A corpus-based, machine-aided mode of translator training: ClinkNotes and beyond

This paper begins with an overview of the situation in translator training, with special reference to universities in China, and argues for the desirability and feasibility of introducing an electronic mode of teaching and learning in translator education. It then outlines the operational features of ClinkNotes, a computer-aided tool for the teaching and (self-)learning of translation. Following Zhu and Yip (2010), the authors present a more focused illustration of an information focus-sensitive model of data annotation to facilitate self-learning. The initial corpus, De profundis by Oscar Wilde (1897), was chosen for its complexity. In particular, the paper discusses users' perceptions of the system as shown in a recent questionnaire survey, as well as the possibilities of improvement and further development. Finally, the authors describe how the use of ClinkNotes has been extended to a corpus of finance-related texts, leading to further improvements in the tool.