Improving Translation Quality - CAT Tools 101

“Words travel worlds. Translators do the driving.”

- Anna Rusconi

And if there is a navigator to help, all the better! That’s what CAT does for translation.

Although a bit different to the feline namesake, this CAT or Computer Assisted Translation can help “purr-fect” your translation process (pun intended). And yet, as in everything, there are a few considerations to keep in mind while using this tool.

This blog will discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of CAT tools and give you an unbiased view of what is involved.

What Is A CAT Tool?

In simple terms, CAT tools are software applications that help human translators decipher documents between languages more rapidly and effectively. They provide translators with a sharp edge for submitting, editing, managing, and storing multilingual content all in just one place.

These tools enable translators to operate more productively, swiftly, accurately, and effortlessly, producing translations of the finest quality. As a result, CAT tools have transformed the way translators undertake their work and have become indispensable in translation.

Did You Know?

• 88% of full-time professional translators use at least one CAT tool for some of their translation tasks.

• Translators estimated that using translation software could boost productivity by at least 30%

  Source: ProZ survey

What Are Some Key Features That CAT Tools Can Provide?

Translation is more than the simple conversion of text from one language to another. The quality of the translation can make or break a business and even cost lives. It plays an especially important role in certain fields, such as the pharmaceutical industry, medicine, and contract law. CAT tools have the following features that can help:

1. Translation Memory

Due to its digital nature, CAT tools are often confused with Machine Translation, but they are not the same. Machine translation (MT) creates the translation from scratch, whereas the translation memory (TM) feature of a CAT tool saves previously created translations in a database and retrieves or suggests related translations. The translator is given the liberty to accept, modify, or reject the TM’s suggested translation, ensuring that they don’t have to translate the same thing again.

2. In-context Editing

A design can be completed in a fraction of the time by using in-context editing tools, which show you how translations will appear in real time. It is considerably simpler to translate a word or sentence accurately and naturally when the translator can observe the context in which the word or sentence is used.

3. Collaboration and Project Management Features

A great CAT tool is identified by its collaboration features that make it simpler and more efficient for teams to work together, even if they are worlds apart. This feature works best when your CAT tool is capable of working in the cloud. All the translators, proofreaders, the QA team, and Project Managers on the project will get access to the updated file, not the old versions.

4. File Format Support

The right CAT tool can assist your team in handling the complexities of localisation with the objective of completing projects on schedule. You have no reason to be concerned about whether the tools will support your files because they often support the most common file types. If scaling your localisation project is something you plan to do in the future, make sure the tool you choose will support that.

5. Quality Assurance

Mistakes are inevitable but need to be weeded out. This feature of CAT automatically checks for potential issues such as double words, spelling errors, extra spaces between words, grammar mistakes, or any other typos that might have occurred during the translation process.

Benefits Of CAT Tools To Clients

Flexible:

CAT tools are highly adaptable to different professional needs and workflows. They include integrations and in-built modules to help clients customise workflows and tailor solutions to most projects. If the CAT tool you choose has the capability to scale according to your company’s success, you’ve got the perfect partner for life.

Translation Quality and Company Reputation:

Good translation quality directly translates into better reputation and credibility. Accurate translation, especially in the sales industry is very important, as even a small misunderstanding can cost you a great deal of money. Your translation quality can either boost brand recognition or completely crumple it.

Save Money And Time:

With its level of accuracy, there is little to no need for damage control, which results in the expenditure of money. Translators can work through documents more rapidly by skimming over pre-translated text saving time as well.

Proceed With Caution

Although CAT tools come with a host of benefits, there are a few considerations that you will have to keep in mind:

Contextual errors:

The key to a good translation lies in understanding the context of the source text. This is where CAT tools have yet to catch up. As a machine, it cannot understand the intent and the sentiment behind a word. Localisation is not included in a CAT tool, and this can impact the accuracy of the translated content.

Ongoing Maintenance:

A CAT tool becomes redundant and sometimes even a liability if it isn’t constantly updated. Content must be refreshed, terminology must be up-to-date, and the impact of changes in the legal, political or cultural ecosystems need to be considered. Without this maintenance, translations using a CAT tool could open up the organisation to lawsuits and other consequences.

Negatively impacts creativity:

The skill of a translator transforms into art when translating texts like works of literature. Conveying the spirit of the literary text includes understanding the different meanings behind a phrase or a word. Conveying it in a different language might include completely changing the expression. Translators need to be given an amount of creative licence if they are to translate such texts. By focusing on words, CAT tools can sometimes distract from this objective and frustrate translators.

Experts in CAT

CAT tools are power tools that can help your business ensure quality translation along with cost and time savings. And yet, there is a time and a place to use these tools if you don’t want them to turn into a liability.

At Simpson Soft we have skilled translators and Project Managers that are proficient with CAT tools. As a language partner for clients in the medical, legal, financial, and publishing sectors, we have helped businesses achieve efficiencies with and without these tools. We can help you decide. Let’s talk.