Technical Translation: Usability Strategies for Translating Technical Documentation

Late Selection Filter Models 
In contrast to the early selection models outlined above, late selection mod-
els operate after information has undergone partial cognitive processing. In-
formation stored in sensory memory is passed to STM where pattern 
matching occurs. When the information activates its LTM representation, 
i.e. a match is found for the pattern, a response is initiated. However, the 
human cognitive system is only capable of handling one response at a time 
(Ellis & Hunt 1993:58; Card 
et al. 
1983:42). This means that instead of be-
ing able to focus our attention on one 
input
only, we are, in fact, only able 
to concentrate on one 
output
, namely the item of information activated in 
LTM. 
Late selection functions on the basis of all information being passed in 
parallel into STM. There are obvious limitations as a result of the low ca-
pacity channel linking sensory memory and STM, but for the most part, all 
information is passed through. Given the fact that STM is limited in its ca-
pacity, only some of the information can be stored there. The decision as to 
which information is stored in STM is based on the relative importance of 
the information. Information relating to the task at hand is assigned greater 
importance (Gavin 1998:37). Information which is deemed to be important 
is then subjected to more rigorous processing. While several items of in-
formation may be processed, we can organise and handle responses to one 
of them only. 
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Understanding Users 
Preconscious Processing and Semantic Priming 
A crucial characteristic of the late selection model is that all information is 
processed to some extent. As attention selection takes place after recogni-
tion of information and at the point where responses are selected, the unat-
tended information can sometimes be put to good use. Although we can 
only deal with one response at a time, the fact that we partially process so 
much information has an effect on the content of STM and which parts of 
LTM are activated. 
Semantic priming 
is a phenomenon whereby in cases where “the stimulus
which preceded the current stimulus was semantically related to the
cur-
rent stimulus, the response to the current stimulus is affected by the preced-
ing stimulus” (Ellis & Hunt 1993:60). This means that stimuli can pave the 
way for subsequent related stimuli. In effect, semantic priming activates or 
facilitates access to related items of information. This makes the recognition 
of subsequent information easier (
ibid.
).