Machine Translations and Post-Editing
Post-editing machine translated texts
Machine translation systems have continued to develop over the last few years. However, without having a real person check and make corrections (post-editing) to the machine translation, you will rarely get a satisfactory result. This is where our experienced post-editors step in to make sure that everything is edited efficiently
Post-editing machine translated texts
Machine translation systems have continued to develop over the last few years. However, without having a real person check and make corrections (post-editing) to the machine translation, you will rarely get a satisfactory result. This is where our experienced post-editors step in to make sure that everything is edited efficiently
Save time and money with machine translation and post-editing
You can save time and money by skilfully combining machine translation with human post-editing. However, this depends on the language combination, subject field and text type.
Tools for machine translation work best for standard texts containing lots of repetitions. Machine translation and post-editing are therefore well-suited for operating instructions, manuals, catalogues or contracts.
We will be happy to advise you on whether your texts are suitable for machine translation and subsequent post-editing.
What is checked during post-editing?
Post-editing is not just post-editing: depending on the purpose and the quality of the machine translation (MT), either light post-editing or full post-editing is used. In a nutshell, LPE (light post-editing) focuses on the comprehensibility, while the style and flow of the MT are not corrected. FPE (full post-editing) involves more thorough editing, so as to guarantee a grammatically and syntactically correct translation.
Our project managers will advise you at the start of the project which of the post-editing variants will give you the desired result.
Careful preparation and experienced post-editors are our key to success
Before beginning a post-editing project, our experts check whether the project is suitable for this procedure. To do this we need:
- Your source texts: What are the languages, subject fields and text types? Is the layout suitable for machine translation?
- Your language combination(s): not all combinations work equally well. It is possible that machine translation and post-editing are not suitable for all your requested languages.
- Your intended purpose: What is the communication objective of your translation? Is the text going to be published or is it for internal communication?
- Your terminology: Do you have terminology databases or glossaries to ensure that your texts are consistent?
Like translation itself, post-editing is a demanding activity that requires special qualifications. We therefore work exclusively with experienced post-editors who are also native speakers of the target language.
Mehr Beiträge zum Thema Maschinelle Übersetzung und Post-Editing:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Neural Machine Translation (NMT) is the latest MT method and is based on deep learning. This is a machine learning process in which so-called artificial neuronal networks are formed and continuously updated using huge amounts of data. In this way, the engine learns with every translation.
For post-editing projects, we work with a combination of different, well-established machine translation tools and CAT tools. With the help of plug-ins, the advantages of both systems can be combined (e.g. by using a terminology management system and existing translation memories).
Interlingua will support you in all phases of the project and offer you tailored MT and PE services:
– You leave the machine translation as well as the post-editing to our experts.
– You already have an in-house engine and require post-editing of your machine-translated texts.
– You would like to optimise your source texts for MT projects: the more consistent your source text is, the better MT results you can expect. We have created translation-orientated authoring and style guides to help you with this.
Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this. The results vary depending on the language, text type and subject field. The quality of the source text also plays an important role.
As part of the post-editing, your machine-translated texts will be checked and corrected. Depending on whether you opt for light or full post-editing, our post-editors will focus on different aspects and types of mistakes.
In appropriate cases, full post-editing delivers a quality of translation that comes close to that of human translation:
- A grammatically, syntactically and semantically correct translation
- Correct and consistent key terminology, consideration of terms not to be translated
- No additions or omissions
- No culturally inappropriate content
- Extensive adoption of machine-translated content (to save costs)
- Correct formatting
- Stylistically acceptable (correction of rough drafts)
Light Post-Editing provides an understandable translation that should be used purely for internal information purposes:
- Semantically correct translation (might contain minor grammatical and syntax errors)
- No additions or omissions
- No culturally inappropriate content
- Extensive adoption of machine-translated content (to save costs)
- No stylistic corrections
