Computer Assisted Translation

Computer-assisted translation is a form of translation in which a translator translates texts making use of computer software designed to facilitate the translation process. It is also known as computer aided translation or CAT. CAT is made up of a series of tools aimed at providing help for the translator with regards to both consistency of his work and speed.


Computer Aided Translation
At times CAT is also referred to a MT or machine translation. However the two concepts are not similar. In CAT, the computer program supports the translator. The translation is done by the translator himself making all the essential decisions involved. But in machine translation, a software is installed in the computer which translates the text automatically , which is then edited by the translator, or not edited at all.

Computer Assisted Translation Tools
CAT is a broad term covering a range of tools, from the simple to the more complicated ones. These are as follows:

• Spell checkers
  
  
• Grammar checkers
  
  
• Terminology managers: The translator is allowed to manage his own terminology bank in an electronic form. This can range from a simple table formed in the translator's word processor or spreadsheet, a database formed in a software program such as FileMaker Pro.
  
  
• There are specialized software packages as well like LogiTerm, MultiTerm, Termex, etc. which also help the translator to manage his own terminology.
  
  
• Either unilingual or bilingual dictionaries on CD-ROM.
  
  
• Terminology databases.
  
  
• Full-text search tools (or indexers): Some popular ones are Naturel, ISYS Search Software and dtSearch.
  
  
• Concordancers: They retrieve instances of a word or an expression and their respective meaning in a monolingual, bilingual or multiligual language.
  
  
• Bitexts: The tool merges a source text and its translation, which can later be studied using a full-text search tool or a concordancer.
  
  
• Project management software: This allows the translator to structure complex translation projects, assign several tasks to different people, and track the progress of each of these tasks.
  
  
• Translation memory managers (TMM): These tools comprise a database of text segments in a source language and their translations in one or more target languages.
  
  

When does computer assisted translations work?
The efficiency of CAT varies according to the type of text to be translated. In order for computer assisted translation to be successful, the source text must possess certain qualities:

• Consistency of terminology: The same term is always used in the same sense and also described using the same term.
  
  
• Phraseological consistency: The same idea and the same action are described in an identical manner always.
  
  
• Simple and short phrases: The use of short and simple sentences in texts also increase the probability of repetition and reduce cases of ambiguity.