Computer Aided Translation FAQ

What is Computer Aided Translation (CAT)?
Computer Aided Translation or CAT is sometimes called "interactive translation" and is intended for professional translators who are already fluent in the two languages they are translating. CAT tools often include terminology management and translation memory to enhance efficiency and accuracy of translation, especially in longer documents.

What is translation memory?
Think of translation memory as a database that stores words and phrases that you have already translated. The next time you come across the same word or phrase... the database looks up the word and automatically gives you the choice of using the same translation again. This accomplishes two things... it saves time and more importantly keeps the terminology consistent throughout the entire document. This is especially useful for bigger translation jobs where more than one translator is working on the same project.

Which CAT tools do you recommend?
There are different CAT tools available for many job sizes. The industry standard is TRADOS, although companies like SDL and Multitrans are making serious inroads in this business as well. Make sure to ask an independent reseller like translation.net which tool is right for you. Asking a company that makes CAT tools will invariably result in... "Our tool works best for everyone!"