Translation Tools – For Quality Assurance

Indistinctness is the enemy of effective translation. The more a business is open to interpretation at the start, the more likely they are to find themselves revising costly misinterpretations down the road. It’s most likely to make translation mistakes, but with powerful translation quality assurance tools businesses can make sure this error doesn’t happen.

Contemporary translation quality assurance tools are the latest effort to overcome the predictable subjective element of human revisers. It is worth mentioning that there is no single ultimate translation for a given text, but a range of translations are probable. All of them serve different purposes for different fields. For instance, a legal translation will have very discrete necessities in expressions of correctness and observance to locale-specific norms than that of an advertisement or a user instruction manual.

As human beings, we sometimes need a little support to double check our work. In translation, this service typically comprises both human assistance (a proofreader/editor to review the translation) and technology assistance. Just like plain spell check, automated QA tools don’t just make variations. Reasonably, changes are highlighted and presented to the linguist, who eventually elects whether to make a revise. In this way, a human being can scrutinize the recommended changes to make sure they make sense in perspective, and to realm choices that, at first scan, might not seem accurate.

The right localization and translation tools make life stress-free for everyone involved in localization projects.

Computer Assisted Translation (CAT):

Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) is a tool that supports in processing the translation documents, improve effectiveness and escalate promptness. This essentially speeds up translation processes by remembering what and how you translated before.

Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) tools start with no memories and develop as more translations are executed. Using the Translation Memory that it keeps building on, it will be able to fill formerly translated text (100% matches) and only extract the new or updated sentences that need a linguist attention. CAT tools are not a replacement for professional translators. They merely aid in aggregating precision of translation, efficacy and time to market.

Translation Management System (TMS):

A Translation Management System (TMS) is used for the project management feature of localization and translation.

Translation Management System (TMS) supports businesses manage their jobs, different vendors but most prominently it lets them apply altered workflows – one of the most significant features of TMS. Translation Management System (TMS) enables progress of the job through various stages such as translation, editing, Desktop Publishing or localization engineering so the project manager doesn’t have to spend their valuable time on moving the files around. Some Translation Management System (TMS) may also comprise slight CAT tools, but generally not widespread enough to entirely substitute for Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) tools.

Term Base:

A term base is very precise in its tenacity. This is a glossary formed for precise branding and language tenacities. This tool makes sure that the suitable words are used in each of the translations of definite terms. These databanks can be hoarded in a universal TBX format, but CSV and XLS files are also readable by many tools. One use would be to confirm applicable word selection when transmitting from one language to another. As there could be numerous ways to translate the same word, one may make parallel with brand better than another. Businesses could now make that selection once and have it be regular throughout all of its translations.

Quality Assurance tools, much like the term base, aid a very definite persistence of authenticating translations. Quality Assurance checks can cover terms, numbers, trademarks, abbreviations, regular translation of sections and more. This tool is customizable, and personalized to different brands and their expressions. One of the tools mostly uses for terminology is SDL Multiterm, and examples of possible QA tools are XBench and Verifika. Some CAT tools have built-in Quality Assurance modules as well.

In the whole of the translation procedure Quality Assurance (QA) typically takes place at the end of the workflow. It comprises all of the activities and methods that are executed to make certain that the project is absolutely in observance with the customer’s requests.

The Quality Assurance phase involves examining the linguistic quality of the translation and, in some circumstances, an assessment of numerous technical standards. The actual Quality Assurance practice itself will fluctuate rendering to several dynamics, such as the customer’s requests, the human resources allocated to the project (translators, reviewers, etc.), the amount of time which can be dedicated to Quality Assurance and even the financial plan apportioned to this latter task. Furthermore, Quality Assurance can be either linguistic or technical.

Linguistic Quality Assurance:

Linguistic Quality Assurance emphasizes on attaining the quality aims set for the translated text to confirm that the linguistic quality of the final document is of a high standard — and in specific meets the standards demarcated by the customer — so that it is stress-free to read and comprehend by the target audience.

Technical Quality Assurance:

Technical Quality Assurance on the other hand, smears to the technical features of a translation or localization project. For instance, if the text must imitate to an exact outline, the Quality Assurance progression will implicate confirming that the layout necessities are met — meaning; the target layout matches the source layout — and meet the customer’s terms.

In the case of software localization, technical Quality Assurance will involve confirming that the localized version of the software is ready for market; that the testing/gathering/correcting phases have been appropriately conceded out; that the future users of the software will be contented with the software in the target language, etc.

Other localized e-content material, such as help documents, web sites, Flash animations, etc., also have need of a technical Quality Assurance phase to confirm that the content executes as anticipated. In other words, it should be free of bugs (or at least comprises a satisfactory level of non-critical bugs), matches the original outline and most importantly is stress-free to use for the target audience.

Businesses must ensure that their language solutions provider use robust, customizable, automated Quality Assurance tools to enhance and supplement its professional translators and editors to confirm high quality translations.