Over the past few years, new IT technologies have significantly influenced the translation industry. The translation industry and the services it provides have broadened (translation companies, online automatic translations, virtual translation companies, etc.). These services have also had an impact on the very way people translate.
At CG Traduction & Interprétation, translators use Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools. CAT tools and automatic translation tools are not synonymous, since the latter aims to do away with the human input in translation.
In reality, CAT tools such as Déjà Vu are used as support tools by translators, by no means replacing them. Translation memories save a significant amount of time and improve quality.
Time is saved, since the translator automatically finds previously-translated segments of text as well as approved terms.
Quality is improved, since the translation memories for specific projects and clients ensure both the consistency of terminology and the continuity of translations. Translation memories are also an asset when translators work in teams, since they ensure consistency.
According to Lisa, an in-house translator at CG Traduction & Interprétation, tools such as Déjà Vu mean that “we can capitalise on translations as we go along.” These tools provide real added value when they are used by professionals in the medium and long term.
These tools are used for technical translations which feature fairly repetitive sentence structures and vocabulary. In such cases, translation memories are particularly useful and effective.
The use of these tools presents two major advantages for translation companies, namely: they facilitate translators’ research and guarantee a higher quality of translation in terms of terminology.