By Garima
Information technology has changed how we search, communicate and work. This article asks how IT tools can support translators, which tools are commonly used, and what care they need.
Why IT matters
In a few years, IT has made it possible to find information on almost any concept with one click, to move money across the country in moments, and to communicate across borders. It also helps with storing data and managing work, which makes tasks easier to bring together. The author asks whether IT tools can work well with translation, and how they can help translators with translating and proofreading.
Technology also supports marketing through social media and search engine optimisation (SEO), and it gives access to open-source platforms and online resources, including documents from researchers and professionals.
CAT tools and translation memory
Computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools include SDL Trados Studio, Déjà Vu, Similis and Star Transit. They are often called translation memory software. They store a translation for a word, a segment or a whole sentence in a given language pair, and reuse it when the same segment appears again. This supports consistency and quality control.
The author notes that these tools combine human work with machine help, but the final text still needs checking for mistranslation. She also points to security as a possible disadvantage, since texts are stored and shared through software.
Terminology and alignment tools
Terminology tools such as Logiterm, and alignment software such as YouAlign and Bitext2, can help with terms that vary across legal, medical, technical and educational texts.
Translation and entrepreneurship
The author links technology to entrepreneurship. Language professionals who use memory tools and other technical skills can work faster and manage terminology and security better, which can help a translation business grow. She concludes that the combination of a smart machine and a smart human can take a business far.
Tool names and features change over time, so check the current options before choosing software.
Related reading
For a practical look at these tools, read CAT tools and their importance for translators.
