Localisation 5 August 2026
The Technological Turn in Translation Studies: The Theoretical Place of Localisation
Translation studies went through a technological turn by bringing the influence of technology into its theory. We examine the theoretical place of localisation within that turn and what it means.
For a long time translation studies saw technology as something outside translation, a mere auxiliary tool. The digital revolution changed that view. The field went through a technological turn that moved the influence of technology to the centre of its theory. Localisation is perhaps the most concrete example of that turn.
Contents
Jiménez-Crespo (2024) situates localisation studies within this broader transformation. But what exactly is the technological turn, and where does localisation sit on the map of translation studies? This article looks at that theoretical debate and at what it means in practice.
What is the technological turn?
The technological turn is a gradual process in which translation theories began to take in the increasingly evident influence of technology. In O’Hagan’s (2013) phrasing, translation theories start to embrace technology “as a result of radical changes in the way translation is carried out”.
This turn sees technology not as an aid external to translation but as an inseparable part of the process. As Cronin (2010) notes, it follows from significant shifts in the way translation is done in the contemporary world.
The technological turn, then, is not simply a matter of using new tools. It is a rethinking of theory itself so that technology is taken into account.
Its relationship with the globalisation turn
The technological turn is intertwined with what Snell-Hornby calls the “globalisation turn”. That turn combines the unprecedented impact of technology on translation processes with the powerful influence of globalisation.
Snell-Hornby (2010) states that this new orientation arose from the combination of “the external impact of globalisation and the breathtaking developments in information technology”. Those developments have radically changed many aspects of modern life, and the language industries with them.
Together the two turns explain why localisation has become a central topic in translation studies. Localisation stands at the point where technology and globalisation intersect.
Where does localisation stand on the map?
Localisation studies is an interdiscipline positioned at the intersection of translation studies and a number of neighbouring fields. The table below summarises those intersections.
| Neighbouring field | Contribution to localisation |
|---|---|
| Media studies | Digital content and distribution |
| Web usability | User experience criteria |
| Web accessibility | Inclusive design |
| Cultural studies | The ground for cultural adaptation |
| Business and marketing | Market focus, return-on-investment logic |
The table shows why localisation does not fit inside a single discipline. The technological turn is precisely the ground that makes this interdisciplinary meeting possible.
How the theoretical turn plays out in practice
The technological turn is not merely an academic debate; it has practical consequences. Seeing technology as an element within translation reshapes workflows, training and the understanding of quality.
These consequences can be set out as follows:
- Technology is placed at the centre of process design rather than left outside translation.
- Training shifts from teaching a single tool to teaching principles.
- Quality is measured not only in linguistic terms but also by usability and accessibility.
- The localiser develops an interdisciplinary competence.
You will find the conceptual background to these changes in our knowledge centre, and for your corporate projects you can look at our translation services page.
The future of the turn
The technological turn is not a finished process. Neural machine translation, large language models and artificial intelligence all require theory to be rethought again and again. The fastest changing part of the map of translation studies is precisely this technological layer.
That continuity makes localisation one of the most dynamic areas of translation studies. Every new technology gives rise to new practices and new theoretical questions alike.
The theoretical place of localisation is therefore not fixed but mobile. The field constantly repositions itself along with technology.
Updating the Holmes map
The technological turn has put pressure on the classic map of translation studies. The map Holmes first drew was designed at a time when technology was nothing like as decisive. Over the years researchers have proposed additions and changes to it.
Quah (2006), for instance, expanded the translation aids branch to reflect technological developments. Dunne and Dunne (2011) added localisation management to the map. Such updates show how alive the field is.
These changes prove that the map is not a static document. As technology advances, the way translation studies describes itself changes with it. Localisation is one of the driving forces behind that transformation.
The transformation of the tool families
The most concrete trace of the technological turn is visible in translation tools. At the outset those tools amounted to no more than dictionaries, grammars and computer-assisted translation tools. Over time the family has expanded considerably.
Today the tool family covers machine translation engines, terminology management systems, project management tools and document management solutions. As Quah (2006) notes, most tools are now multifunctional and integrated.
This transformation shows that tools no longer work in isolation from one another. Machine translation is interwoven with translation memory; cloud solutions allow online collaboration among volunteers. Tools are increasingly turning into an ecosystem.
The impact of NMT and language models
The newest front of the technological turn is neural machine translation (NMT) and large language models. According to Esselink (2022), the adoption of NMT has had the greatest impact on the localisation industry in recent years.
Localisers now treat post-editing after NMT (MTPE) as normal for certain content types. This may not change the nature of the work, but it does transform daily practice. Large language models may carry the change further still.
These developments explain why translation aids are the fastest changing part of the map of translation studies. Every new technology gives rise to both new practices and new theoretical questions. The turn goes on.
The best way to understand the technological turn is to see it as a process rather than an event. Translation studies did not embrace technology overnight; it rethought its theory gradually, with each new development. The personal computer, the internet, the mobile revolution and now artificial intelligence: each carried the process forward. The turn is therefore not a completed past but a present that is still under way. The field constantly repositions itself along with technology.
One of the most important results of that process is that technology is now seen inside translation rather than outside it. Technology used to be an aid that made translation easier; today it is an element that shapes the design of the process, the workflows and even the understanding of quality. This shift of perspective is clearest in localisation. In localisation, technology is not an option but the definition itself. The separation of text from code, screen constraints and interactive structure all follow from technology settling at the centre of translation.
This theoretical outlook also affects practical decisions. A team that sees technology as internal to translation uses it consciously and critically; it neither rejects it nor adopts it blindly. It treats machine translation as a tool but always checks its output against human expertise. That balance represents a mature grasp of the technological turn. Technology is not an end in itself but a means that improves quality when it is used properly.
Another dimension of the technological turn is that it makes localisation an interdisciplinary field. Together with technology, translation studies intersects with fields such as media studies, web usability, cultural studies and international business. That intersection expects the localiser to bring not only language but also a knowledge of technology and culture. The turn has made this broad competence profile a necessity.
This broad outlook also shapes the future of localisation. As new technologies appear, the field will carry on repositioning itself. Large language models are on the agenda today; other tools may come to the fore tomorrow. The only thing that does not change is change itself. Understanding the technological turn teaches us to see this constant movement not as a threat but as the natural rhythm of the field.
In the end, the technological turn is the force that has carried localisation to the centre of translation studies. Localisation is the purest example of technology settling inside translation. Understanding the field therefore helps you grasp not just localisation but contemporary translation as a whole. Theoretical place is a reflection of practical importance.
This theoretical framework also builds a bridge between the industry and academia. A practitioner who understands the technological turn grasps the logic behind the tools they use and uses them more consciously. In the same way, a researcher who follows practice closely feeds their theory with real-world data. When the two sides feed each other, the result is both better research and better informed decisions. The technological turn prepares the ground for that productive exchange.
The Türkiye context
In Türkiye, translation studies took the technological turn on board relatively late and only partly. In many departments technology is still taught as a separate “course”, outside theory. Yet the essence of the technological turn is to place technology inside translation. That perspective is still spreading in Türkiye.
Because Turkish is a low-resource language, the technological turn carries a particular meaning for Türkiye. Machine translation and language models give more variable results in Turkish than in high-resource languages, which makes it essential to bring technology into theory critically. The Turkish case shows that technology calls neither for celebration nor for condemnation, but for understanding.
For the corporate buyer the conclusion is this: suppliers that place technology at the centre of their processes but use it critically rather than blindly are the more reliable ones. Technology is not an end but a means when it is used properly.
What does this mean for you?
If you buy translation, the technological turn gives you a framework for assessing suppliers. Teams that neither reject technology nor embrace it blindly, but use it consciously, deliver the best results.
- Ask how your supplier builds technology into its processes.
- Find out whether it uses machine translation critically or blindly.
- Check whether its quality criteria are purely linguistic or also cover usability and accessibility.
- Assess whether it has an interdisciplinary outlook.
If you are looking for a partner that uses technology well, you can tell us what you need through our quote form. The conscious use of technology is what safeguards quality.
Frequently asked questions
What is the technological turn?
It is the conceptual transformation through which translation theories began to take in the increasingly evident influence of technology. O’Hagan calls this process the “technological turn”.
Where does localisation stand in this turn?
Localisation is the clearest example of the technological turn. It is positioned at the intersection of translation studies and fields such as media, usability and internet studies.
What is the globalisation turn?
It is Snell-Hornby’s concept; it combines the impact of technology on translation with the force of globalisation. It is closely related to the technological turn.
Does this theoretical debate matter in practice?
Yes. Seeing localisation as part of the technological turn makes it possible to treat technology as an element inside translation rather than outside it.
Sources
- Jiménez-Crespo, M. A. (2024). Localization in Translation. Routledge (Chs. 1-2).
- Cronin, M. (2003). Translation and Globalization. Routledge.
- Snell-Hornby, M. (2010). “The turns of Translation Studies.” In Handbook of Translation Studies. John Benjamins.