Alla ricerca della conoscenza. quali strumenti per la traduzione saggistica?

Nowadays Machine Aided Translation tools are widely used in the translation practice of any type of text: from literary texts to technical and scientific ones. The process of comprehension and interpretation of the message of a text is closely linked to the research of unknown words. An important part of the translation process involves collecting subject-specific information and technology has made this task much easier by providing tools for the search and the management of knowledge, enabling translators to increase productivity and to improve the consistency and quality of their work. The search of information performed by means of computer-based tools is a complex activity which requires specific skills and techniques to be considered as primary aims in teaching translation. This paper presents an overview of the main off-line and Internet-based translation tools available for the search of information, from the perspective of teaching the translation of a specific text typology: the essay. The paper looks at some of the key linguistic and design issues behind the implementation of these tools and concludes by discussing their impact on the translation process and their importance in teaching translation.