During the content translation creative process, the underlying information of the original material is ported to another language. In this context, content translation resembles document creation, with the exception that content translation must preserve the underlying information of the original. Except for addressing serious issues, the translator is not free to add or restructure the translated information.

To improve productivity, Computer Aided Translation (CAT) technology can be used to perform the initial translation of terms, phrases, or entire sentences. CAT technology is based on analyzing original content according to vocabulary and linguistic rules and reconstructing the information using corresponding vocabulary and linguistic rules of the target language. Results vary depending on a number of factors, including the complexity and structure of the original material, but in general it is helpful to pre-translate text using software.

You have the following options to reduce costs and save time in translation projects:

• Create the original material with translation in mind   The quality of the original material has a direct influence in (human and machine) translation costs. The original should have a clear structure, be easily understandable, and should not contain jargon or ambiguities. Writers must avoid overcomplicated sentence structure, keep grammatical structures simple, and punctuation correct. If you are planning to use machine translation, make sure you limit the length of sentences to a maximum of 25 words.
• Maintain translation memory databases   A translation memory is essentially a database repository to store previously translated terms, phrases, sentences, or entire paragraphs for later reference. This can significantly decrease the time required to translate content with repetitive or similar information. It also increases consistency in the use of terminology across documentation.
• Process original and translated content through similar editing and production processes   Because content creation is similar to content translation, creation and translation projects should include similar processes, including copy editing, desktop publishing, indexing, and proofreading. You can use Biblioso to uniformly structure your content creation and translation projects to ensure a high standard of quality for both the original and the translated material.
• Combined content creation and translation in a single project   Combining content creation and translation saves costs because the overhead for project management is lower in comparison to running the projects in parallel. It saves time, because translation commences sooner, that is, before the original content is released. It increases the quality of the material, because translators and editors of translated material can also comment on overall issues regarding the underlying information in the original.

Biblioso can help you achieve all of these objectives. We maintain translation memory in form of glossary databases and can coordinate document creation and translation projects based on a centralized project plan.