ATA Translation Technology and CAT Tools Flashcards
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What is a Translation Memory (TM) and how does it benefit professional translators?
Answer: A TM is a database that stores previously translated source-target segment pairs, allowing translators to reuse consistent translations and work more efficiently
A Translation Memory stores aligned source-target segment pairs from previous translations, enabling reuse of previously approved translations for consistency and efficiency.
What is the difference between a CAT tool and Machine Translation (MT)?
Answer: CAT tools assist human translators with memory, terminology, and consistency; MT automatically generates translations without human involvement at the segment level
CAT tools support the human translator's workflow; MT generates translations automatically. Many modern CAT tools integrate MT as a drafting aid, with human post-editing.
What is a terminology database (termbase) and why is it important in professional translation?
Answer: A termbase is a structured database of approved terms and their target-language equivalents, ensuring consistent use of domain-specific vocabulary
A termbase stores approved source-target terminology with context and usage guidance, helping translators maintain consistent and accurate use of specialized vocabulary across projects.
What is MT post-editing (MTPE) and what skills does it require?
Answer: MTPE involves reviewing and correcting machine-generated translations to meet professional quality standards
MTPE requires professional translators to review, correct, and improve raw machine translation output to achieve the required quality level for the target text.
How does 'fuzzy matching' work in a CAT tool's Translation Memory?
Answer: Fuzzy matching identifies segments that are similar but not identical to previously translated content, suggesting partial matches for the translator to adapt
Fuzzy matches are partial TM matches where the current source segment resembles but does not exactly duplicate a previously stored segment, giving the translator a head start.
What is the primary purpose of QA (Quality Assurance) checks built into CAT tools?
Answer: QA checks flag potential errors such as missed translations, inconsistent terminology, formatting issues, and numerical discrepancies before final delivery
CAT tool QA features systematically scan the translated text for common error types to help translators catch mistakes before delivery.