Language Industry Technology Roadmap: Highlights

The Context

The language industry encompasses the sectors that process natural language: translation, interpretation, terminology, localization, dubbing, language training, language technology, information management, and speech processing.

The increasing use of the internet throughout the world, the globalization of the economy, as well as the expansion of international commercial exchanges, have fuelled a significant increase in the world demand for language services and techniques. Canada already has a respected research and innovation infrastructure in language technology (computer science, internet, machine translation, management of textual information, call centres, telecommunication, etc.)

The Challenge

To improve the productivity level and the technology adoption of Canadian language companies, in order to better serve their clients. To help Canada become a leader in language products, services and technology.

The Promise

To identify critical language technologies that will increase the effectiveness of Canadian companies in dealing with their domestic and international clients. To make Canada an acknowledged leader in language products and services. To identify the key avenues for research and development by the public and private sectors.

The Objective

Look at the technical needs and capabilities for users of existing language technology products and services. Provide private and public sector decision makers with an industry consensus on future, market-driven language technology needs.

Key Participants

More than 50 members participated on four subcommittees. These included executive officers from Canadian language companies, internationally recognized researchers from universities and research institutions (including the Language Technology Research Centre in western Quebec), directors of private schools, and private consultants.

Benefits and Key Results

• Supported the formation of a new industry association, the Canadian Language Industry Network.
• Defining skills needs for the language sector.
• Increasing security through the management of multilingual information.
• Recommending key technologies needed to increase the productivity of the sector.