Why a Translation Memory May Not Be Used

Using a TM with previously translated text is extremely beneficial to achieve consistency in style and terminology throughout all translated materials, but in some cases clients can’t provide linguists with TMs. This means that neither translators nor clients can leverage prior work when translating new documents. 

There are a variety of reasons why a TM may not be available for use. It could be because the linguist wasn’t using a CAT tool at the time they began translating documents for a client. In some cases, the client may simply not have access to a TM file utilized by a translator they no longer work with and who did not deliver the file during their handoff.

Regardless of the reason a TM may not be available, if the original files and the translated versions are at hand, this inconvenience can be quickly overcome.

Where Translation Memory Alignment Comes In

For those who want to utilize a TM, without having to start from scratch, translation memory alignment allows for the user to import two files representing the same text in two different languages and align the sentences side by side to generate a TM file. This process allows you to build a repository of translation units that will be saved to the TM and can be utilized in future translation projects. 

The translation memory alignment process can be completed through different tools. Most CAT tools offer their own alignment feature, but there are others in the market as well that specialize in this process.

A Personal Touch

Some alignment tools will generate a report with a “quality score” that gives an indication of how successful the alignment was. Translation memory alignment projects should always be performed by a linguist who knows the two languages being handled. The linguist will check each segment and approve correct matches or fix incorrect matches in order to perfect the TM. Human work will help ensure the alignment is 100% correct. This intervention is especially helpful when dealing with documents that have complex formatting that can lead to accuracy issues during the alignment process.

The post What is Translation Memory Alignment and How Can I Use It? appeared first on Terra Translations.

In life, win-win scenarios can be hard to come by. But for translation professionals and their clients, the use of translation memory is something worth celebrating. Translation memory helps translators work faster and more efficiently. Not only does this improve the work flow process for the translator, but it helps ensure the client receives high quality and accurate work in a more timely fashion. And last but certainly not least, the client can save money thanks to this productivity boosting tool. The benefits are pretty indisputable. So let’s take a deep dive into the benefits of translation memory. 

What is a translation memory?

In short, a translation memory acts as a database that can store text that was previously translated. This can include words, sentences, and even whole paragraphs of text. The translation memory breaks up these chosen areas of text into two parts. The source and the target. The source refers to the original language of the text entered into the translation memory. The target is the translation of the original text. Together, these pairs are known as “translation units” or “TUs”. It is possible to have a translation memory for each language pair. Companies who have content translated into multiple languages would need a translation memory for each pair, such as one for German, French, or Spanish. 

How does it work?

Translation memories are a part of a larger system called a CAT (computer assisted translation) tool. This somewhat broad term generally describes software that professional translators use to increase productivity, catch mistakes, and improve consistency. CAT tools segment text that need translation and in return present the text in a way that is much simpler to translate. 

Translation memories are an important part of CAT tools. When using such a tool, a translator will start by opening the document that needs translation, also known as the source file. Then the translation memory will check to see if any of the recently uploaded content was already translated. The tool will search for any “100% matches” (identical matches) as well as any “fuzzy matches” (similar matches, but not exact). A fuzzy match occurs if there is no exact match for a term or phrase, but there are segments in the translation memory that are similar to the text that a translator is currently working on. Sometimes the difference could be as small as a single word.  

When working through a source file, translators can either accept, modify or override suggestions from the translation memory.  Human judgement is of the utmost importance. Even if a translation memory finds a translation match, the translator has to be very careful and verify the accuracy in a given context. They may have to update the translation accordingly. When a segment doesn’t have a match (this occurs if it hasn’t been translated previously), the translation memory will store the new TUs and this allows the translation memory to continue to grow and improve. 

The Benefits

Utilizing translation memories helps support the localization process. It can also help improve the quality and consistency of a translation job, as well as help complete the work faster. Working with translation memories is not the same as using machine translation (MT) tools. Unlike MT, a tool which automatically translates without human input, professional translators create translation memories. That personal touch accounts for subtleties and contextual scenarios that occur in varying languages and cultures. Both the client and translator will gain confidence and peace of mind by using translation memories throughout their translation work. This tool helps improve the consistency, quality, and speed of work. See, a win-win for everyone.

The post Translation Memory: How it Works and Why You Need It appeared first on Terra Translations.