In our daily activities, we find it necessary to use a software application to speed up and organize our projects. The translation memory built into such tools also allows for past translations to be used in current projects, which will cut down translation costs while providing the same accuracy. Today we will look at SDL TRADOS, which is one of the programs specifically designed for translators.

The different parts of Trados

1. Translator’s Workbench: this is the Translation Memory and allows for automatic translations of repeated text from previous translations appearing in a database. It can interact with Microsoft Word, TagEditor and MultiTerm.
2. TagEditor: a special program that makes it easier to translate documents with HTML and XML tags.
3. MultiTerm: this is a terminology base that incorporates the client glossary as well as that compiled on the basis of all the work done by a translator.
4. WinAlign: it allows the alignment of original documents with their translations when such was not done using Trados and produces bilingual documents which are suitable for use in this software environment.

Step by step

The first thing to do when translating a text with Trados is to open the Translator´s Workbench even before opening the source text. This workbench will remain open during the entire translation process. Then, the text to be translated is segmented. This is done automatically and is based on the punctuation marks present, the comma usually being an exception.

The blue window on the top contains the first segment of the source text; the translation is to be inserted into the second, yellow bottom window. The segments are delimited by tags, which show the beginning and the end of the unit to be translated.

As the next step, the program saves both sources and translated segments in the TM (translation memory). Thanks to this process, Trados can automatically suggest, in the bottom window, the saved translation every time this segment occurs in this or a future translation.

The program can also suggest translations of similar, but not 100% identical segments, depending on the Minimum Match Value set by the translator before starting work. If a 100% match was set, Trados will suggest translations only for identical segments

If during the translation process, a term comes up which the translator knows is stored in the memory, it is marked and a Concordance command is entered, which immediately retrieves all segments in which this term occurs.

As you can see, using SDL Trados is actually pretty easy, despite the fact that many people complain about its complexity. It is just a matter of getting used to the program and you’ll be working fluently very soon.