Professional translators get very dismissive about automatic translators – mainly because the free online tools are not known for laser sharp accuracy. However, that doesn’t mean that Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) tools aren’t used in our business. However, the way they’re used is different.
The translators that work on our clients’ projects all have access to a Cloud-based system called Memsource. This has a desktop application as well as the information stored in the Cloud.
Unlike the free translators it’s much more niche. It allows each client’s material to be stored in the various languages it’s been translated into by one of our professional translators. Then, when the client comes to us with additional material, their stored material is scanned so that any material that has already been translated is flagged up.
This means that the client pays less as we’re not reinventing the wheel by translating what’s already been translated previously.
Our translation team are also trained to use Trados and memoQ, both of which are translation software. These applications are ones some of our clients already use so we ensure that our team can work with their existing stored work in the client’s application. This provides a tailored service for each client and allows them to retain all their own material in the software memory.
Translating more than words
Clients provide the source material in a wide range of applications and we can work with most file formats, all the MS suite of applications, plain text files, InDesign, QuarkXpress, HTML and even Adobe pdf files.
Pdf files are a little more challenging, especially if they’re not in an editable format, but our team are 100% customer-focused so we don’t charge for file preparation.
Clients benefit from much faster turnaround times.
Quality control built in
Human beings do make the occasional mistake – or they wouldn’t be human. So every translation is scanned by a piece of technology called Xbench. This takes the bilingual file with both source and target languages and identifies inconsistencies, typos etc. Before the project is presented to the client a final check is done by the project manager, so quality is assured.
