Translation CAT Tools and Translation Technology 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'CAT tool' stand for?
- Computer-Assisted Translation tool (Correct answer)
- Computerized Automatic Translator
- Content Alignment Technology
- Cross-language Authoring Tool
Correct answer: Computer-Assisted Translation tool
CAT stands for Computer-Assisted Translation — software that aids human translators with translation memories, termbases, and segment alignment.
Question 2: Which of the following is a widely used CAT tool in the translation industry?
- Adobe Acrobat
- SDL Trados Studio (Correct answer)
- Microsoft Word
- Google Translate
Correct answer: SDL Trados Studio
SDL Trados Studio (now just 'Trados') is one of the most widely adopted CAT tools, used by professional translators worldwide.
Question 3: What is a 'fuzzy match' in translation memory terminology?
- A translation that is approximate but contains errors
- A segment that partially matches a stored TM entry, expressed as a percentage similarity (Correct answer)
- An incorrect translation suggested by machine translation
- A match found only in a different language pair
Correct answer: A segment that partially matches a stored TM entry, expressed as a percentage similarity
A fuzzy match is a TM segment that partially resembles the source text, rated by percentage; higher fuzzy matches require less editing.
Question 4: What is a 'full match' (or '100% match') in a translation memory?
- A segment where the machine translation perfectly matches the target language
- A segment identical to a previously stored source segment, allowing the stored translation to be reused directly (Correct answer)
- A translation that has been validated by two translators
- A segment with no changes needed in either source or target
Correct answer: A segment identical to a previously stored source segment, allowing the stored translation to be reused directly
A 100% match means the current source segment is identical to one already in the TM, allowing the previously approved translation to be reused without re-translating.
Question 5: What file format is commonly used to exchange translation memories between CAT tools?
- .docx
- .tmx (Correct answer)
- .csv
- .xliff
Correct answer: .tmx
TMX (Translation Memory eXchange) is an open XML-based standard for exchanging translation memories between different CAT tools.
Question 6: What is XLIFF and what is it used for?
- A billing format for translation agencies
- An XML-based file format for exchanging localizable data between tools and systems (Correct answer)
- A style guide format for localization projects
- A translation memory format specific to Trados
Correct answer: An XML-based file format for exchanging localizable data between tools and systems
XLIFF (XML Localization Interchange File Format) is a standard for packaging translatable content for exchange between authoring, translation, and localization tools.
What does 'CAT tool' stand for?