CAT Tools: A View from the Translation Company's Perspective

We've all heard a lot about Computer Aided Translation (CAT) tools over the last few years. We've also heard some of the war stories as well. But let's take a look from a different angle ' from the perspective of today's middle-market translation and localization service companies (TCs for short). We CAT tool providers spend a lot of time talking about the benefits to the translator, perhaps at the risk of missing some of those that are particularly important to a TC. Re-using previously translated materials (or leveraging as we like to call it) can be a very important factor in reducing the cost and increasing the consistency of translation. But it turns out that there are a number of other features in today's tools that are particularly helpful for TCs. I'm going to describe them in terms of two of the tools we are involved with, although others have some of these features as well.

Briggs, Brian M. SDL International. Articles>Language>Localization>Software

Character Sets

Character encodings tutorials and specifications.

i18nGurus.com. Resources>Language>Localization

Closing the Content Gap: Converging Authoring and Translation  

As companies strive to improve themselves by rethinking their global content strategies and redesigning these for the new world of continuous and multilingual deployment, they must unify their authoring and translation processes--not an easy task. Fenstermacher explains why authors and translators should work to close the content gap that often exists.

Fenstermacher, Hans E. Intercom (2007). Articles>Content Management>Translation>Localization

Comparing the Usability of Three Dual-Language School Websites

This study evaluated the usability of three websites for Spanish-English Dual Language K-8 schools. Twelve participants (6 parents, 6 teachers) reviewed and performed tasks on the three public school websites. Site usability was determined through both objective and subjective measures, including task completion time, first-click, total number of pages visited, task success, perceived task difficulty, user satisfaction, and overall ranked preference. Results indicated that one site was preferred more than the others by both user groups and resulted in more efficient search behavior. Clear navigation, link terminology, and proper use of both languages were found to be critical factors contributing to the sites’ usability.

Naidu, Shivashankar, Veronica D. Hinkle and Sav Shrestha. Usability News (2007). Articles>Web Design>Usability>Localization

Compendium of Translation Software

A directory of commercial machine translation systems and computer-aided translation support tools.

John Hutchins (2007). Resources>Software>Localization>Machine Translation

Controlled Language - Risks and Side Effects

Controlled Language (CL) is a controversial issue for linguists, editors, readers, but also for firms. Costs, marketing and sales figures are at stake. Why did I select 'risks and side effects', from the numerous problems involved, for my contribution? I am convinced that CL will be successful because positive / financial arguments prevail. Consequently, we will have to avail ourselves of CL, and identify and realize the risks involved and potential vicious side effects.

Janowski, Wladyslaw. TC-FORUM (1998). Articles>Language>Localization>Controlled Vocabulary

Controlled Language and Translation Memory Technology: A Perfect Match to Save Translation Cost

It goes without saying that controlled language makes it easier not only to understand a text, but also to translate it into another language, thereby reducing translation cost. This positive effect can be even more increased by the use of professional translation tools. By "translation tools", I do not mean machine translation systems such as Logos or Systran, but rather terminology database and translation memory applications. Typical examples of such tools are MultiTerm '95 Plus and Translator's Workbench.

Brockmann, Daniel. TC-FORUM (1997). Articles>Language>Localization>Controlled Vocabulary

Controlled Siemens Documentary German and TopTrans

The following paper is a machine-translated text from German into English. And at the same time it explains the technology applied.

Lehrndorfer, Anne. TC-FORUM (1998). Articles>Language>Localization

Coping with Babel: How to Localize XML

Outlines pitfalls that are often encountered by authors, programmers and localizers when first using XML, as well as ways to avoid these problems. Following Zydron’s advice can save developers time, money and headaches, and can help them reach out effectively to the world.

Zydron, Andrzej. LISA (2004). Articles>Language>Localization>XML

Cost Control for Online Help Localization  

Localizing a large online help system often represents the most expensive part of a localization project. However, when international customers or markets are a product’s lifelines, eliminating the online help translation is not an option, especially when customers have come to expect it. Managers of online help localization are left with a paradoxical mandate: Keep localizing, but quit spending (so much).

Kock, Benjamin C. Intercom (2003). Articles>Documentation>Localization>Language

Creating Documents in Another Language  

Del Papa discusses some of the challenges faced by technical communicators who are non-native speakers of English and who produce English-language documentation.

Del Papa, Lisa A. Intercom (2002). Articles>Writing>Translation>Localization

Creating Effective Translations

Use active voice, because it is easier to understand. If the material is being translated into a language which frequently uses passive voice, such as German, the translator will make the accommodation for that language.

Wright, Ami. Boston Broadside (1997). Articles>Language>Translation>Localization

Creating Multilingual Websites - Part 1

Extend the existing globalization capabilities of .NET to create flexible and powerful multilgual web sites. First, create a custom ResourceManager, and then create custom localized-capable server controls to easily deploy multilingual functionality.

Seguin, Karl. Code Project, The (2004). Articles>Web Design>Localization>ASP

Creating Multilingual Websites - Part 2

Extend the existing globalization capabilities of .NET to create flexible and powerful multilgual web sites. First, create a custom ResourceManager, and then create custom localized-capable server controls to easily deploy multilingual functionality.

Seguin, Karl. Code Project, The (2004). Articles>Web Design>Localization

Creating Multilingual Websites - Part 3

Extend the existing globalization capabilities of .NET to create flexible and powerful multilgual web sites. This third part won't focus on the fundamental but rather enhancements to what we've already covered.

Seguin, Karl. Code Project, The (2005). Articles>Web Design>Localization>ASP

Cross Language Information Retrieval

We sometimes refer to our globally interconnected information infrastructure as the World-Wide-Web. At present, however, it is far less than that. For someone who reads only English, it is presently the English-Wide-Web.

Youssef, Moustafa A. Universal Usability (2001). Design>Language>Localization>Web Design

Cross-Cultural Transformation of Technical Documentation for the Chinese Market

Technical authors can compile technical documentation of high quality for a foreign market only if they are able to respect and understand the foreign culture.

Just, Stefan. TC-FORUM (2000). Articles>Documentation>Localization

Cross-Language Information Retrieval: Layout Strategies for Gloss Translation

In this experiment, we study some issues on the user interface design of Cross-Language Information Retrieval (CLIR). In particular, we study some enhancements to the current user interface design for the University of Maryland Translingual Information Retrieval System web page.

Elnahrawy, Eiman M., Nagia M. Ghanem and Moustafa A. Youssef. University of Maryland (2001). Design>Document Design>Localization>Search

Cultural Considerations and Applicability of Western Usability Guidelines in the Design of Chinese E-commerce Websites

The key to the success of e-businesses is to understand what entices people to buy things online and to provide them with the means to carry out these shopping transactions. E-business Web page designers must also have a sound understanding of the consumer behaviors in the targeted markets. Research to understand the psychology and expectations of online shoppers will not only help consumers and e-businesses but also the makers of the equipment and telecommunication infrastructure which supports these businesses. This paper discusses some of the issues in our research to i) understand what motivates Chinese consumers to buy online and ii) whether the Web usability guidelines derived in the West are appropriate for Chinese consumers.

Tham, Ming-Po, Guomei Zhou and Xiaolan Fu. uiGarden (2005). Articles>Usability>Localization>E Commerce

Cultural User Interfaces, A Silver Lining in Cultural Diversity

Many software applications marketed outside the country of origin are internationalised and/or localised. In this article, I propose a strategy to localise the software by creating a Cultural User Interface (CUI) for each of the target cultures. A CUI is a user interface that is intuitive to a particular culture.

Yeo, Alvin. SIGCHI Bulletin (1996). Articles>User Interface>Localization

The Culture of China's Internet    

With China fast overtaking the United States as the world's largest online market, Rogers provides helpful information on how technical communicators can tailor their Web sites to appeal to Chinese visitors.

Rogers, Kevin. Intercom (2008). Articles>Web Design>Localization>China

Current Issues in Software Internationalisation  

The trend toward globalisation of products and services has brought a strong economic imperative to the development of general methods for the localisation of software to different cultural environments. While ad hoc, bolt-on localisation may satisfy immediate commercial objectives, its extension to multiple locales is not cost-effective and an integrated strategy is needed. In this more sustainable approach, known as software internationalisation, the requirements of disparate markets are addressed during analysis and system design, with the architecture developed so that localisation to a particular environment is straightforward, and involves minimal re-engineering. Given the limited size of the Australasian market, detailed attention to the technical issues of internationalisation is of critical importance to the future of software development in the region, as is the availability of graduates adequately prepared for this environment. Thus motivated, this paper examines the state of play in a number of aspects of application level software internationalisation, with our focus the core research challenges of the next few years, and the consequences of these trends for the software engineering curriculum.

Hogan, James M., Chris Ho-Stuart and Binh Pham. Queensland University of Technology. Articles>Language>Localization>Software

Cybermarketing in English and German: Observations on the Multilingual Web Site of a Finnish Company  

Cybermarketing is a recent aspect of marketing strategy, which involves establishing company presence in cyberspace, in other words on the World Wide Web, or on the Internet. The instrument used in cybermarketing is the company web site - or the company home page as it was first called. The company web site is, likewise, a new concept; the first, most innovative business enterprises only established their web site presence in the second half of the 1990s. Indeed, business professionals have been slower than academics in adopting the communication potentials incorporated in electronic media on the whole, including the World Wide Web and the Internet.

Yli-Jokipii, Hilkka M. Hogskolen i Ostfold (2001). Careers>Web Design>Localization>E Commerce

The Dangers of Publishing Your Website in Another Language

Publishing your website in another language is like managing a brand new website. It demands people who are expert in writing and editing in that language. The standard of English on the Web, for example, is often poor, even for those whose native language it is. It can be embarrassingly bad for websites publishing English as a foreign language.

McGovern, Gerry. WTB Language Group. Articles>Web Design>Localization