Translation Quality Assessment Flashcards

What is BLEU score used to measure in translation quality?

Answer: The similarity between machine-translated output and human reference translations

BLEU (Bilingual Evaluation Understudy) measures the precision of n-grams in MT output compared to one or more human reference translations.

What does TER (Translation Edit Rate) measure as an automated quality metric?

Answer: The number of edits required to correct MT output into an acceptable translation

TER measures the number of edits a human would need to make to an MT output to turn it into a correct translation, providing an automated quality metric.

What is 'quality estimation' in the context of machine translation post-editing?

Answer: Predicting the quality of MT output without comparing it to human reference translations

Quality estimation predicts the quality of MT output automatically, without reference to human translations, helping decide how much post-editing effort is needed.

What does a professional 'translation brief' typically specify?

Answer: The target audience, purpose, style, register, and technical requirements for the translation

A translation brief is a client document specifying requirements such as target audience, purpose, register, style, and technical constraints that guide the translator's decisions.

What is the role of a 'style guide' in translation quality management?

Answer: A document specifying language, tone, terminology, and formatting standards for translations

A style guide provides specific instructions on linguistic choices, tone, formatting, and brand voice to ensure consistency across all translations for a client.

What is the primary purpose of a termbase (terminology database) in translation quality control?

Answer: To ensure consistent use of approved terms across a translation project or organization

A termbase stores approved terminology with definitions and usage notes to ensure translators use consistent, client-approved terms throughout a project.

What does 'conformance quality' measure in translation?

Answer: The degree to which a translation meets pre-specified requirements, standards, or guidelines

Conformance quality measures whether a translation adheres to pre-established requirements such as client briefs, style guides, terminology databases, and industry standards.