CAT tools observation and their role in the translation business

CAT tools observation and their role in the translation business

Tatiana Osoblivaia

02/11/2022

Translation technology

 

CAT tools play an immense role in this industry, as they enhance productivity and work quality, which is extremely important for business owners. CAT tools meet the basic needs of translators and translation companies, by providing a common platform that allows you to deliver good translations.

 

What is the Computer Aided Translation (CAT tool)?

A CAT tool, or computer-aided translation tool, is a software program that helps translators work more efficiently. A CAT tool can be used in a variety of ways, but it's most commonly used to translate large bodies of text, such as websites or documents.

Computer Aided Translation (CAT) tools are an essential part of the professional translator’s toolbox. They enable us to streamline our working routine, increase productivity and ensure consistent quality.

 

Benefits of Computer Assisted Translation tools for translators and their clients.

Computer Assisted Translation tools have many benefits for both translators and their clients. They can help translators organize their work and ensure that they don't miss any important details. They also help clients by providing them with accurate translations at a quicker rate than with human translators alone.

As a translator, you know that your work is incredibly important. Your clients need you to get the job done, and they need it done right. It can be a challenge to find the right tools to help you meet those needs, but we've got some ideas.

Computer Assisted Translation tools are an excellent way for translators to give their clients what they need in terms of accuracy and speed. The tool helps translators make sure their translations sound natural, which is important for any type of translation project.

Computer Assisted Translation tool also makes it easier for translators to communicate with their clients about project details and deadlines. It gives them a place where they can share files and messages with ease, so there's less risk of miscommunication or confusion about what's expected from both parties.

Finally, the CAT tool offers a way for translators to manage their workloads more efficiently by giving them access to real-time updates on the status of projects throughout their lifecycles. This means that if something goes wrong with one part of the process (like a deadline being missed), then translators can adjust accordingly without having to wait until after everything else has been completed before making changes in response - they can do so immediately!

 

The main categories of CAT tools available on the modern market

Desktop applications: these are used for the creation of texts, editing and managing documents and projects, calculating costs and planning activities. Such CAT tools are installed on your computer and can only be accessed from within the software itself.

Web-based applications: these are usually free online services that can be accessed from any computer with internet access. They are used to create documents and manage projects as well as perform calculations and plan activities.

Cloud applications: these are programs that run on remote servers instead of on your PC and allow you to access them from anywhere at any time via an internet connection.

According to purposes of usage, CAT tools may be divided into the following types

  • - CAT tools are used to edit or translate texts. These can be used to create other documents or to modify existing ones.
  • - CAT tools are used to draw images, create animations, or design websites.
  • - CAT tools are used in marketing campaigns and advertising strategies.

 

CAT tools for translation industry purposes

CAT tools for translation differ in functionality and design, but all of them have the same purpose: help translators to save time and make their work more effective.

Translation Memory Systems (TMS) – these are a kind of integrated databases that store translations already made by you or other translators working for your company. The system will suggest phrases from previous translations when you type in a word or sentence in the source language.

Machine Translation Tools – these are programs that translate texts automatically. They are often used as a preliminary step before human translation if it is impossible to find an exact match for the source text.

Translation Editors – these are software tools that allow you to edit your texts directly within the program and export them into various formats, such as Microsoft Word documents or HTML pages.

 

The best CAT tool translation services

The list includes both free and paid CAT tools for translation.

The list includes the most popular and well-known translation CAT tools for translators, both free and paid.

Memsource Cloud Translation Management System (CMS). The Memsource Cloud Translation Platform is another great tool for translators. It offers everything from translation memory management to translation services and project management tools, making it easy for translators to stay organized and deliver quality work on time!

Smartcat. The Smartcat CAT tool is a powerful, easy-to-use CAT tool that helps you create content in a variety of formats and languages. Smartcat CAT supports many formats, including Microsoft Word (.docx) and Open Office (.odt) files, HTML files, PDFs. Smartcat CAT has an intuitive interface that makes it easy to use, even for beginners.

memoQ Translator's Workbench (memoQ). MemoQ is a comprehensive CAT tool that enables translators to work with a client's source and target texts efficiently. It includes all the features you would expect from a translation management system, such as translation memories, terminology management, glossaries, proofreading tools and project management. memoQ also supports translation projects across multiple languages and offers advanced tools for multilingual terminology creation. memoQ can be used by individuals or teams of translators. In addition to these standard features, the translator's workbench also includes:

- A spellchecker. MemoQ users can run their documents through a spell checker to ensure that their texts are free of errors before sending them out for review or publication.

- An integrated word processor. Users can edit their documents in an integrated word processor that supports all major file formats including .docx, .rtf and .pdf. They can also open up multiple documents at once and copy-pastes between them easily and quickly. It is compatible with all major operating systems.

Translation Workspace by TransPerfect (TW). Translation Workspace by TransPerfect (TW) is a CAT tool that allows translators to work on projects in multiple languages. It has a web-based interface, which can be accessed from any computer with an internet connection.

The system has been designed for ease of use, with a user-friendly interface and easy access to information. The software also comes with a built-in glossary with definitions of commonly used terms. It also has translation memory capabilities, which allow the user to reuse previous translations and make them available for future projects.

The software can be used for all types of translation work, including website localization and voiceover transcription. Other features include:

- An online translator that allows users to translate from one language into another without having to install anything on their computer.

- A search function that allows users to search through all text files in the database without having to open each file individually.

Transit NXT. The Transit NXT CAT tool is a new, industry-first tool that combines the benefits of other tools in a single, easy-to-use interface. The Transit NXT CAT tool is compatible with all major CAT tools and allows you to work on multiple projects at once. It also provides:

- Real-time collaboration.

- Auto-translation of documents into multiple languages (available as an add-on).

- A built-in translation memory system that allows you to reuse previous translations without having to start from scratch each time.

SDL Trados Studio. SDL Trados Studio is one of the best translation CAT tools out there. It has everything that a translator needs: excellent file compatibility, an intuitive user interface, a powerful editor and more. It offers a wide range of features from translation memory to terminology management and the creation of glossaries. When you purchase this software, you get access to the full feature set of the TM tool. This includes editing tools, document comparison tools and more.

Lingotek. Lingotek is a web-based translation memory software that allows translators to store and retrieve translated words, phrases and documents. It comes with advanced search features, such as fuzzy matching and word segmentation. The Lingotek website offers a free trial for translators who want to try out its features before buying it.

Wordfast. Wordfast is another popular TM tool used by freelance translators and agencies alike. The price of this tool depends on the number of languages you want to use it with — but it's usually around $100 per language pair per year (for example, $100 per year for English-French). You can quickly translate large files with Wordfast Pro or use Wordfast Classic for smaller jobs.

Lionbridge CAT. Lionbridge CAT tool is a powerful and intuitive translation workspace for creating, editing, and managing your content. It features an intuitive interface that helps you easily manage your translation projects, track progress, and share files with other team members. The Lionbridge CAT tool makes it easy to work with the most popular file types, including DOCX, PPTX, XLSX, TXT and PDF. The Lionbridge CAT tool also includes a number of features that help you save time on your projects:

- Automatic phrase extraction allows you to extract phrases from the source text and insert them directly into your translation memory. This saves time by eliminating redundant work when translating similar sentences in the future.

- Automatic linking allows you to link words or phrases from the source text with their equivalent term in your bilingual dictionary without manually entering them yourself. This saves time by automating part of the translation process so you can focus on more complex parts of the project like working with technical terminology or specialized subject matter knowledge required by certain industries such as legal or medical translations where accuracy is essential for success."

Trados. The Trados CAT tool is the most powerful translation workbench. It supports over 90 languages and lets you translate software, documents, websites and much more. That translation management solution is one of the most powerful solutions for managing your global content in a collaborative environment. Integrating the best of Trados Studio with deep integration into Microsoft Office and other productivity applications, it provides seamless access to all your content, in any language and from any network location.

CAT tools are revolutionizing the translation industry. They are automating this process and making it faster, which not only saves you time but also leads to a better quality of translations. The best part is that these CAT tools have been designed by professional linguists and have been thoroughly tested, so you can be sure that they are worth investing in your business.

 

 

PoliLingua

Our translations are performed by translators carefully selected to align with the subject matter and content of your project. They meet and exceed international quality standards. Upon request, we will provide you with a certificate attesting to the precision of our translations