Translation technology

Translation Memory Technology

Optimisation of the translation process can be considerably enhanced by the use of a CAT tool (Computer Aided Translation tool) and TM tool (Translation Memory tool). To be able to maintain consistent terminology within a product group for example, or to undertake a revision of a manual without a complete retranslation, the use of CAT tools such as TRADOS, across, STAR Transit, Déjà Vu etc. is gaining increasing significance. We are not tied to a particular tool, the choice is at the customer's discretion.

These tools are used in particular for translations that contain both terminological and structural repetitions and are available in file format. New translations are undertaken on the basis of existing database material. The human translator still continues to be at the centre of the translation work, but optimally assisted by technology.

A combination of terminology and translated language pairs guarantees consistency and hence increased quality of your products.

Translation memory (TM) is a concept that organises human translations in a database - the translation memory - and prepares them for use in new translations even while they are being entered in the text processing program or another editor of one's choice.

The TM stores the original text and the corresponding translation in language pairs. When a new sentence is to be translated, the system immediately compares this sentence with the whole content of the database and displays previous translations - both identical and similar sentences - so that the consistency of a translation is guaranteed. The sentences proposed by the TM can then be accepted or altered and adapted at will. The individual sentences and their translation are stored in the database system and are available for subsequent documents.

If optimum results are to be achieved, the style and formulation of the original documents must be as uniform as possible, otherwise the system cannot be used meaningfully.

For this reason TM systems are less used for publications by a variety of different authors or marketing texts, but are ideal for repetitive texts in study protocols, informed consent forms, registration modules, patient information leaflets and operating instructions.

While there is the possibility of a reduction in costs with the use of TM systems, it should however be borne in mind, that even with repetitions or matches, the translator must still check the whole text, sentence by sentence, and where necessary recreate it. He or she cannot blindly accept the sentences offered and this requires time.

Terminology database

A further application associated with TM is Term Pool for resolving terminology consistency: using one and the same word for the same concept entails a considerable amount of time and cost without the aid of a suitable program.

Easier communication via the internet portal

The customer can use the benefits of the translation and terminology database without having to use the application in-house. Through our internet portal, customers have unrestricted access (24-7) to their TM and terminology tool at mpue. As a result, the basis of communication is considerably facilitated and unnecessary and time-consuming correction processes are avoided.

Networkability

Allows several linguistic experts involved on a project to access the same translation memory and terminology databases so that speed and consistency are also maintained in teamwork.

Layout reworking with TM

Detailed preparation for operating systems (PC or Mac), format and layout can avoid conversion problems and hence considerable extra work on reformatting.

Our Desktop Publishing Service checks the content structure of the source document for translation and formatting problems so that all text and layout features can be supplied in the desired file format.