A Review of Major Translation Technologies in Literature: Bridging to Hybrid Systems

Literature has served as a means of expression for centuries. However, the earliest attempts to overcome language barriers can be traced back to the 1200 years old manuscript by Al Kindi on deciphering cryptographic messages. In the second millennium BC, the Sumerian poem Gilgamesh, was translated into Asian languages marking the earliest known literary translation.  With the advent of computers in late mid twentieth century, translation technology began to take form. Translation involves conveying the essence of a text from one language into another. Through translation, literature gains the ability to transcend boundaries, enabling writers to communicate across time and cultures. Translated works contribute to the enrichment of the target language by introducing new terms and concepts, thereby benefiting the linguistic landscape. Eventually, along with the help of Machine Translation technology, it took the form of present-day existing techniques used in translation. The study provides a critical and comprehensive overview of the evolution of the said technology over the years. It familiarizes with the use of the translation in literature. It examines the challenges faced by each technique and how they were addressed by subsequent innovations. Furthermore, it will reflect on the different approaches taken in this field over the years: machine and human. Finally, the article will showcase the present-day challenges faced and speculate on the possibilities of its future advancement.