The world of translation has evolved and advanced just as quickly as technology has. Today, many translators implement CAT tools in their workflows to aid them in the translation process. But what are CAT tools? Are they the same as AI translation? What can they do?
To learn everything you need to know about CAT tools, read on:
What are CAT Tools?
Computer-assisted translation tools (often shortened to CAT tools) are software programs translators use to perform translations faster and more efficiently. While CAT tools use AI in some instances, they are not the same as AI translators or Machine Translation tools. While machine translators use AI to translate content automatically, CAT tools utilize AI to catalog and organize key information translators use while completing a project. The AI allows translators to access this information quickly, so they don’t have to shift focus while working.
Advantages of using CAT Tools
There are several advantages to using CAT tools in a translation project, including:
- Higher-quality translations using built-in grammar, spelling, and formatting programs.
- Easy access to a project or client’s translation memory, which ensures consistency between projects.
- Reduced translation costs due to increased efficiency.
- Faster project delivery times.
What can CAT Tools Do?
CAT tools exist to help translators streamline the translation process and remove excess clerical work from translating content. To do so, CAT tools come with a few distinct features:
Translation Memory
The best known of these features is translation memory, which divides texts into segments and stores those already translated into a database. The best thing about translation memories is that when the software recognizes that a new segment is similar to another already translated, the translator is suggested to “reuse” the content. Some examples of translation memory software are Trados, DéjàVuX, Star Transit, and MultiTrans.
What is Translation Memory?
Translation memory isn’t just about “reusing” content, though– it’s meant to catalog a client’s preferred terminology and spellings. This information is stored in the client’s translation memory, which translators can reference when working on new projects in the future.
Search Functions
Many CAT tools contain search engines, which look for results in the translator’s database of translation memories.
Manage Specific Terminology
Terminology management programs like SDL, MultiTerm, LogiTerm, and Termex are beneficial for translators when trying to maintain consistency in or between projects. These tools allow translators to search for specific terms in a massive database automatically.
Other Features
Automatic translation programs, alignment programs, spelling, and grammar tools are also part of a translator’s CAT toolkit. In fact, some of these tools don’t specialize in multilingual content– programs like Proofread and Grammarly are great for maintaining grammatical consistency and aren’t designed specifically for translators.
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Updated 2/21/2024.
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