Enhancing MTI Students’ Translational Communication Competence: An AI-Empowered Integrated Approach

Li Jiayu

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12

Research Article |

| Peer-Reviewed

Enhancing MTI Students’ Translational Communication Competence: An AI-Empowered Integrated Approach

Li Jiayu^*

Published in International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation (Volume 12, Issue 1)

Received: 30 December 2025 Accepted: 13 January 2026 Published: 30 January 2026

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

In response to the increasing demand for translation and international communication competence in China as it has become a national priority of translation talents cultivation in the new era of the 21th century, this paper examines an AI-empowered integrated approach to enhancing MTI (Master of Translation and Interpreting) students’ translational communication competence addressing both theoretical insights and practical pathways, taking the author’s compulsory master course “Translation Theory and Technique” as an experimental project. Theoretically, the key concept and its components of translational communication competence have been defined and clarified, that is: translational language competence, translational knowledge structures and translational strategic competence in the interlingual and intercultural context. Practically, the translator’s action research of diverse project samples involved in translation and international communication has be designed and complemented in an integrated approach to teaching aims, procedures and evaluations with the AI-empowered technology. The theory-practice cycle of action research has ensured that the research is participant-driven, reflective, collaborative and open to continuous self-improvements. It’s suggested that MTI students have significantly improved their translational communication competence through this experimental project, meanwhile they should enhance a strong proficiency of their knowledge, skill and technology of it in different real-time working settings as well as a deepening understanding of current situations of China and the world.

Published in	International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation (Volume 12, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12
Page(s)	18-28
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Translational Communication Competence, An Integrated Approach, AI-Empowered

1. Introduction

With the deepening development of economic globalization in the new era of the 21th century, international cooperations and conflicts are becoming increasingly prominent. The Chinese-style modernization construction and the development of new quality productivity have put forward new historic requirements for MTI (Master of Translation and Interpreting) translation education, that is, China needs strong foreign-oriented translation and communication capabilities to cope with the challenges of globalization and enhance the international discourse system. At the same time, we are hoped to actively participate in the reform of the global governance system and the formulation of international rules. The government report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China has also clearly proposed to “strengthen the construction of international communication capabilities, comprehensively improve international communication efficiency and establish the new international discourse system that matches our country's comprehensive national strength and international status”.

Since its enrollment in 2007, the scale of MTI majoring in translation and interpreting has been continuously expanding, becoming the main force in China's international translation and communication. However, the education of MTI has mainly focused on the improvements of translator's language ability, cross-cultural communication ability and translation practical ability, and there is little research on the development of students translators' translational communication competence and the construction of international discourse power. Many students have poor translational communication awareness and insufficient ability in the translation practice, which cannot meet the needs of the international communication capabilities of translation talents in the new era. As Gu Yiqing and Wu Yun (2021) point out that there is insufficient emphasis on translation talents cultivation that introduces China to the world, and the training system for foreign languages and international communication is almost isolated. The translation major needs to integrate artificial intelligence technology to cultivate compound talents with international communication skills to meet the needs of the new era

[7]

. Huang Youyi (2025) believes that serving the national development strategy requires strengthening the ability to combine translation and international communication to gradually build up China's international discourse system. He also believes that the purpose of translation is communication, and translation is the fundamental tool for accomplishing “the last mile” of China's international communication and even building up of the new world discourse system

[9]

. Therefore, in the context of deepening the empowerment of modern education and technology of artificial intelligence, the education of MTI students should collaboratively make innovations, give full play to its potential advantages and enhance the translational communication competence to cultivate interdisciplinary compound translation talents with international communication capabilities, humanistic literacy, Chinese sentiment and international vision.

2. Literature Review

As has been mentioned above, enhancing MTI students’ translational communication competence is the key to building up China’s new international communication and international discourse system. So far, some scholars have studied the translator’s competence, especially translational communication competence, despite of the different term expression at home and abroad.

Internationally, among the recent studies, Sonia Colina (2009) defines communicative translation to be that texts are translated to communicate with a target language reader or to accomplish a particular communicative purpose in the target culture, for example, to teach or instruct, to convince, and so on. This is the case for a great majority of texts in a professional context

[17]

. As for communicative translational competence, Kiraly (1995) defines it as “the ability to interact appropriately and adequately as an active participant in communicative translation tasks”

[10]

. In other words, it is the ability to interact with a source text and its context, the requirements for the translation assignments, and the participants in the translation process (commissioner of the translation, author, intended audience, and so on) to produce a target text that is adequate to the needs of the assignment and the target context. Bell (1991) proposes a model of “translator communicative competence” that he defines as: the knowledge and ability possessed by the translator that permits him/her to create and communicate acts-discourses which are not only grammatical but socially acceptable

[1]

. Cao’s model (1996) of communicative translation consists of the following sub-competences: translational language competence, translational knowledge structures and translational strategic competence

[3]

. He further points out that among these three subcompetences, translational language competence includes organizational competence (grammatical competence and textual competence) and pragmatic competence (illocutionary competence and sociolinguistic competence); Translational knowledge structures include knowledge of the world and the specialized knowledge necessary for performing a special translation task; Translational strategic competence enacts the language and knowledge competence to perform a communicative translation task in the interlingual and cross-cultural context. All these models above are essentially expanded from communicative competence defined by the Second Language Acquisition theory as the ability to interpret, express and negotiate meaning. As Savignon (1983) thinks that communicative competence consists of four competences: grammatical competence (knowledge of the structure and form of language), discourse competence (knowledge of the rules of cohesion and coherence across sentences and utterances), sociolinguistic competence (knowledge of the rules of interaction: turn taking, appropriate formulae for apologizing, appropriate requests) and strategic competence (knowing how to make the most of the language that you have, especially when it is deficient)

[15]

In China, some scholars have also done related explorations and research in recent years. Ren Wen and Zhao Tianyuan (2025) have done the interdisciplinary education project “Translation and International Communication” based on the professional master's teaching experiment of their university. The talent capabilities of interdisciplinary translation and communication are evaluated based on their empirical research from emotional attitudes, knowledge skills and critical thinking

[14]

. They specifically include the following elements of abilities: foreign language writing, Chinese writing, foreign language oral expression, Chinese language oral expression, written translation practice, translation theory mastery, cross-cultural communication, communication theory mastery, media and information literacy, national conditions and national policies, party and government knowledge mastery, translation and communication research, and teamwork. Cai Jigang (2023) defines international communication as a kind of dissemination of various information across national boundaries

[4]

. Therefore, first, international communication is two-way, not only to tell the world good stories and spread the Chinese voice, but also to tell the Chinese people good stories and spread the world voice. Second, international communication is not only a matter for the press and cultural circles, but also an important means to exchange professional knowledge and scientific research results in various fields of society and majors in universities. He also believes that although international communication is the dissemination of contents, it must be achieved through language as a medium and communication tool. Therefore, communication involves at least five basic elements:communicator, audience, communication content, communication channel and communication feedback. Each element will affect the communication effect, not just the accuracy of the communication content. Therefore, the cultivation of international communication capabilities of college students should include foreign language ability and translation ability, especially discourse ability. Discourse ability involves contextual ability, genre ability and textual ability. In addition to the ability of traditional Chinese-English language comparison and conversion, translation ability should be combined with specific disciplines and majors to understand the language characteristics and syntactic structure of specific genres, such as medical translation, aviation translation, engineering translation, legal translation and business translation. Huang Youyi (2025) believes that in terms of international communication, in addition to language skills, translator needs to strengthen two aspects of hard work: one is to understand the national conditions, and the other is to truly understand the audience

[9]

. So, only by knowing the national conditions at home and the world audience outside can we enhance capabilities of translation and international communication.

3. An AI-Empowered Integrated Approach

3.1. An Integrated Approach to Translation Study

It has for centuries been taken for granted that translation merely takes place between languages. This assumption unleashed the word vs. sense debate in traditional theory and lies at the heart of the concept of equivalence. As Nida and Taber (1969) think that translating consists in reproducing in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent of the source language message, firstly in terms of meaning and secondly in terms of style

[12]

. However, such prescriptive generalization can be misleading, as Reiss (1976) indicates that most texts are in fact hybrid forms, multi-dimensional structures with a blend of sometimes seemingly conflicting features

[13]

. Shakespeare’s sonnets contain technological terminology of his day, while modern economic texts abound of lexicalized metaphor, and advertisements which would be categorized as operative are characterized by varying methods they use to present information. So as culture has become the basic context of translation, the concept of culture as a totality of knowledge, proficiency and perception is fundamental in our approach to translation. Vermeer (1989) thinks that if language is in an integral part of culture, the translator must be bilingual and bicultural

[20]

. The extent of his knowledge, proficiency and perception of the translator determines not only his ability to produce the target text, but also his understanding of the source text. So Mary Snell (1994) points out that what is dominant in the new approach to translation studies is an integrated approach with the following features

[16]

. Firstly, it is the orientation towards culture rather than linguistic transfer; secondly, translation is viewed not as a process of transcoding but as an act of communication; thirdly, translation is all towards the function of the target text rather than prescriptions of the source text; fourthly, text of the translation is viewed as an integral part of the world and not as an isolated specimen of language.

3.2. An AI-Empowered Translation Context

Translation has long been essential to human communication, facilitating diplomacy, trade, literature and religion across cultures. In addition to theoretical concepts, it is important to master professional technical tools to foster translational communication competence. A useful resource on electronic tool for translators that includes the World Wide Web and online services, machine translation and computer-aided translation, should be justified by the necessity to foster the translator’s self awareness, self-concept and a sense of the professionalism beyond a mere linguistic exchange. For productivity reasons, as a matter of expertise and a sign of professionalism, it’s essential for translators to understand the role and function of machine translation. Nowadays, expert translators are often given machine-translated output for post-editing, or sometimes they do pre-editing for machine translation. If they are unskillful with this type of task and the problems it presents, the consequences for the agency, the client and the profession could be dismal, especially when it happens in the areas where machine translation is integrated in every aspect. So Sonia Colina (2009) points out that failing to edit sections of raw, machine-translated output would have far more serious consequences since it is normally perceived as the result of poor ability and low translation efficiency

[17]

. Moreover, as artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a new agent in the industry, AI-empowered technologies, such as machine deep learning and neural networks, have already begun reshaping the translation landscape. It has delivered impressive speed, extensive language coverage and real-time processing capabilities. AI-empowered platforms, such as Google Translator and DeepL, have become widely used, offering enhanced translation accuracy and real-time interpretation. Fantinuoli and Prandi (2021) suggest that these tools have increased productivity through features like translation big data memory systems and facilitated multilingual communication with innovations such as speech recognition and synthesis

[6]

. However, AI still faces limitations in navigating linguistic complexities and cultural subtleties. AI also induces important ethical concerns, such as biases in machine-generated translation, copyrights of the output and privacy of the material. So an AI-empowered integrated approach has emerged, collaborating AI with human experts to ensure that translation is both productive and highly valid.

4. Deficiencies and Challenges of MTI Students

4.1. Deficiencies of Students Translators

Translator behavior has been studied empirically through numerous TAP (Think Aloud Protocol) studies, in which translators are asked to verbalize their thoughts as they translate, although evidence from production, translated corpora and error analysis are also used to discriminate between student TAP studies and those of professional translators. Kussmaul (1995) notes that referring to the issue of interference, the students in his study had difficulty in isolating problems as well as recognizing weak points in their translations

[11]

. In most cases they were not aware of danger of interference or of the complexity of the issues involved because they were busy solving another problem in the immediate context. Tirkkonen-Condit (1992) also found similar results concerning unaware students translators in a TAP study

[19]

. The professional is more modest, and more sensitized to noticing those areas that may need checking. The non-professional in contrast seems to be more arrogant in his approach and doesn’t voice a need to have his translation checked. He also observed that in case of false friends, the translation processes of semiprofessionals, such as student translators show heavy bottom-up orientation, usually at the cost of top-down strategies, such as consideration of pragmatic features of genre, audience, function and so on.

Most of the features previously listed have pointed out students translators’ lack of self awareness and self-confidence, which Kiraly (1995) put into a related term “the translator’s self-concept” and he thinks that once self-awareness is developed, self-confidence follows as natural consequence

[10]

. Since an empirical evidence seems to indicate that self-awareness and self confidence, which are necessary conditions for professionalism, seem to be lacking in students, translation teaching should incorporate them into the curriculum and course design. Possible ways to encourage development of these attitudes include teaching about translation-relevant processes (comprehension, bottom-up and top-bottom processes, meaning and meaning potential realized in texts) and techniques of critical evaluative analysis, such as textual, cultural and pragmatic analysis. Once the students translators are equipped with these tools, it will be easy for them to defend translation choices in a professional and informed manner, which is another way to foster self-awareness and self confidence. An alternative method to encourage these attitudes is through exposure to the professional world and professional behavior, which justifies incorporation into the course design of electronic resources. Moreover, in an introductory course a mini-lesson can be devoted to present the role, the purpose and the issues involved in producing texts with the help of machine translation. A few samples of machine-translated output for the students to post-edit is also a useful activity to enhance how they affect the translation process and the translator’s work. For certain types of specialized courses, more extensive work with machine translation output should be enforced.

4.2. Challenges and Improvements of MTI Students

4.2.1. Methodology: The Theory-Practice Cycle of Action Research

This paper employs a qualitative approach, focusing on the analysis of challenges and improvements of real-time translation sample projects of different register domains concerning MTI students’ translational communication competence within the framework of action research. As Basil Hatim (2005) indicates that action research is defined to be an initial idea that is followed by fact-finding, action plan, implementation, monitoring and revision, amended plan and so on. It is recognizing the dialectical relationship between research and action, which focuses on the empowerment of the practitioner and considers reflexivity as a more dynamic process and one in which theory and practice mutually enrich one another. The theory-practice cycle of action research ensures that research is participant-driven, reflective, collaborative and open to continuous self-improvements. Specifically, this experimental project took the author’s MTI degree course of “Translation Theory and Technique” as a case, hosting the 2024 Written Translation Postgraduate Students of 20 members from Hefei University of Technology as the research object. The project followed the empirical research framework of discovering problems-analyzing problems-solving problems through methods of questionnaire survey, quiz and error analysis. After the problems concerned translational communication competence of students translators are explored, the characteristics of its development and the pathway for improvements are revealed. Therefore, the innovative teaching model for the enhancement of MTI students translators’ translational communication competence is initially set up to improve the overall teaching quality of MTI students’ capabilities of translation and international communication, which is innovative, practical and operational. The main research questions are followed as such: (1) What is translational communication competence and what’s it composed of? (2) What is action research and how do MTI students enhance translational communication competence through action research? (3) How do MTI students enhance an inquiry and reflective mind to ensure efficient AI-human integration in the real-time working settings concerning translational communication competence?

4.2.2. Main Challenges and Improvements

As globalization deepens, knowing, understanding and further recognition of translation globalization and communication have become especially urgent for translators cultivation. So an experimental project of how to enhance MTI students’ translational communication competence has been done under the framework of the action research. The main challenges and improvements we have found through the action research above include: (1) Understand the connotation and three dimensions of the concept of translational communication competence. (2) Investigate the problems and development characteristics of MTI students' translational communication competence. (3) Design and carry out theoretical learning activities for MTI students' translational communication competence. For example, the contextualized method of theoretical learning is designed; a series of micro-theoretical guides related to five dimensions of international communication capabilities that do not exceed 5 minutes are carried out. (4) Design and carry out practical training and strengthening activities for MTI students’ translational communication competence. For example, students subscribe to professional translator real-time working situations and participate in the professional translator E-mail catalog; conduct subsequent classroom discussions to enable students to gain meta-cognition of translational communication competence; students perform role tasks and obtain effective inputs related to translational communication competence through demonstration explanations of international communication issues based on real translation projects supported by teachers and professional translators. (5) Do internships at the diplomatic translation conferences and projects full of effective feedbacks and professional norms. (6) Do AI-empowered and human integrated real-time workloads in the e-commercial and shopping settings. (7) Do self-reflective activities to improve self-awareness, self-confidence and self-image of professionalism.

5. Translation Scenario and Discussion

The AI-empowered integrated approach with a series of activities involved in experimental project has been implemented above. Here, some typical demonstrations are illustrated within the framework of the translator action research which is inspired by the recent trend. This framework allows a fuller involvement with the process of discovering the real nature of a problem and of taking actions to address it. Action research operates in the context of practical problems which affect all those involved translational communication competence. The solution to such problems is intended to upgrade quality of performance among teachers and students, novices and professionals. This is achieved by linking knowledge and expertise available out there with the practical experience which researchers bring to the task. Moreover, the process of doing action research is a learning in its own right. As Basil Hatim (2005) believes that apart from the confidence-boosting value, action research provides practitioners with an orderly way of acquiring the knowledge and skills and attitudes necessary to effect change

[2]

. Thus, to engage in an effective programme of action research, one would normally take such actions: identify a problem, investigate the problem, evaluate, organize and consolidate the data, list possible causes and likely courses of action to eliminate the problem, project outcomes, select actions and implement and evaluate action. All these actions involved are integrated in the following research samples together with analysis of Aims, Procedures and Evaluations.

The following research samples are selected from teaching materials of our experimental project “ Translation Theory and Technique ”, ensuring a diverse range of perspectives on MTI students experiences and challenges in translational communication competence. Data collected from these activities is analyzed to identify patterns and improvements in students’ knowledge, skill and technology, which provide valuable insights of further curriculum development and the effectiveness of practical training.

5.1. Academic-Domain Specialized Discourse Analysis

Academic-domain specialized discourse has to do with scientific and experimental activities of specialized knowledge. In this exercise, you will most likely encounter some serious difficulties since, for a start, the terminology might not be available. And you also find how new terminology, different syntactic formulations and novel text formats can evolve under the constraints of the translation process.

Aims

1) To conduct a contrastive analysis of contextual values related to specialized domain and of lexical-grammatical means in use across different languages for realizing academic and communicative values.

2) To foster and internalize the translational communication competence of C-E (Chinese-English) conversions of A Summary in the academic communication context.

Procedures

1) Using a similar text-analytic methodology to outline the register of A Summary of academic review writing genre requirements, publishing formats and translation difficulties.

2) Focusing on the register differentiation of the language use in the source language and the target language, especially in the realization of C-E writing and translation of A Summary.

Evaluations

Conclusions reached through such investigations can help with a variety of issues including language planning and education in translational communication competence. Firstly, they define areas of terminological deficit of specialized fields in the source or target language and suggest solutions accordingly. Secondly, scientific modes of thought and formulaic expressions and space limit of publishing should be scrutinized in the academic paper writing and publishing. Thirdly, an integrated skill of human translation and AI-empowered translation should be enhanced.

(1) Source Text

概要

人工智能的快速发展，尤其是大语言模型和多模态人工智能，正在通过增强诊断、患者互动和医疗预测来改变医学。大语言模型支持对话界面，简化医疗报告，并协助临床医生作出决策。多模态人工智能整合图像和基因等多样化数据，在病理学和医学筛查方面表现出色。人工智能驱动的工具通过持续监测和多阶段预测，有望提供主动、个性化的医疗保健。然而，要实现在临床上广泛应用，必须解决偏见、隐私、监管障碍以及与医疗保健系统兼容等挑战。

(Excerpted from Review Cell, The generative era of medical AI, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2025.05.018)

(2) Student Version + Google Translation

Summary

The rapid development of AI (Artificial Intelligence), especially LLMs (Large Language Models) and multimodal AI, is transforming medicine by enhancing diagnosis, patient interaction and medical prediction. LLM supports conversational interfaces, simplifies medical reporting, and assists clinicians in making decisions. Multimodal AI integrates diverse data such as images and genetic data, and performs excellently in pathology and medical screening. AI-driven tools are expected to provide proactive, personalized healthcare through continuous monitoring and multi-stage prediction. However, for widespread clinical use, challenges such as bias, privacy, regulatory barriers, and compatibility with health care systems must be addressed.

(3) Reference Translation

Summary

Rapid advancements in AI (Artificial Intelligence), particularly LLMs (Large Language Models) and multimodel AI, are transforming medicine through enhancements in diagnostics, patient interaction and medical forecasting. LLMs enable conversational interfaces, simplify medical reports, and assist clinicians with decision making. Multimodel AI integrates diverse data like images and genetic data for superior performance in pathology and medical screening. AI-driven tools promise proactive, personalized healthcare through continuous monitoring and multiscale forecasting. However, challenges like bias, privacy, regulatory hurdles, and integration into healthcare systems must be addressed for widespread clinical adoption.

5.2. Muti-Modal Mass Media Discourse Analysis

Multi-modal mass media discourse has to do with journalistic writing and broadcasting in different modes and channels. In this exercise, you will most likely encounter some serious difficulties of news writing and translation in the informative and evocative way. And what adaptations need to be made in the process of C-E translation for the better targeted readership and communicative effects has been critical for better publicity. Knowledge of news qualities, such as novelty, proximity, timeliness, impact, conflict, prominence can be of much help in the selection process of the trans-adaptations.

Aims

1) To conduct a contrastive analysis of journalistic values related to news report domain and of lexical-grammatical means in use across different languages for realizing such contextual values.

2) To foster and internalize the translational communication competence of C-E conversions of A News Report in the multi-modal mass media communication context.

Procedures

1) Using a similar text-analytic methodology to outline the register of a news report of journalistic paper writing genre requirements and translation difficulties.

2) Focusing on the register differentiation of the language use in the source language and the target language, especially in the realization of C-E news report writing and translation.

3) Comparing the source with the target versions and identify how the target language tends to impose its own new register configuration with new items of vocabulary, syntactic formulations and even new text formats in the different modes and channels.

Evaluations

Conclusions reached through such investigations can help with a variety of issues including language planning and education in translational communication competence. Firstly, they define areas of stylistic deficit of journalistic writing in the source or target language and suggest solutions accordingly. Secondly, different mass media modes of thought and formulaic expressions and space-time limit should be scrutinized in the journalistic news writing and translation. Thirdly, an integrated skill of human translation and AI-empowered translation should be enhanced.

(1) Source text

2023年10月10日新华网：“一带一路”十周年|无人机瞰“一带一路”图文相配的视频文字简介，展示了10年来，为助力“一带一路”沿线国家的发展建设，陆续建成的一系列标志性项目，比如中老铁路、泰国浮体光伏项目、雅安高铁等。

要求：请根据该专栏图片和文字配文，基于不同媒介特定引导语、受众特点和时空限制进行编译，分别发布到推文 (Twitter: https://twitter.com)、中国环球电视网(CGTN: https://www.cgtn.com) 和博客上 (Podcast, CGTN Radio-the Beijing Hour: https://radio.cgtn.com)。

(2) Student Version + Google Translation

Published on October 10, 2023 on Xinhuanet：The 10th Anniversary of “the Belt and Road Initiative”| A video and text introduction of “the Belt and Road”with pictures and text matching video and text, shows a series of landmark projects that have been built over the past 10 years in order to help the development and construction of countries along “the Belt and Road”, such as the China-Laos Railway, Thailand floating photovoltaic project, Ya'an High-speed Railway, etc.

Requirements: Please compile the pictures and text of this column, based on the specific guide words of different media, audience characteristics, time and space restrictions, and post them to Twitter, CGTN (China Global Television Network) and Podcast respectively.

(3) Reference Trans-Adaptations

The target text

10 Years of “the Belt and Road Initiative”

1) China-Laos Railway brings convenience and development.

2) Floating Photovoltaic Project in Thailand reduces emissions.

3) Yavan High Speed Railway boosts economic and cultural exchange between China and Indonesia.

Together, we’ll build a brighter future for all! # Belt and Road 10

Twitter or CGTN Text

Celebrating a decade of progress with “the Belt and Road Initiative”! From the China-Laos Railway’s connectivity to the eco-friendly Photovoltaic Project in Thailand, and the groundbreaking Yavan High-Speed Railway in Indonesia, we have made great positive impacts on nations and their peoples!

Let’s keep building a better future together! #BeltandRoad10#infrastructure For Good.

Podcast Text

(Intro Music)

Host: Welcome to this special episode, where we delve into the marvelous journey of “the Belt and Road Initiative” as it celebrates its tenth anniversary. Over the past ten years, we have witnessed the transformative power of this initiative through a series of marvelous projects that have not only contributed to the development of the participating countries but also enriched the lives of the people.

(Background Music)

Host: Let’s start with the remarkable China-Laos Railway...

5.3. Cross-Cultural Pragmatic Discourse Analysis

Cross-cultural pragmatic discourse has to do with discourse practices in the expression of power and ideology from the perspective of cultural studies. It’s critical for translators to accomplish the role and the function in translation of a heightened awareness of text and context and how they constantly interact each other in the production of meaning in the pragmatic cultural situation. The way pragmatic intentions such as “evasiveness” or “forcefulness” are realized in language and the extent to which such communicative purposes may be preserved in translation. In the context of English and German, for example, House (1997) points out that communicative preferences actually exist across cultures, and variation may be detected along five basic dimensions: directness, self-reference, focus on content, explicitness and reliance on communicative routines

[8]

. Therefore, C-E language pairs may be usefully examined from such a cross-cultural pragmatic perspective.

Aims

1) To investigate cross-cultural differences from the pragmatic perspective related to the discourse of A Public Announcement of Alerting and its lexical-grammatical means in use for realizing writing genre requirements and translation difficulties.

2) To foster and internalize the translational communication competence of C-E conversions of A Public Announcement of Alerting in the pragmatic cross-cultural communication context.

Procedures

1) Using a similar text-analytic methodology to outline the register of A Public Announcement of Alerting writing genre requirements and translation difficulties.

2) Focusing on the register differentiation of the language use in the source language and the target language, especially in the realization of C-E writing and translation of a Public Announcement of Alerting.

Evaluations

Conclusions reached through such investigations can help with a variety of issues including language planning and education in translational communication competence. Firstly, they define areas of stylistic deficit of writing and translation of A Public Announcement of Alerting in the source or target language and suggest solutions accordingly. Secondly, such an extremely valuable source of ideas related to translation theory and pedagogic potentials remains largely untapped and should be explored and enriched. Thirdly, an integrated skill of human translation and AI-empowered translation should be enhanced.

(1) Source Text

北京市发布暴雨红色预警

北京市4日发布暴雨红色预警，预计4日午后开始，北京将出现强降雨天气，最强降雨集中在4日18时至5日5时。该期间部分地区6小时降雨量可达150毫米以上，个别点达200毫米以上。山区及浅山区出现山洪、泥石流、滑坡等灾害的风险极高，低洼地区极易出现积水。

目前，北京市防汛指挥部已启动延庆、怀柔、密云、石景山、丰台等7区为一级应急响应。一级应急响应区域市民非必要不外出，企事业单位非必要不要求员工到岗上班。政府机构也强调做好高度预防工作以保证极端天气下的公共安全。

北京市应急管理局

节选自《中国日报》双语新闻: 2025.08.04 17:12

(2) Student Version + Google Translation

Beijing issued a red warning for heavy rain

Beijing issued a red warning for heavy rain on the 4th, and it is expected that heavy rain will occur in Beijing starting from the afternoon of the 4th, with the strongest rainfall concentrated between 18:00 on the 4th and 5:00 on the 5th. During this period, the rainfall in some areas can reach more than 150 mm in 6 hours, and in some places it reaches more than 200 mm. The risk of mountain torrents, mudslides, landslides, etc. in mountainous and shallow mountainous areas is extremely high, and water accumulation is very easy to occur in low-lying areas.

At present, the Beijing Flood Control Command has launched a first-level emergency response in seven districts including Yanqing, Huairou, Miyun, Shijingshan, and Fengtai. First-level emergency response regional citizens do not go out unless necessary, and enterprises and institutions do not require employees to work unless necessary. Government agencies also emphasize doing a good job in high prevention to ensure public safety in extreme weather.

Beijing Emergency Management Bureau

Excerpted from Bilingual News of China Daily: 2025.08.04 17:12

Reference Translation

Beijing Issued a Red Alert for Rain Storm Forecasting

Beijing issued a red alert for heavy rainfall, forecasting intense downpours starting from the afternoon on Monday. The most severe rainfall is expected between 6:00pm on Monday and 5:00 am on Tuesday, with some areas likely to see over 150 mm of precipitation within six hours and located accumulations exceeding 200 mm. The risk of mountain floods, mudslides and landslides is extremely high in mountainous and foothill areas, while low-lying regions are highly susceptible to water-logging.

In response, the Beijing Emergency Management Bureau has activated a Level-1 emergency response in seven districts, including Yanqing, Huairou, Miyun, Shijingshan and Fengtai. Residents in Level 1 response zones are advised to avoid unnecessary travel, and businesses are urged to suspend in-person work requirements unless absolutely necessary. Authorities emphasize heightened precautions to ensure public safety during the extreme weather.

The Beijing Emergency Management Bureau

Excerpted from Bilingual News of China Daily: 2025.08.04 17:12

5.4. Diplomatic-Politic Rhetoric Discourse Analysis

Diplomatic-political rhetoric discourse has to do with discourse practices in the expression of diplomatic context to expound the diplomatic ideas, guiding ideology, strategic position, goal planning, policy implementation and so an in a specific period, and to reflect a country’s ideology, political proposition and core interests. They play a very significant role in promoting international relations, delivering diplomatic ideology and establishing country image. Since the main receivers of a diplomatic discourse are usually foreigners, it’s critical for translators to accomplish the role and the function in translation of a heightened awareness of a cross-language and bilingual communicative activity which is restricted by factors such as communicative situation, political awareness, socio-cultural institutions and psychological cognition. Rhetoric features such as repetition, parallelism and metaphoric expressions should be justified and highlighted with effective translation strategies. Therefore, C-E translation of diplomatic-political rhetoric discourse is a complicated communicative activity in which numerous factors should be taken into consideration such as the style of the speaker, the situational context, the mode and channel of discourse, the field of the register and the audience’s cultural background.

Aims

1) To investigate cross-cultural differences from the pragmatic perspective related to the diplomatic-political rhetoric discourse and its lexical-grammatical means in use for realizing such communicative functions and values.

2) To foster and internalize the translational communication competence of C-E conversions of diplomatic-political rhetoric discourse in the pragmatic socio-cultural communication context.

Procedures

1) Using a similar text-analytic methodology to outline the register of a diplomatic-political rhetoric discourse writing genre requirements and translation difficulties.

2) Focusing on the register differentiation of the language use in the source language and the target language, especially in the realization of C-E writing and translation of a diplomatic-political rhetoric discourse.

Evaluations

Conclusions reached through such investigations can help with a variety of issues including language planning and education in translational communication competence. Firstly, they define areas of stylistic deficit of writing and translation of diplomatic-political rhetoric discourse in the source or target language and suggest solutions accordingly. Secondly, such an extremely valuable source of ideas related to translation theory and pedagogic potentials remains largely untapped and should be explored and enriched. Thirdly, an integrated skill of human translation and AI-empowered translation should be enhanced.

(1) Source Text

“打铁还需自身硬”是我们党的庄严承诺，全面从严治党是我们立下的军令状。惩治腐败这一手必须紧抓不放、利剑高悬，坚持无禁区、全覆盖、零容忍。

节选自《理解当代中国-高级汉英笔译教程》第251页

(2) Student Version +Google Translation

“A blacksmith must be strong by itself”is our solemn promise, and comprehensive and strict governance of the Party is our military order. We must hold on to the punishment of corruption with a sharp sword, and insist on no forbidden zones, full coverage, and zero tolerance.

Excerpted from“Understanding Contemporary China：Advanced Chinese-English Translation Tutorial”, P. 251.

(3) Reference Translation

We have pledged to “be a good blacksmith in forging good tools,” and we have given our word to hammer hard in observing Party discipline. Our tough stance on corruption will never soften, and no exception is made for any organization or individual. For corruption, we have zero tolerance

[18]

Note: This was once part of a speech Mr. Xi Jinping made in 2012 when the new Politburo Standing Committee met with Chinese and foreign journalists. This sentence “打铁还需自身硬” has attracted so much attention that various media has reported and commented on it, while they have translated it in different ways. For instance, the on-site translator of the Foreign Ministry of China translated it into “ to be turned into iron, the melt itself must be strong”; The Telegraph of Britain translated it into “to forge iron, you need a strong hammer”; CNN (Cable News Network) of the United States translated it into “to forge iron, one must be strong”; and The Brunei Times translated it into “to forge iron, the hammer must be strong”. The diversified versions have revealed that the translators from different press have different modes of thinking and expression with different emotional experiences and audience groups. Meanwhile what the speaker emphasized in that specific situation through combing the literal and metaphorical meaning of the sentence is “to forge iron, one must be strong; to address the problems of corruption, we must first of all conduct ourselves honorably”

[5]

5.5. AI-Empowered and Human Integrated Real-Time Discourse Analysis

AI-empowered and human integrated real-time discourse has to do with discourse practices in real-time working business from sectors such as e-commerce, customer service and sales promotion to explore the integration of AI with human expertise in translation and interpretation processes. The following two cases, sourced from reputable industry reports and publications, provide empirical evidence of how AI-driven tools successfully operate in practical global business settings, highlighting both their strengths and competitiveness with high speed and efficiency.

Aims

1) To investigate the integration of AI with human expertise in translation and interpretation processes related to real-time working business discourse and its lexical-grammatical means in use for realizing such communicative functions and values.

2) To foster and internalize the translational communication competence of multilingual conversions of AI-empowered and human integrated real-time discourse in the business commercial communication context.

Procedures

1) Using a similar text-analytic methodology to outline the register of AI-empowered and human integrated real-time working discourse writing genre requirements and translation difficulties.

2) Focusing on the register differentiation of the language use in the source language and the target language, especially in the realization of multilingual writing and translation of AI-empowered and human integrated real-time working situations.

3) Comparing the source with the target versions and identify how the target language tends to impose its own new register configuration with new items of vocabulary, syntactic formulations and pragmatic functions in the writing and translation of AI-empowered and human integrated real-time working discourse.

Evaluations

Conclusions reached through such investigations can help with a variety of issues including language planning and education in translational communication competence. Firstly, they define areas of stylistic deficit of writing and translation of AI-empowered and human integrated real-time working discourse in the source or target language and suggest solutions accordingly. Secondly, such an extremely valuable source of ideas related to translation theory and pedagogic potentials remains largely untapped and should be explored and enriched. Thirdly, an integrated skill of human translation and AI-empowered translation should be enhanced.

1) Amazon uses Amazon Translate, an AI-driven service, to process and translate massive amounts of multilingual content across its global e-commerce platforms. AI enables Amazon to automatically translate product descriptions, customer reviews and marketing materials into multiple languages. This technology allows Amazon to cater to a worldwide audience of over 185 countries, supporting seamless shopping experiences across language barriers. However, for most critical or culturally specific problems, such as legal disclaims, customer or region-specific marketing materials, Amazon uses human post-editors to refine and contextualize AI translations. This ensures that the translations are not only accurate but also resonate with local cultural nuances. The hybrid approach has been essential for Amazon’s global reach and success. (Source: Amazon AI, Biz Translation Services)

2) Microsoft leverages AI for real-time translation through its Microsoft Translator, integrated across tools like Microsoft 365, Azure and Teams. This system enables seamless multilingual communication during virtual meetings, allowing participants from different linguistic backgrounds to collaborate effectively. For example, during Microsoft Teams meetings, the AI translates spoken language in real-time, promoting inclusivity in multinational work environments. Microsoft has incorporated AI into its customer service platforms, where chatbots provide instant translation for customer inquiries. However, for more complex translations, such as legal, medical or creative content, Microsoft employs human professionals to review and refine the AI’s work. The feedback from these human interventions helps continuously improve the AI’s translation accuracy. Interesting Fact: Microsoft Translator supports over 70 languages and can transcribe entire meetings, reducing costs for global enterprises significantly. (Source: Biz Translation Service, Microsoft AI)

6. Conclusion

This paper has discussed challenges and improvements related to MIT students’ translational communication competence and provided theoretical ground for the application of action research framework based on the concept and five components of translational communication competence in translation teaching context. Five translation scenarios and discussions have been designed and carried out together with the analysis of Aims, Procedures and Evaluations, which are innovative, practical and operational. It has been shown that an AI-empowered integrated approach to enhancements of MTI students’ translational communication competence in terms of knowledge, skill and technology is effective and fruitful. However, MTI students’ self-confidence and self-image of professionalism should be improved, while capabilities of translation and international communication, especially in the AI-empowered and human integrated real-time working settings should be upgraded continuously in the practical training and operations.

Abbreviations

MTI	Master of Translation and Interpreting
AI	Artificial Intelligence
TAP	Think Aloud Protocol
C-E	Chinese-English
LLMs	Large Language Models
CGTN	China Global Television
CNN	Cable News Network

Author Contributions

Li Jiayu is the sole author. The author read and approved the final manuscript.

Funding

Supported by the Anhui Province Postgraduate Teaching-Research-Enhancing Project (Grant No. 2022jyjxggyj062, awarded to Li Jiayu).

Conflicts of Interest

The author declares no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Bell, Roger T. (1991). Translation and Translating. London and New York: Longman.
[2]	Basil Hatim. (2005). Teaching and Researching Translation. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
[3]	Cao, Deborah. (1996). A Model of Translation Proficiency. Target, 8(2), 325-340.
[4]	Cai Jigang. (2023). The Cultivation of International Communicative Competence: Discourse Competence and Translation Competence. China University Education, (Z1), 19-24.
[5]	Chen Yulian. (2021). On English Translation of Chinese Diplomatic Discourses from the Perspective of Pragmatic Triadic Relations. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation, 7(2), 53-58. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20210702.14
[6]	Fantinuoli, Claudio and Barbara Prandi (2021). Towards the Evaluation of Automatic Simultaneous Speech Translation from a Communicative Perspective. Proceedings of the International workshop on Spoken Language Translation. https://doi.org/10.18653/v1/2021.iwslt-1.29
[7]	Gu Yiqing and Wu Yun. (2021). Translation and Dissemination of National Foreign Discourse System: Review and Prospect. Journal of Tongji University, (1), 113-124.
[8]	House, Julian. (1997). A Model for Translation Quality Assessment. Tübingen: Narr.
[9]	Huang Youyi. (2025). Translation and International Communication. Foreign Language Education, 46(3), 1-5.
[10]	Kiraly, Donald. (1995). Pathways to Translation. Kent OH: Kent State University Press.
[11]	Kussmaul, Paul. (1995). Training the Translator. Philadelphia and Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
[12]	Nida, Eugene A. and Charles, R. Taber. (1969). The Theory and Practice of Translation. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
[13]	Reiss, Katharina. (1976). Texttyp und ubersetzungsmethode. Kronberg: Scriptor.
[14]	Ren Wen and Zhao Tianyuan. (2025). Translation and International Communicaton: An interdisciplinary and Empirical Model of Education Assessment. Foreign Language Education, 46(4), 63-69.
[15]	Savignon, Sandra. (1983). Communicative Competence:Theory and Classroom Practice. Reading: Addison-Wesley.
[16]	Snell-Hornby, Mary. (1994). Translation Studies: An Interdiscipline. Amsterdam: Benjamins.
[17]	Sonia, Colina. (2009). Translation Teaching: From Research to the Classroom. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
[18]	SunYouzhong. (2022). Understanding Contemporary China: Advanced Chinese-English Translation. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
[19]	Tirkkonen-Condit, S. (1992). A Theoretical Account of Translation - Without Translation Theory. Target, 4(2), 237-245.
[20]	Vermeer, H. (1989). Skopos und Translationsauftrag-Aufsätze. Frankfurt am Main: IKO.

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Jiayu, L. (2026). Enhancing MTI Students’ Translational Communication Competence: An AI-Empowered Integrated Approach. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation, 12(1), 18-28. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Jiayu, L. Enhancing MTI Students’ Translational Communication Competence: An AI-Empowered Integrated Approach. Int. J. Appl. Linguist. Transl. 2026, 12(1), 18-28. doi: 10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Jiayu L. Enhancing MTI Students’ Translational Communication Competence: An AI-Empowered Integrated Approach. Int J Appl Linguist Transl. 2026;12(1):18-28. doi: 10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12,
  author = {Li Jiayu},
  title = {Enhancing MTI Students’ Translational Communication Competence: An AI-Empowered Integrated Approach},
  journal = {International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation},
  volume = {12},
  number = {1},
  pages = {18-28},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijalt.20261201.12},
  abstract = {In response to the increasing demand for translation and international communication competence in China as it has become a national priority of translation talents cultivation in the new era of the 21th century, this paper examines an AI-empowered integrated approach to enhancing MTI (Master of Translation and Interpreting) students’ translational communication competence addressing both theoretical insights and practical pathways, taking the author’s compulsory master course “Translation Theory and Technique” as an experimental project. Theoretically, the key concept and its components of translational communication competence have been defined and clarified, that is: translational language competence, translational knowledge structures and translational strategic competence in the interlingual and intercultural context. Practically, the translator’s action research of diverse project samples involved in translation and international communication has be designed and complemented in an integrated approach to teaching aims, procedures and evaluations with the AI-empowered technology. The theory-practice cycle of action research has ensured that the research is participant-driven, reflective, collaborative and open to continuous self-improvements. It’s suggested that MTI students have significantly improved their translational communication competence through this experimental project, meanwhile they should enhance a strong proficiency of their knowledge, skill and technology of it in different real-time working settings as well as a deepening understanding of current situations of China and the world.},
 year = {2026}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Enhancing MTI Students’ Translational Communication Competence: An AI-Empowered Integrated Approach
AU  - Li Jiayu
Y1  - 2026/01/30
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12
T2  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
JF  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
JO  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
SP  - 18
EP  - 28
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2472-1271
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12
AB  - In response to the increasing demand for translation and international communication competence in China as it has become a national priority of translation talents cultivation in the new era of the 21th century, this paper examines an AI-empowered integrated approach to enhancing MTI (Master of Translation and Interpreting) students’ translational communication competence addressing both theoretical insights and practical pathways, taking the author’s compulsory master course “Translation Theory and Technique” as an experimental project. Theoretically, the key concept and its components of translational communication competence have been defined and clarified, that is: translational language competence, translational knowledge structures and translational strategic competence in the interlingual and intercultural context. Practically, the translator’s action research of diverse project samples involved in translation and international communication has be designed and complemented in an integrated approach to teaching aims, procedures and evaluations with the AI-empowered technology. The theory-practice cycle of action research has ensured that the research is participant-driven, reflective, collaborative and open to continuous self-improvements. It’s suggested that MTI students have significantly improved their translational communication competence through this experimental project, meanwhile they should enhance a strong proficiency of their knowledge, skill and technology of it in different real-time working settings as well as a deepening understanding of current situations of China and the world.
VL  - 12
IS  - 1
ER  -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Li Jiayu

School of Foreign Studies, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0000-9952-6990

Download PDF

Submit an Article

Sections

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Jiayu, L. (2026). Enhancing MTI Students’ Translational Communication Competence: An AI-Empowered Integrated Approach. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation, 12(1), 18-28. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Jiayu, L. Enhancing MTI Students’ Translational Communication Competence: An AI-Empowered Integrated Approach. Int. J. Appl. Linguist. Transl. 2026, 12(1), 18-28. doi: 10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Jiayu L. Enhancing MTI Students’ Translational Communication Competence: An AI-Empowered Integrated Approach. Int J Appl Linguist Transl. 2026;12(1):18-28. doi: 10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12,
  author = {Li Jiayu},
  title = {Enhancing MTI Students’ Translational Communication Competence: An AI-Empowered Integrated Approach},
  journal = {International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation},
  volume = {12},
  number = {1},
  pages = {18-28},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijalt.20261201.12},
  abstract = {In response to the increasing demand for translation and international communication competence in China as it has become a national priority of translation talents cultivation in the new era of the 21th century, this paper examines an AI-empowered integrated approach to enhancing MTI (Master of Translation and Interpreting) students’ translational communication competence addressing both theoretical insights and practical pathways, taking the author’s compulsory master course “Translation Theory and Technique” as an experimental project. Theoretically, the key concept and its components of translational communication competence have been defined and clarified, that is: translational language competence, translational knowledge structures and translational strategic competence in the interlingual and intercultural context. Practically, the translator’s action research of diverse project samples involved in translation and international communication has be designed and complemented in an integrated approach to teaching aims, procedures and evaluations with the AI-empowered technology. The theory-practice cycle of action research has ensured that the research is participant-driven, reflective, collaborative and open to continuous self-improvements. It’s suggested that MTI students have significantly improved their translational communication competence through this experimental project, meanwhile they should enhance a strong proficiency of their knowledge, skill and technology of it in different real-time working settings as well as a deepening understanding of current situations of China and the world.},
 year = {2026}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Enhancing MTI Students’ Translational Communication Competence: An AI-Empowered Integrated Approach
AU  - Li Jiayu
Y1  - 2026/01/30
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12
T2  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
JF  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
JO  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
SP  - 18
EP  - 28
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2472-1271
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20261201.12
AB  - In response to the increasing demand for translation and international communication competence in China as it has become a national priority of translation talents cultivation in the new era of the 21th century, this paper examines an AI-empowered integrated approach to enhancing MTI (Master of Translation and Interpreting) students’ translational communication competence addressing both theoretical insights and practical pathways, taking the author’s compulsory master course “Translation Theory and Technique” as an experimental project. Theoretically, the key concept and its components of translational communication competence have been defined and clarified, that is: translational language competence, translational knowledge structures and translational strategic competence in the interlingual and intercultural context. Practically, the translator’s action research of diverse project samples involved in translation and international communication has be designed and complemented in an integrated approach to teaching aims, procedures and evaluations with the AI-empowered technology. The theory-practice cycle of action research has ensured that the research is participant-driven, reflective, collaborative and open to continuous self-improvements. It’s suggested that MTI students have significantly improved their translational communication competence through this experimental project, meanwhile they should enhance a strong proficiency of their knowledge, skill and technology of it in different real-time working settings as well as a deepening understanding of current situations of China and the world.
VL  - 12
IS  - 1
ER  -

Copy | Download