What are the latest software trends in the language industry?

The amount of technology used by professional translators continues to grow. But are there any software applications out there that could make it easier for your own company to expand abroad? The sort of tools which mean you won’t need to hire a translation agency for every little string of text that you need to convert into another language?

Does translation software work?

Yes. But it does depend on what you’re using it for…

Any sort of automated translation isn’t likely to give you the best results when used for a creative marketing campaign, for example. But for many everyday tasks they can provide a lot of useful functionality.

Here we’ll take a look at some of the latest trends in translation software – most of which you don’t need to be a language specialist in order to use.

Don’t expect any tools which rely on machine translation to understand the context or the deeper cultural associations of the language they output. This sort of highly skilled localisation is still the province of real live human linguists.

That said, there are many situations where a little translation software can go a long way.

Online translation platforms

These software applications are designed for companies who want to automate the entire process of translating their website, online store, or mobile app into another language or languages. They’re also often used by software developers who want to keep all of their localisation work in one place.

These platforms most often take the form of a shared online workspace which provides the user with instant links to the platform’s parent company’s team of human translators. These are the people who are going to be doing most of the work. This makes the software essentially a tool which facilitates human translation rather than a truly automated process, though it’s always worth checking to see exactly how the company behind the software will actually be completing your translations.

To make the software work you’ll generally simply need to add a string of code somewhere on your website. The content will then be dispatched to your application’s parent company for translation. This makes them pretty easy to use by just about anybody!

Automated solutions for word processing applications and more

High-quality translation of office memos, short documents and the like can be an unnecessary expense for smaller businesses. This makes this sort of cost-effective automated language translation software the saving grace of many home-based businesses or students who don’t have the budget to spend on a full Language Service Provider.

As well as having applications suitable for use with word processing software like MS Word, there’s a whole bunch of translation apps available for smart phones.

As a machine translation method, the output of this type of software will require post-editing by a skilled human language professional before it can be used in any high-profile location or published. However it is suitable for information and internal purposes only or to know the gist of what the original documents contain.

Translation Memories

Translation Memories are most often used by language professionals as adjuncts to CAT (Computer Assisted Translation) tools.Essentially an easy-to-access database of phrases which have already been translated, a Translation Memory (TM) saves a linguist the time and effort of translating that phrase again. They also make the entire process more consistent.

Once a project is completed the Memories created can be turned over to the client so that their next language project can benefit from the same advantages.

Translation Memory software is also available for others to use. Whether you’re intending to do your own translation in-house or rely on your usual Language Service Provider, building a TM will stand you in good stead for current and future projects.

Automated email translation

This handy software solution for translating emails again tends to be a platform which links your email client, Gmail for example, with a human translator who’ll produce a foreign language version in real time. The timeframe?

Often around half an hour to hour depending on the length and content of your message. That’s not a bad price for enjoying clear communication!

Automated text to audio conversion software

Text-to-speech translation software is useful for a whole range of commercial applications, usually relating to customer service. Gone are the days when this sort of software sounded like a robot ordering a takeaway meal. These days the audio output sounds almost entirely natural.

A substitute for professional translators?

As an experienced business owner, you’ll know that there’s a big difference in getting faster, cheaper results and waiting out the time needed to achieve real quality.

Often the purpose for which you need a document or text translated will determine whether getting on board with any of the language industry’s latest trends will be better for your business than using a professional translator.

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