The Ins and Outs of Computer-Assisted Translation

Jost Zetzsche International Writers' Group

What are translators?

bsujtbo dpnnvojdbups
entrepreneur

qijmpmphjtu

technology expert

bsujtu

xsjufs
computer geek

bncbttbeps csjehf cvjmefs mbohvbhf fyqfsu

Computer-Assisted Translation
Specialized CAT functions
Resource lookup Terminology management Project management Word counts Term extraction Text extraction Conversion Alignment Quality assurance

Comprehensive tools
Translation Environment Tools (TEnT)

Machine Translation

Machine translation has reached a point of frenzy that is very similar to that of the 1950's

Resource lookup

Functions to assemble dictionary or any other resources and perform lookups by entering a query or directly from any application

Terminology management
Functions that allow you to enter/import terminology data and search it by entering a query or directly from any application

Term extraction
Functions to create term lists from translated file pairs or translation memory files Different approaches
statistical model linguistic model hybrid model

Text extraction
Functions to extract text from difficult DTP and graphic formats so that they can be processes in a TEnT

Word counts
Functions to count words, characters, or lines in a wide variety of formats according to customized rules or based on MS Word's rules

Conversion and Maintenance

Functions to maintain TEnT-specific formats and convert them

Alignment
Functions to create a translation memory or a bitext from translated documents

Quality control
Functions to assure the functional (and linguistic) quality of TEnT files:
bilingual translation files translation memory files exchange formats

Project management
For the translation company
vendor and client management file and resource management billing management workflow management

For the individual translator

client management file management billing management

(Translation Environment Tools)

Features of TEnTs

Leveraging new against translated content (Translation Memory) Building and maintaining terminology databases Working in complex file formats Methods for analysis Quality assurance Project management Workflow ...

New developments in TM technology

Context-based searches Subsegment searches Combined TM and termbase searches Predictive typing MT tie-in Morphological searches

TEnT Categories
Tools that perform all or most work through macros in Microsoft Word Tools that let the translator work in an independent environment Tools that let the translator work in a browser-based environment

Word as main interface

Trados 2007 (+ add. interface) MultiTrans (+ add. interface) Wordfast Classic Translation Workspace (+ add. interface) JiveFusion MetaTexis Similis Snowball

Independent interface
Commercial Tools Trados Studio Heartsome Swordfish Star Transit Fortis/Semantis Across Dj Vu memoQ Publisher MadCap Lingo Fluency Wordfast Pro AnyMem Similis (SDLX) Open-source Tools OmegaT Open Language Editor OpenTM2 (ForeignDesk) Poedit, Virtaal, Pootle

Browser-based interface
Lingotek XTM Wordbee Google Translator Toolkit Wordfast Anywhere

TEnTs: The similarities

Translation memory component Terminology component Standards support (TBX, TMX, XLIFF) Alignment feature Similar range of supported file formats
PDF support

Concordance searches Analysis features

TEnTs: The differentiators

Translation interface Translation memory technology Batch vs. individual file processing Terminology handling Quality assurance Remote connectivity Data resources WYSIWYG Support and training

memoQ
Benefit of using the best of the rest Loyal following among all segments in the language industry Very responsive support and product development Great preview features

Dj Vu
Loyal, but increasingly antsy following among freelancers Powerful, but not particularly user-friendly database management Widest support of file formats

Wordfast Pro
Realization that it is not easy to pull a new tool out of the hat Great ways to use other tools' usage data

Fluency
Tool assembled from all kinds of other tools and libraries Large internal data resources

XTM
User-friendly browser-based, spartan interface Complete platform independence

Google Translator Toolkit

Limited file support More and more "professional" features Data from various sources Google data feed

TEnTs: Support and training

The purchase of a software tool is only the beginning of the investment into advanced translation technology. Without training, the investment will fail.

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Let's talk

Jost Zetzsche
jost@internationalwriters.com, www.internationalwriters.com