What is meant by optimizing the work of a translator? This is an increase in efficiency, expressed in a decrease in the time spent on processing a certain amount of text, provided that the quality of the translation either remains the same or improves.
The quality of the translation can always be improved by self-improvement, self-study, but this has little effect on the speed of work. Sometimes it happens that
in the process of translation, its speed steadily decreases, the text is checked very slowly, which indicates fatigue and that the translator has reached the limit of his capabilities. This happens mainly when switching to new topics or when fulfilling an order from an area in which the specialist has little experience at the moment. Then you have to constantly refer to dictionaries, reference materials and other sources of information. Therefore, in order to improve the efficiency of the translator’s work, optimization is still needed.
As in other areas of activity, in translation, the optimization process begins with an analysis of each stage of work and finding the accumulated problems. Solving each of them is an important optimization element and therefore increases efficiency. However, the most effective way is to automate as many translation steps as possible. No one argues that only a person is able to carry out a truly adequate translation, because we use not only knowledge of the language, but also our own experience, understanding of the context, etc., but nevertheless, the more translators use the opportunities provided by the computer, the faster perform tasks. Firstly, electronic dictionaries instead of paper dictionaries are a great time saver, especially since you can also get useful information from dictionary entries. Secondly, text editors are a very convenient way to check the translation for obvious errors. However, automated translation programs have even more advantages.
The most commonly used translation automation software, SDLTrados, has the following main features:
1. The system allows instant translation of sentences or expressions that were previously translated by the program and stored in its memory. Often, the texts from different orders are identical to each other or very similar, for example, the texts of certain documents, contracts. Trados substitutes the previously stored version in the translation text. Sometimes the program will automatically translate up to several pages of the source text.
2. Trados makes it easier to collaborate on large projects by providing the ability to create extensive glossaries that can be used by all members of the translation team. This saves time looking for equivalents and explanations of terms.
3. When typing, the system analyzes the first letters and gives out possible variants of words, from which the desired one is selected.
Currently, computer-aided translation programs are widespread among translation companies, and are also used in translation departments at large enterprises. They help you complete tasks in a shorter time frame, which means getting more orders and increasing profits, which, in turn, proves that translation automation is the right way to optimize translation.
