Translators, just like other professionals, have a range of tools available to help them carry out their work more efficiently. Amongst other benefits, they improve translation quality, which is why they’re so recommended. In this article, we’ll tell you about translation memories and their benefits.
What is a translation memory?
A translation memory is a database which stores what the translator has previously translated for a translation unit, recording both the source language and the target language. All the information stored can be used later, guaranteeing that the translator doesn’t have to go back to translate the same “sentence” twice. Once it has been translated the first time, the next time it will be translated automatically, and then it only needs to be reviewed by the translator.
In reality, it’s a bit more complex than dealing with just “sentences”. We’re actually talking about segments. A segment can be defined as a unit which, if repeated in another document or context, is guaranteed to be translated in the same way. For a translation agency like Blarlo.com, this technology is fundamental since, as we will shortly see, it has lots of advantages.
Don’t confuse this with automatic translation that you might get from Google, for example. These tools don’t rely on the work of a professional translator, whilst a translation memory is based on the work that a person has done previously. Translation memories offer a number of benefits both for the translator and for you.
In a professional, personalized translation, translation memories are complemented with specific glossaries for the client. Glossaries are a collection of terms alongside the way we want them to be translated. This guarantees that these terms are always translated in the same way.
What are the benefits of using a translation memory and glossaries for translating texts and online content?
More coherent
Firstly, the memory helps your texts to be more coherent since terms are always translated in the same way. For example, whentranslating a webpage, all the text will follow the same style and use of terminology. This is really important for clients, since it allows us to adapt to their style and, for example, for SEO translations, we can make sure that keywords are always translated the same way.
Time savings
A professional translator can take on more work if they use a translation memory because it allows them to save a lot of time. Have you ever stopped to think about how many times certain things are repeated depending on the content? For official texts or similar, this happens more than you might think. This linguistic database stops the translator from having to work on things that they’ve already translated.
Better rates
If the translator has to spend less time on your task, it’s only logical that they’ll also be able to adjust their rates. If the equivalence between two translations is 70%, you’ll pay less, and therefore, you’ll benefit from the use of a translation memory too.
At blarlo.com, we use global translation memories and other specific memories for each client. This enables us to maximize the quality of our work and prices compared to other translation companies or independent professional translators.
Now you know about translation memories and their benefits, and you can see that they apply just as much to you as to the translator. Obviously, as the memory gets bigger, the professional using it saves more work and more time. Did you find this article useful? If so, feel free to read other related articles on our blog, where we talk about various matters related to translation. If you have questions or want to use our translation services, get in touch with us using the form on our webpage and request a quotation.
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