Taming the Translation Alligator: Or How to Facilitate Document Translation without Getting Eaten Alive  

When the cost for translation on support documentation for a foreign sold machine continues to go up, what can be done to minimize the cost of this EU mandated requirement?

McDowell, Elizabeth C. STC International TC SIG (2001). Articles>Content Management>Translation>Localization

The Translation Memory Advantage  

Have you ever wished you could remember everything you've written over the past few years, and reuse it whenever needed? Now that would be a valuable, timesaving tool. In the same vein, it would be worth a great deal if a translator could recall every sentence translated for a client, and recycle it wherever appropriate. Today there are tools that help translators do exactly that. These tools are programs, called translation memory software, which allow translators to store and retrieve text. Using this software saves time and money and contributes to a better translation.

Smith, Jackie. STC International TC SIG (2001). Articles>Language>Translation>Machine Translation

Translation Management: In-house or Outsourced  

The suggestions that follow are culled from 10 years of experimentation and note-taking by a client in the translation game. I have tried to arrange them in logical groupings, but real coherence is difficult to achieve when it involves such a compilation. Although the company I work for has found it advantageous to move away from dependence on translation agencies, complete hands-on management of translation projects is not for the neophyte. Easing into it one language at a time, however, may be attempted after becoming intimately familiar with the basic translation process.

Whitman, Michael. STC International TC SIG (2001). Articles>Content Management>Translation>Machine Translation

What Type of Translation Agency Staff is Right for You?  

When you have materials that need to be translated into a foreign language, how do you decide where to send them? Your basic choice is between an agency that uses only freelance translators or one that has employee translators in-house. Your decision on which to use should depend on the type of final product you are looking for and the subject matter of the material to be translated. This article describes the two types of agencies in more detail, to help you make an informed decision regarding the type of agency that will work best for you. We have tried to maintain an impartial view of both types while making potential clients aware of the industry and its various practices and levels of quality.

Nagy, Charlene. STC International TC SIG (2001). Articles>Language>Outsourcing>Translation

Where Writing and Translation Meet  

Just as developing an English document may take months as it crosses the desks of subject matter experts, sales and marketing managers, and editors, so does producing translations. Documents to be translated can go before a translator, editor, subject matter expert, proofreader, in-country reviewer, and client before a final version is ready for distribution.

Kramasz, Deb. STC International TC SIG (2003). Articles>Language>Translation>Writing

Effective Update Management in the Localization Process  

Whether one is localizing documentation or translating Web sites into multiple foreign languages, managing updates is a major component of the localization process. Content development often involves constant updates. Therefore a localization methodology must have the infrastructure to manage change seamlessly, efficiently, and accurately. It must also offer complete flexibility to accommodate each project’s unique schedule, requirements and development cycle.

Shapiro, Tom. STC International TC SIG (2003). Articles>Content Management>Localization>Translation

Machine Learning for Asian Language Text Classification    

The purpose of this research is to compare several machine learning techniques on the task of Asian language text classification, such as Chinese and Japanese where no word boundary information is available in written text. The paper advocates a simple language modeling based approach for this task.

Peng, Fuchun and Xiangji Huang. Journal of Documentation (2007). Articles>Language>Taxonomy>Machine Translation

Language Problems to be Coped with in Web Localization    

Web Localization means the process of making all kinds of information on a Web site culturally, linguistically, graphically, and technologically customized to the needs of the users of the target country. Web site localization is an important means by which an industry or organization wins an international market for its products or services since the Internet has billions of users and has the world wide access. However, language problems are still an obstacle to successful Web localization or online writings for cross-cultural audiences, which result in failing to achieve the communication purpose of the organization or company that has the problems on its Web site. This article mainly focuses on the language problems in online writing or localizing a Web linguistically for cross-cultural audiences from semantic, syntactical, textual, and rhetorical perspectives and makes some suggestions for solving the problems.

Zhu, Pinfan. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2009). Articles>Web Design>Localization>Translation

The Trouble with Translation Memory Programs

Translation memory is not a burden to be vilified, but I do think translation agencies and some TEnT developers should think long and hard about their practices. We pay for our tools – not the agency. Why should we be paid less to use them? That just doesn’t make sense.

Sommer, Jill. Musings from an Overworked Translator (2009). Articles>Language>Translation>Machine Translation

Centralized Translation Processes: Overcoming Global Regulatory and Multilingual Content Challenges

Accurate translations of clinical trial documents play an important role in meeting global product demands. Mistakes from poorly done translations can result in product delays, cost overruns, malpractice or product liability lawsuits, and confused subjects / patients.

Kassatkina, Inna. SlideShare (2007). Presentations>Content Management>Translation>Biomedical

The Long Road to Embrace Domestic Multilingualism

People often ask us which commercial market is the most advanced when it comes to viewing linguistic diversity as a boon instead of a bane. Language service providers (LSPs) in other countries often point to the United States, which in 2010 will support an estimated market of US$765 million for telephone interpreting services, largely generated from organizations that sell goods and services to its multicultural residents. However, is the U.S. market truly 'mature' when it comes to embracing multilingualism? Not by a long shot.

Kelly, Nataly. Global Watchtower (2009). Articles>Language>Translation>United States

Ten Irresistible Potholes that Writers Find on the Road to Globalization

Optimizing the translation process has two basic components: improving the writers' source texts and improving the translators' process. For the moment, we'll focus on the writer's job. Dear Translator: Please remember that most writers never had any training at all about translation and usually know one lonely language. Many of them can only rely on the limited writing advice that they got in school. They're never aware of how they can make life hellish for translators and for international readers. So, don't blame them; help them out. Pass this list on to them and discuss it until they understand.

Dillinger, Mike. Content Wrangler, The (2009). Articles>Language>Translation>Writing

Active Open Source Translation Tool Projects

I don’t intend to give a complete project list. I just chose some projects that might be interesting enough to people from localization industry based on two criteria: 1. The features are useful for language service providers (LSP). 2. The development status is Stable or Mature. In other words, it is ready for real production use from the view of development cycle.

Dickson, Vic. Better Localization (2005). Articles>Software>Translation>Open Source

International English Gives Satisfactory Machine Translation into Spanish

An article about machine translation was translated into Spanish by Google Translate (www.google.co.uk/language_tools?hl=en). In September 2009, professional translators evaluated the translation for fluency and for accuracy of meaning.

TechScribe (2009). Articles>Language>Translation>Machine Translation

Translation as an Act of Communication

Includes an illustration of international professional communication, the double commitment of international professional communicators, and professionals and documentation experts.

Durão, Rosário. SlideShare (2008). Presentations>Language>Communication>Translation

Automated Translation for Technical Documentation: Can it Deliver What it Promises?

In the past few years, there has been a growing interest in using automated translation in a business environment. In the past, automated translation was mostly implemented in government and defense areas, but nowadays there’s also a great interest from corporations that see the value automated translation can contribute to their organization. Let’s take a look at the different uses of automated translation, how it adds value to technical publications and how your teams can prepare content for automated translation.

Hurst, Sophie. TC World (2009). Articles>Documentation>Technical Translation>Machine Translation

Using EN 15038:2006 as an Assessment Tool

If you have struggled with a good way to assess the countless translation agencies vying for your business or looked for a way to assess your current provider, you’re not alone. Companies around the globe have longed for a standard objective means by which to carry out their assessments. Some help has arrived in the form of European Standard EN 15038:2006, “Translation Services — Service Requirements.”

Heaton, Jason. TC World (2009). Articles>Language>Translation>Assessment

Dispelling the Myths of Machine Translation

It is not surprising that myths, half-truths, and misunderstandings abound regarding machine translation: It seems as if the experience most players in the translation field have with this technology does not go beyond toying a little with one of the free online translation tools. Almost every week, I come across an article informing its readers either that machine translation is and always will be a complete waste of time or that machine translation, while being a waste of time today, might actually be useful some time in the distant future. In the hope of setting the record straight, here is a closer look at some of the most common myths about machine translation.

Muegge, Uwe. TC World (2008). Articles>Language>Localization>Machine Translation

Translatable but Debatable גורם 

When there’s a decision to be made and several gormim are consulted, a complication for the translator is that a גורם can be an individual or a whole department or company. Personally I sometimes get away with office as a translation because the גורמים can presumably all be found in offices of their own. But only sometimes. A גורם that you consult could also be a sample of schoolchildren, shoppers, or beachgoers. Sometimes גורמים can be stakeholders, but again only sometimes.

Levinson, Mark L. Elephant (2009). Articles>Language>Translation