DIGITAL TRANSLATION: TRANSFORMING LANGUAGE, TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE IN THE 21ST CENTURY

The advent of digital technology has revolutionized the field of translation, transforming it from a primarily human-centered linguistic art into a multifaceted process combining human creativity and machine intelligence. This paper explores the concept and practice of digital translation, encompassing computer-assisted translation (CAT), machine translation (MT), neural machine translation (NMT), and online collaborative translation platforms. It examines how digitalization reshapes translation workflows, translator roles, linguistic quality, and cross-cultural communication. Drawing on contemporary theories from translation studies, computational linguistics, and digital humanities, the discussion highlights how digital translation tools bridge global communication gaps while introducing new ethical, cultural, and economic challenges. The study also considers the implications of artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and cloud computing for professional translation practice, emphasizing issues of post-editing, data privacy, algorithmic bias, and linguistic homogenization. Finally, it suggests a model of augmented translation—a synergistic collaboration between human translators and intelligent systems that preserves creativity and cultural sensitivity while maximizing technological efficiency. Through critical analysis and case-based insights, this paper positions digital translation as both a technological revolution and a cultural evolution that redefines the meaning of translation in the digital age.