What is a CAT tool? - Translation 101

Summary

Massimo from SDL introduces CAT (computer-assisted translation) tools, explaining what they are, what they are not, and their core components. He covers translation memory, termbases, dictionaries, file handling/DTP, and machine translation, including training versus AdaptiveMT. Massimo highlights features like AutoSuggest, spell-check, segment and fragment reuse, and how CAT tools speed work while improving quality, consistency, scalability and team connectivity. He emphasizes that CAT tools support but do not replace human translators, freeing them from repetitive tasks so they can focus on nuanced, creative translation work. The talk balances practical features with real-world benefits for translators and organizations.

Takeaways

• 😀 CAT stands for Computer Assisted Translation (or Aided), a tool designed to support, manage, and store translations.
• 😀 A CAT tool is not a machine translation tool—translators still need to manually translate, though CAT tools assist in various ways.
• 😀 The core components of a CAT tool include Translation Memory (TM), Termbase, and integration with machine translation.
• 😀 Translation Memory stores previously translated sentences and retrieves them when similar or identical phrases appear again, improving consistency.
• 😀 A Termbase is a database for storing specific terms or expressions used by a customer or organization, aiding in accurate translations.
• 😀 CAT tools help reduce repetitive tasks like spell-checking and word suggestions, enabling translators to focus on the creative aspects of translation.
• 😀 CAT tools can integrate with machine translation, providing automated translation suggestions to speed up the process, which can be especially useful for familiar or less complex content.
• 😀 Adaptive Machine Translation (AdaptiveMT) allows the machine translation engine to learn from human translations in real-time, improving its future suggestions.
• 😀 CAT tools improve productivity by enabling reuse of previously translated content, accelerating the translation process, especially for repetitive or updated materials.
• 😀 Benefits of CAT tools include enhanced quality (by reducing monotony), increased scalability (handling larger amounts of content), and better connectivity (enabling collaboration among translation teams).

Q & A

What does the acronym CAT stand for?

CAT stands for Computer-Assisted Translation, though some people may also refer to it as Computer-Aided Translation.

What is a CAT tool and how does it support the translation process?

A CAT tool is software used by translators and linguists to support the translation process. It allows users to edit, create, store, and manage translations. It doesn't translate automatically, but helps by providing useful features like translation memory and termbases.

What is the key distinction between a CAT tool and machine translation?

A CAT tool assists translators by providing resources like translation memories, termbases, and spell checking, but it doesn't translate on its own. Machine translation, on the other hand, translates text automatically without human intervention.

What is Translation Memory (TM) and how does it work?

Translation Memory (TM) stores previously translated source sentences and their corresponding translations. When similar or identical sentences appear later, the TM retrieves and suggests the previous translation, making the translation process faster and more consistent.

What is a termbase and how does it differ from a dictionary?

A termbase is a database that stores specific terms or expressions, often customized for a particular client or industry. Unlike a dictionary, which typically stores single words, a termbase can store whole phrases or terms and guide how they should be translated in specific contexts.

How does a CAT tool handle file types like PowerPoint, Word, or HTML?

A CAT tool can open various file types like PowerPoint, Word, and HTML. It extracts the text from these files for translation, allowing the translator to focus on the translation itself rather than formatting and file management. Once translated, the text is returned to the original file format.

What are some of the ways a CAT tool helps with repetitive tasks?

CAT tools reduce monotony by offering features like spell checking, AutoSuggest (which suggests previous translations or similar phrases), and segment fragment retrieval. These features help translators focus on more complex translation tasks while automating repetitive ones.

What role does machine translation play in a CAT tool?

Machine translation in a CAT tool provides automated translation suggestions. While it doesn’t replace human translators, it can be useful for translating unfamiliar topics quickly or for post-editing to improve efficiency, especially when dealing with large volumes of content.

What is AdaptiveMT, and how does it differ from traditional machine translation engines?

AdaptiveMT is a newer, more flexible machine translation technology that allows the system to learn and adapt to a translator’s specific way of translating as they work. Unlike traditional machine translation engines, which require batch training with large datasets, AdaptiveMT learns instantly during the translation process.

What are the key benefits of using a CAT tool?

The main benefits of a CAT tool include improved translation quality, increased productivity, scalability for handling large amounts of content, and better connectivity for team collaboration. It also helps reduce time spent on repetitive tasks, allowing translators to focus more on complex, creative translation work.