental sources of income for some of the freelancers we’ve been working with for years and regard as part of the family now.

Thinking hat on: how can we use our skills and knowledge to expand our service offerings, whether it be playing along with the AI or going completely rogue?

Here are some of the solutions we’ve tested and successfully deployed, please feel free to let us know if you can add to the list below.
 

1. Linguistic Brand Name Validation

•    What it includes:
Before launching a brand in a new market, it's crucial to ensure that the brand name is culturally appropriate and resonates well with the target audience. This service involves researching and validating brand names to avoid any negative connotations or misunderstandings in the target language/market, any possible mispronunciations, positive or negative associations, similar words, etc.
Skills required:
•    Cultural awareness
•    Linguistic sensitivity
•    Market research

2. Text and Data Annotation

•    What it includes:
In the era of AI and machine learning, data annotation is becoming more and more important as it helps label and classify unstructured data generated across public Internet domains. Text and data annotation services include labeling and categorizing data to train machine learning models. This can involve tagging parts of speech, identifying and labeling various named entities, summarizing, and more.
Skills required:
•    Attention to detail
•    Linguistic knowledge
•    Technical proficiency

3. Copywriting

•    What it includes:
It involves crafting compelling and persuasive copy for various mediums, including advertisements, brochures, websites, and more. This service focuses on creating content that engages and converts and requires creativity as well as knowledge of the subject matter, much like marketing translations and transcreation.
Skills required:
•    Creative writing
•    Marketing knowledge
•    Persuasive language skills

4. Content Writing

•    What it includes:
Producing high-quality content for blogs, articles, social media, and other platforms. This involves researching topics, developing ideas, and writing informative and engaging pieces tailored to the target audience.
Skills required:
•    Research skills
•    Strong writing ability
•    SEO knowledge

5. Multilingual SEO

•    What it includes:
Optimizing content for search engines in multiple languages. This service ensures that the specific website’s content ranks well in search results for the targeted region and language.
Skills required:
•    SEO expertise
•    Linguistic proficiency
•    Analytical skills

6. Localization Testing

•    What it includes:
Ensuring that localized content functions correctly and is culturally appropriate. This includes testing software, websites, and applications for linguistic and cultural accuracy.
Skills required:
•    Technical skills
•    Linguistic and cultural knowledge
•    Attention to detail

7. Multilingual Desktop Publishing (DTP)

•    What it includes:
Creating and formatting documents in multiple languages while maintaining the original design and layout. This service is essential for producing multilingual marketing materials, manuals, and publications. Also frequently needed for preparing uneditable documents for CAT tools.
Skills required:
•    Design skills
•    Technical proficiency
•    Linguistic knowledge

8. Cultural Consultation

•    What it includes:
Providing insights and advice on cultural nuances and practices to help businesses enter new markets effectively. This can include guidance on communication styles, etiquette, and local customs.
Skills required:
•    Cultural expertise
•    Communication skills
•    Market research

9. Language Training

•    What it includes:

Offering language training programs for individuals and corporate clients. These programs can be tailored to specific needs, such as business communication, technical language, or everyday conversation. Also, moving away from the predictable and common language lessons, it can be segmented into smaller services within this purpose, such as: test grading, textbook writing, curriculum writing, etc.
Skills required:
•    Teaching skills
•    Linguistic expertise
•    Organizational skills

10. Sentiment Analysis

•    What it includes:
Using linguistic skills to analyze text for sentiment, determining whether the content has a positive, negative, or neutral tone. This service is valuable for brand monitoring, understanding customer feedback, social media interactions, and market research.
Skills required:
•    Analytical skills
•    Linguistic knowledge
•    Familiarity with sentiment analysis tools

11. Chatbot Training

•    What it includes:
Developing and training chatbots to understand and respond accurately in multiple languages. This involves creating and refining conversational scripts and ensuring cultural appropriateness.
Skills required:
•    Linguistic expertise
•    Programming knowledge
•    Cultural sensitivity

12. AI Data Cleaning

•    What it includes:
Ensuring that linguistic data used in AI models is clean, accurate, and free of errors. This involves reviewing and correcting data sets, removing duplicates, and ensuring consistency.
Skills required:
•    Attention to detail
•    Linguistic proficiency
•    Data management skills

13. Voice Recognition Optimization

•    What it includes:
Enhancing voice recognition systems to better understand and process different languages and dialects. This involves training systems to recognize speech patterns and accents accurately.
Skills required:
•    Linguistic and phonetic knowledge
•    Technical proficiency
•    Analytical skills

Bonus left-field service (not to end on item 13!)

14. Baby Name Consulting

•    What it includes:
Helping parents choose baby names that are meaningful, culturally appropriate, and linguistically beautiful. This service includes researching names' origins, meanings, possible mispronunciations, derived nicknames and cultural significance to ensure they resonate well in the chosen language and culture.
Skills required:
•    Cultural and linguistic knowledge
•    Research skills
•    Sensitivity to personal and cultural preferences

To round this up, we do understand that some of these services can only be considered as supplemental, because the demand is still just emerging, also learning new methods and processes is not always ideal nor accepted by all. We’ve discovered, however, that opening these new avenues for growth and innovation and leveraging our linguistic resources in creative ways can indeed be beneficial and drive further progress (and profit, let’s be honest about it!).
 

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