5 Translation Tools Translators Love To Use

CSOFT provides localization and translation services to businesses around the globe. With a network of accomplished linguists and translators working across 170 countries, we know that our team is one of the best in the world. So which translation tools do CSOFT’s linguists use to help them translate, and which are their favorites? We sat down with our in-house linguists to ask them about their favorite translation tools – and here are the results.

1) Translation Tools: Trados Studio

Trados Studio is one of our translators’ favorite pieces of software. It breaks files into ‘strings’, that are then shown on the left hand side of the screen as source strings, with the target translations strings shown on the right. Trados Studio then highlights errors between the source and target strings which greatly improves the efficiency of translation.

Trados Studio also comes with many other useful features including Multiterm, Spell Checker, Track Changes, and Preview. Perhaps one of its best features is its in-built glossary function. This function allows users to build a glossary for technical terminology or common phrases, which allows translators to ensure that the same translation is used consistently through projects -saving even more time through the use of simple copy and paste shortcut commands.

2) Translation Tools: Trados 07

Trados 07 is the older brother and predecessor of Trados Studio, and even though it is older with less features, many CSOFT linguists and customers still choose to use it. Similarly to Trados Studio, it divides files into source strings but separates them at the top and bottom of the screen rather left to right.

Trados 07 can also detect any mistakes or missing words between the strings and can be linked with a customer’s translation memory, which means that the technology recognizes similar sentences or sections which have been previously translated. However, it does lack many of the more advanced features of Trados Studio.

3) Wordfast and MemoQ Translation Tools

For customers and linguists who have a tighter budget, Wordfast, and MemoQ are both very popular. These pieces of software work in a similar way to the Trados system and are actually preferred by some linguists who are used to using these pieces of software.

4) Xbench

Xbench is QA (quality assurance) software for linguists which checks for spelling errors, inconsistencies, and for similar sentences to compare how they were translated.

This software is vitally important when linguists are reviewing their work, or reviewing the work of another translator.. It not only greatly improves proofreading efficiency but also the quality of the translation. When working on very long, complex translations, it is easy for inconsistencies to appear which may be difficult for linguists to find. Xbench highlights them instantly.

Xbench is also useful for linguists using Trados software because it will highlight the areas on the Trados strings that need correcting. If using Trados 07, Xbench will take you to the exact string, whereas Trados Studio it will take you to the correct file but only after first searching for the location of the error yourself.

5) Verifika

The Verifika software is similar to Xbench, but goes a step further. When using Verifika, you can make changes within the Verifika system and those changes will automatically be added to the document in Trados, rather than the errors simply being highlighted. Verifika is relatively new software and is a good example of translation software constantly improving and developing.

Translation software saves linguists time which in turn saves customers money, and these improvements in efficiency also allow linguists to focus on quality. For customers who are investing in cost effective translation solutions, it is important to understand which tools will allow linguists to work in the most effective way. At CSOFT, we are constantly on the lookout for advances in translation technology to enhance our translation processes, and work towards providing the most efficient and professional translations that clients can trust.

Thank you to Anna Paolucci – CSOFT Linguist

Learn more about CSOFT’s Translations Services here.