For an organization to succeed in the global marketplace, a consistent connection with its international audience is a must. If content isn’t translated and localized to the highest standards, the company risks alienating its multilingual customer base.
Unfortunately, translation can be inaccessible, especially at scale. Manual translation is expensive and time-consuming, whereas machine translation (MT) often lacks nuance and cultural context. Thankfully, computer-assisted translation tools can bridge the gap, improving the quality of the translation process with increased productivity.
This guide explores everything an organization needs to know about what computer-assisted translation is. You’ll discover whether it’s the correct translation solution for your business.
Linguists use computer-assisted translation software to assist them in converting text between languages. CAT tools typically feature an interface for translators to edit, manage, and submit work, as well as a database of interpreted text. This repository of common expressions helps automate repetitive translation work, further reducing time to market. Along with the database, assisted translation software functions streamline workflows, increasing translators’ efficiency and accuracy. These additional features ensure an organization’s messaging is consistently on target.
During translation, CAT tools operate as text editors, workflow managers, and content repositories for source text and translated text.
The step-by-step process looks like this:
Computer-aided translation and machine translation may sound interchangeable. However, these are two very different technologies.
A computer-assisted translation tool aids professional translators in performing their jobs. Ultimately, the quality of the outcome relies on their linguistic skills.
Machine translation software doesn’t require human input. Translation platforms like Google Translate and DeepL rely on AI and computer algorithms to translate text between languages.
Although machine translation tools may improve productivity and reduce the cost of linguistic services, the results don’t always accurately reflect the cultural nuances required for successful localization, meaning a translator needs to step in for quality assurance.
CAT tools ship with various features and functionalities to speed up translation. Here are some of the most popular:
Translation memory stores more than source-text pairs. It also incorporates language pairs, glossaries, and style guides in multiple languages. Access to these references saves the translator from needing to reproduce the same work again, saving time and building consistency into the outputs.
Translation memory is beneficial when working on repetitive texts, such as instruction manuals, user guides, or legal documents.
Also known as a glossary, a termbase is a dictionary of word definitions or usage instructions for translated terminology. This tool ensures accurate and consistent messaging by standardizing the usage of common terms and industry-specific jargon.
A translation style guide outlines the rules a human translator must follow to translate text into the target language. In addition to preserving the message’s original meaning and intent, it ensures that the brand’s voice and ethos are accurately reproduced for international markets.
Shortcuts allow professional translators to complete simple tasks at the touch of a button, which is a massive time saver. Some types of computer-assisted translation enable translators to create customized shortcuts, further boosting their productivity.
CAT tools perform spelling and grammar checks on the translated text as part of their quality assurance functionality. The software can also identify missing HTML tags, style guide issues, and numeric inconsistencies.
So, why should an organization choose CAT tools over manual or machine translation? By implementing computer-assisted translation tools, a company will see improvements in the following areas:
CAT software automates many manual tasks, so translators don’t have to repeat translations or struggle with formatting. Once the translation is complete, the tool generates a clean copy of the original file in the source language, saving additional time.
Computer-assisted translation tools come with a tool kit that includes translation memory, glossaries, and style guides. These aids ensure consistent translation across multiple texts. The system improves the more it’s used, meaning the linguist translates fewer terms and expressions from scratch. This significantly enhances quality while minimizing time spent.
Computer-assisted translation tools integrate internal and external language databases, allowing translators to consistently deliver high-quality translations that respect cultural nuances. The functionality is particularly beneficial when producing technical, financial, or industry-specific content that must reflect the expected tone and terminology.
Translation memory allows linguistic professionals to work more effectively, saving organizations time and money. They avoid repeatedly referencing style guides and other resources to translate industry-specific jargon and previously translated phrases.
CAT tools are flexible, adapting to various business needs and workflows. They often have security features that control read and write permissions. Files are typically compatible with different CAT tools. Integrations and out-of-the-box modules allow professional translators to customize the tool to their needs and workflow. Cloud-based functionality provides access from anywhere, using any device. The list goes on and on.
Translation and localization efforts are a high-stakes investment. Even if your content is grammatically accurate, the wrong turn of phrase could disgruntle an international audience. That’s why organizations must select the right translation tool for the job
Before committing to a solution, a company should:
This may seem overwhelming for companies beginning their localization journey. To help you understand the challenge, we’ve created “The Complete Guide to Translation Services.” This free eBook helps corporate leadership learn about language services, translation tools, and localization software. With the right background, you can ensure you pick the best translation service for your needs.