Glossary

Since 1992, Global Translation Systems has been providing superior translation services for pharmaceutical, business, medical, regulatory, legal, education and private clients. These are some of the terms-of-the-trade you may hear.

CAT, Computer-aided translation: Translation performed by a human being, but using interactive tools to automate part of the process. Such tools may include pop-up client-specific glossaries, electronic matching of previously translated text, etc.

Dictionary-translation: The process of developing terminology entries for a machine translation system. It typically involves identifying source terms, providing target-language equivalents, and coding these for use by the MT system.

Envelope shop: A translation agency that simply acts as the go-between between the translator and client (i.e. it does not add any value to the work performed by the translator).

For-information-only translation: Translation performed only to extract information, i.e. not requiring extra services such as typesetting or layout.

Freelance translator: A translator who works professionally on a job-by-job basis.

In-country review: Review of the translation in the target country before it is published/printed. This review should focus on technical and grammatical accuracy and not on style.

In-house translator: An employee of a firm who may or may not have been specifically hired to perform translation work.

Internationalization: The preparation of a product to make it suitable for the international market; internationalization may include removing culturally-specific characteristics, finding generic terms, using graphics, etc.

Localization: The preparation of a product to make it suitable for a specific target country. This includes translation, conversion of units, etc.

NDA: Non-Disclosure Agreement.

TEnT: Translation Environment Tool.

TM: Translation Memory.

MT: Machine Translation.

Post-editing: Term used for the correction of machine translation output by human linguists/ editors.

Pre-editing: The act of editing a source document to make it more translatable; while this is beneficial for all types of translation, it is most recommended for materials that will be machine-translated.

Pre-conditioning (MT): Preparation of material prior to translation; this includes protecting items in the text that are not to be translated, converting the file to the proper input format, etc.

Software localization: The translation of computer software into the potential end-user's language; performed to make software more accessible, and thus, more attractive, to foreign users.

Translation agency: A firm which specializes in providing a wide range of services related directly and indirectly to language translation.

Translation certification: Document provided on request stating the name of the translator(s) and editor(s), certifying that they are professional translators duly employed by Global Translation Systems and that the translation is true and correct. This certification is provided on company letterhead, signed by a company officer, and notarized. Interested in more about the translation process?