Five proofreading techniques every talented writer should know

Professional proofreaders use a number of proofreading techniques in order to produce the most polished and error-free results for their clients. These methods allow them to maintain their concentration on the material while ensuring that it is thoroughly checked for mistakes and necessary corrections. By adopting these proofreading techniques, authors and small business owners can improve the quality of their written communications.

1. Double check. Most professional proofreaders check each project at least twice in order to ensure that no mistakes have been overlooked during the first pass. This can also help proofreaders to detect errors that may have been caused during the correction process itself, offering additional protection against mistakes at every stage of the proofreading process.
2. Take a break. One of the most underrated proofreading techniques is also one of the most obvious; taking a break during the proofreading process can be exceptionally helpful in maintaining the necessary focus on the task. By stepping away from the project for a few minutes, proofreaders can often achieve a better perspective on the work both as a whole and in terms of spelling, grammar and punctuation. This can allow them to detect errors more efficiently and effectively.
3. Look it up. A number of online proofreading resources are available to proofreaders in need of spelling clarification or grammatical help. Google can be useful in cases in which a word has been misspelled in a way that makes it difficult to identify. A dictionary is another obvious source of spelling information. By looking up any words that appear questionable or unfamiliar, proofreaders can ensure that the finished work is of the highest possible quality.
4. Divide and conquer. Splitting the proofreading process into various stages can help keep the process fresh and the proofreader alert. Spell checking typically constitutes one phase, with grammar, style and punctuation each comprising one of the other three stages of the process. The same effect can be achieved by a multi-tier approach; by approaching the material first word-by-word, then by the sentence, then by the paragraph and finally in sections, the proofreader can achieve optimal results. This strict method of ensuring repeated viewings of the same material can provide surprisingly effective proofreading results.
5. Call for backup. Even professional proofreaders consult with each other on long and complex projects. Small business owners and individuals can achieve the same results by enlisting the help of a professional proofreading firm.  These professionals can often identify mistakes that might otherwise go uncorrected, creating a final document that presents the information in the most professional manner possible. Source: proz.com

Specialist or generalist: what’s your route to success?

The beginning of a new year is always a good time to take stock of your business, and plan your direction for the coming year.  Some freelancers work toward building up a name for themselves within a niche; others intentionally avoid focusing too much in one area.
Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons of each approach.

The Specialist: Establishing Yourself in One Market Area

You might have been a financial guru in the past, and naturally kept that route when you opened your freelance business. Or maybe you started out covering many markets, but your best client was in real estate, and you found yourself getting established in that area. However it happens, building a name for yourself as a specialist has its benefits, including:

• You’ll build knowledge of the vocabulary, trends, and who’s who in the market, enabling you to jump in faster, and potentially complete jobs quicker and easier.
• Customers in similar markets will get wind of your work and contact you.
• With a specific target audience in mind, you can slant your marketing efforts and materials appropriately.
• You can establish yourself as an expert through speaking engagements, teaching, writing articles, or hosting a blog.
• Your proven track record can help you negotiate higher compensation.

But along with the good comes the bad.  Reasons not to get too comfy might include:

• A slump in your chosen market can send you into a dry spell.
• Known as a specialist in one area, you may find it difficult seeking a job out of that circle.
• You may become bored or experience burn out.

The Generalist: Keeping Your Finger in a Variety of Markets

Remaining a generalist is a chosen path for many freelancers, and with good reason: wider options bring more opportunity. Advantages of keeping abreast of a handful of differing markets include:

• No need to panic if one of your markets goes dry; you can compensate by pursuing another area.
• You’ll learn new things routinely and work with a variety of people.
• Varying audiences will have different personalities, enabling you to use different styles and remain creative.
• You can avoid markets that you don’t want to work with.

And the cons:

• Just like the Chinese restaurant that also serves pizza, customers might question where you excel.
• You may face overhead issues maintaining various versions of a resume or web site.
• You may become frustrated dealing with the ramp-up time of a new project, particularly if facing a tight deadline. Source: proz.com

Cheat sheet for SDL Trados Studio 2009 Editor

File extensions
Translation package .sdlppx
Translation project .sdlproj
Return package .sdlrpx
Translation file .sdlxliff
TM .sdltm
Termbase .sdltb

Description	Menu	Shortcut
Open project	Double-click .sdlproj > go to Projects view > double-click project name
Remove project	Projects view > right-click > Remove from list
View analysis	Projects view > Analysis Statistics
Open file	Files view > select files > right-click > Open for Translation/Review/Sign-Off
Save file	File > Save	CTRL + S
Save all files	File > Save All	CTRL + SHIFT + S
Close file	File > Close	CTRL + SHIFT + F4
Close all files	File > Close All	CTRL + F4
Open segment	Click on first target segment
Commit segment to TM and move to next segment	Translation > Confirm and Move to Next Segment	CTRL + ALT + ENTER
Commit segment to TM and move to next unconfirmed segment	Translation > Confirm and Move to Next Unconfirmed Segment	CTRL + ENTER
Move to next unconfirmed segment without confirming	Edit > Move to Next Segment	CTRL + DOWN
Move to previous unconfirmed segment without confirming	Edit > Move to Previous Segment	CTRL + UP
Copy Source to Target	Translation > Copy Source to Target	CTRL + INS
Clear target segment	Translation > Clear Target Segment	ALT + DEL
Select match from TM		ALT + 1/2/3/4 etc.
Toggle between source and target segment		F6
Source concordance	Translation > Concordance Search	F3
Target concordance	Translation > Concordance Search	CTRL + SHIFT + F3
Browse previous/next concordance search results	Left & right arrow buttons in Concordance window	N/A
Insert placeable or tag		CTRL + ALT + DOWN ARROW, CTRL + ,
Insert tag pair around highlighted word		CTRL + ALT + ,
Toggle formatting tags view
Expand segment	Select segment numbers > right-click > Merge Segments	Select segment numbers (use SHIFT to select multiple) > CTRL + ALT + S
Shink segment	Click in target > right-click > Split segment	ALT + SHIFT + T
Filter segments	Display > select filter
Change segment status	Select segment numbers (use SHIFT to select multiple) > right-click > Change segment status	N/A
Activate termbase term recognition	View > Term recognition	Customise keyboard shortcut in Tools > Options > Keyboard shortcuts > Editor
Activate termbase search	View > Termbase Search	Customise keyboard shortcut in Tools > Options > Keyboard shortcuts > Editor
Insert term from termbase (or from autosuggest dictionary)		CTRL + SHIFT + L
View formatting marks shortcuts (en/em dash, hyphens)	Tools > Options > Keyboard shortcuts > Editor > QuickInsert Toolbar
Add comment	Edit > Add Comment	CTRL + SHIFT + N
Go to next comment	Edit > Go to Next Commentt	CTRL + M
View Comments	View > Comments
Print	File > Print Preview	CTRL + P
Spellcheck one file	Tools > Check Spelling	F7
QA check current file	Tools > Verify	F8
QA check all open files	File > Batch tasks > Verify Files	N/A
Editor/ QA Checker settings	Tools > Options	ALT + T + O
Display tags (no tags, partial, full)	Format > Tag display mode	CTRL + ALT + D

Source: http://www.stpnordic.com

Translating SDL Trados TTX Files in Déjà Vu X

This procedure describes how to translate SDL Trados TTX files with Atril's Déjà Vu X (DVX). Doing so enables users to take advantage of the superior CAT features of DVX for translation assembly, content filtering, etc. If you are a Trados user or in possession of an appropriate trial copy of Trados, you have all the tools needed to prepare and post-process the files. If you cannot obtain at least a working trial copy of SDL Trados of the version needed, then you will have to rely on someone else, such as your customer, to prepare and post-process the files for you.

When working on TTX files in DVX, be especially careful with the placement of codes and look carefully at a printed copy, PDF reference file, etc. of the original document to aid in understanding context and the function of these codes.

Step 0: Preparing the source files
Before creating a TTX file and presegmenting it for translation in DVX, it is a very good idea to take a look at the file and clean up any "garbage" such as optional hyphens, unwanted carriage returns or breaks, inappropriate tabbing in the middle of sentences, etc. This will ensure that your work will not be burdened by superfluous tags and that the uncleaned file after the translation will have good quality segmentation.

Step 1: Segment the source files
If the source files are of types which Trados handles only via the TagEditor interface, then they may be pre-translated directly by Trados Workbench to produce the presegmented TTX files. If they are RTF or Microsoft Word files on the other hand, you must first launch TagEditor, open the files in that environment and then save them to create the TTX files, which are then subsequently pre-translated using Trados Workbench.

Important Trados settings: In Trados Workbench select the menu option
Options -> Translation Memory Options… and make sure that the checkbox option "Copy source on no match" is marked. In the dialog for the menu option Tools -> Translate, mark the option to "Segment unknown sentences".

After the settings for Trados Workbench are configured correctly, select the files you wish to translate in the dialog for the Workbench menu option Tools  Translate and pretranslate them. This will create the "presegmented" files for import into DVX.

If the job involves a lot of terminology in a MultiTerm database, which cannot be made available for the translation in the Déjà Vu environment (perhaps due to password protection or no suitable MultiTerm installation on the computer used for DVX work), you might want to consider selecting one of the Workbench options for term translation. I usually don't do this, as I clear unmatched segments in DVX and run MultiTerm as a separate reference tool.

You may want to inspect the segmented files in TagEditor to ensure that the segmentation does not require adjustment. No changes to the Trados segmentation whatsoever may be made in DVX, though segments can be combined to produce better TM content in the DVX environment (do NOT delete any codes!). If undesirable Trados segmentation is noted in DVX, it is best to mark these places with a comment or otherwise indicate the problem and make the corrections using TagEditor after the uncleaned files are exported from DVX.

Note that if you fail to perform this step or if the option to segment unknown sentences is not selected, all or some of the source content will fail to import.

Step 2: Import the segmented source files into DVX
Set up a DVX project using the Wizard and import the files from the appropriate Wizard page or later using the Project Explorer. DVX will automatically identify the TTX file type. You shouls select the additional option "Prevent segmentation" to ensure that each DVX segment will initially correspond to exactly one Trados segment in the TTX file.

Step 3: Get rid of the "No Match" content (optional)
This is one step that differs radically from the procedure for translating Trados pre-segmented RTF and Microsoft Word files. With these files, the DVX filter for Trados Workbench ignores all "No Match" content, showing nice, empty cells in the DVX grid. The TTX filter, on the other hand, imports everything. This can be inconvenient if you use DVX's Autoassemble feature.

Here is how to get rid of the unmatched content in the TTX files to make them a little "friendlier" for the translation work:

1. Open the file or, if all the files in the project are TTX files, open all the content by double-clicking the project icon in the File Navigator window.
   
2. In the drop-down filter in the center of the translation window just above the grid, select "All Unpainted Rows". This will hide all fuzzy matches.
   
3. Right-click on the translation grid and choose "Clear All Translations" from the context menu. Note that only the visible content will be erased.
   
4. Choose "All Rows" in the filter box, and all the content will be shown ready to translate. Any fuzzy matches from the pretranslation with Trados Workbench will still be there.
   

Step 4: Translate the files as you normally would in DVX
Note that pre-segmentation in Trados brings with it some of the disadvantages of working with Trados, such as the fact that numbers and dates are ignored if they do not occur with other characters. This omission due to Trados segmentation will have to be remediated by post-editing the translation in TagEditor or a text editor. Depending on the client’s workflow, you may want to do this post-editing on the uncleaned or the cleaned file. (Some clients like to edit the uncleaned files and then generate a final translated version by cleaning the file they have edited; if you correct only the numbers, dates, etc. in the “cleaned” file, these changes will have to be made again.)

Changing segmentation as you work: While working in DVX, you may find that Trados has segmented the source file an inconvenient manner in some places. As long as you never delete a code, you can combine or split segments in DVX without affecting the integrity of the Trados TTX file.

Step 5: Export the finished translation(s) from DVX
The “product” of the DVX export is an uncleaned Trados TTX file.

Step 6: Cleaning the file(s) for delivery
If you have a working copy of Trados, files may be cleaned using the corresponding menu function in Trados Workbench or using the Save Target As… function in the File menu of TagEditor. If you do not have a working copy, then your client or someone else with a working copy of Trados will have to generate the final translated files.


What have you gained by going to all this trouble?

• If you are a DVX user without Trados skills, you have possibly been able to take on a job you could not have done otherwise. This may be important for those in need of a “competitive advantage”.
  
• You have probably saved time and made more money (considered from an hourly rate perspective), especially with a long translation, especially if there are a lot of repeated structures in the text. The ability of DVX to assemble using partial segments from the TMs, the termbases and the Lexicon is a huge advantage. Typical work metrics I have recorded over the past 5 years point to a 20 to 30% greater efficiency when translating in Déjà Vu versus Trados. This means much better earnings per hour!
  
• With this approach you have “fully compatible” parallel TMs. If a job is done purely with DVX and a Trados TM export is made from the DV translation memory databases, differences in segmentation will result in some “loss” of TM compatibility. However, one must balance this disadvantage against the advantage of number and date handling by DVX in some cases. Source: proz.com
  

Translation and Localization Style Guides

• Rule of Thumb for Translation Style Guides
• Elements of a Translation Style Guide
• Download Style Guides for Localization
• Download Style Guides from International Organizations

Effective translation style guides can vary in length and detail, as exemplified by the following downloadable style guides from the technology industry:

• Google’s Translation Style Guide: a single guide for all languages that is simple and concise
• Oracle and Sun’s Language Style Guides: guides in 8 languages, each of at least moderate length, French, Spanish, German, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Swedish
• Microsoft’s Language Style Guides: guides for 90+ languages, each of varying length

Other international organizations and governments with respectable translation teams have also made their translation style guides available online for download:

• The World Bank Translation Style Guide: English, French, Arabic, Spanish,Russian
• The European Commission Translation Style Guides: English, Danish, Finnish,Portuguese, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish, and other languages

Windows Key Shortcuts

These shortcuts utilize the Windows Key which is located at the lower left hand corner and, the lower right hand corner of your keyboard between the Ctrl and Alt keys. If it is not there, then you do not have a Windows keyboard: Ctrl Windows Key Alt

The keyboard image effects that you see above and below are being controlled through an external .css (Cascading Style Sheet) file. These are not actual images, but a carefully thought out list of CSS attributes that gives the appearance of a key on a Windows keyboard.

1. Windows Key + E Opens a new Explorer Window. Probably one of the hottest Windows keyboard shortcuts. This one gets a lot of hoorahs!
   
2. Windows Key Displays the Start Menu.
   
3. Windows Key + D Minimizes all windows and shows the Desktop.
   
4. Windows Key + D Opens all windows and takes you right back to where you were.
   
5. Windows Key + F Displays the Find all files dialog box.
   
6. Windows Key + L Lock your Windows XP computer.
   
7. Windows Key + M Minimizes all open windows.
   
8. Windows Key + Shift + M Restores all previously open windows to how they were before you Minimized them.
   
9. Windows Key + R Displays the Run command.
   
10. Windows Key + F1 Displays the Windows Help menu.
    
11. Windows Key + Pause/Break Displays the Systems Properties dialog box.
    
12. Windows Key + Tab Cycle through the buttons on the Task Bar.
    
13. Windows Key + U Displays the Utility Manager with accessibility options; Magnifier, Narrator and On-Screen Keyboard.
    
14. Alt + Tab Toggle (switch) between open windows.
    

L10nworks links

• Organizations

The Localization Industry Standards Association

The Unicode Consortium

Globalization & Localization Association

Localization World

Worldware Conference

Localisation Research Centre (LRC)

W3C Internationalization (L18N) Activity

Translation Automation User Society

Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards

American Translators Association

Institute of Localisation Professionals (TILP)

Monterey Institute of International Studies

• Blogs

Global WatchTower
Common Sense Advisory’s blog. Commentary on trends and tools in the globalization industry.
Lexiophiles
For all those word-lovers out there: a compilation of the best language-related blogs on the web.
Blogos
Multilingual’s blog. News and views on all aspects of language, translation and technology.
Translate My Word
Localization Best Practices. A blog for those involved in global marketing.
Microsoft Translator Official Team Blog
News and views from the Microsoft translator team in Microsoft Research.
Global by Design
A Microsoft employee blogs about web globalization.
Planet Web
A blog hosted by W3C, which compiles posts from a variety of blogs on web internationalization software.
i18n Blog
A software internationalization blog with a focus on Romanian translation.
Ilya Butenko - Localization Blog
A program manager blogs about trends in localization.
About Translation
An Italian translator talking about his experience in the language industry.
ImTranslator
Smart Link Corporation’s blog on various translating software.
Localization, Localisation
Practical and concise answers to common questions in G11N, I18N and L10N
Terminology, Computing and Translation
A blog for translation agencies, translators and language professionals.
Translation Journal
A Publication for translators by translators about translators and translation
Translator's Shack
A collection of news, reviews, links and opinions on translation technology.

• Others

OpenTran - Consistency Matters
A collection of the translations of miscellaneous software projects, with an eye on improving consistency among open source software developers.
Translation Glossary and References
A collection of previously-released glossary files on mozilla.org. A reference for improving the level of consistency between different translation projects.
Translator's Tools
A useful compilation of translation tools.
Internazionalization Downloads
A collection of tools and resources for localization projects on Mac: varying from software like AppleGlot and ADViewer, to a collection of Mac glossaries.
Proz.com
Reputedly the largest online community of translators, complete with networking resources and discussions on translation issues and technologies
DGT Multilingual Translation Memory
A translation memory database released by the Directorate-General for Translation (DGT) of the European Commission. It is a complete collection of all of the European Union’s legislation, with parallel texts in 22 languages and 231 different language pairs.
I18NGuy
Information about cultural differences, internationalization (i18n), localization (l10n), globalization (g11n), translation and software engineering.
OpenTag
This site is dedicated to the tools and technologies used in the localization of software, on-line help and documentation.
i18nGurus
Open directory of links to internationalization (i18n) resources and related material.

Publications

A collection of publications on localization, internationalization and globalization. This is a work in progress, so if there are any publications you’d like to see on the list, please let us know.

• Magazines

Client Side News
A magazine that puts the spotlight on solutions for clients in the globalization, internationalization, and localization industries.

MultiLingual
MultiLingual Computing (co-producers of Localization World) brings you its eponymous masterpiece: a magazine with a focus on technological innovations in the internationalization industry. Each issue (published in both print and digital formats eight times a year) comes loaded with information on language technology, industry commentary, business tips and other interesting language-oriented highlights.

• Books

A Practical Guide to Localization by Bert Esselink
This book can serve as a comprehensive guide for those just getting started in localization, and also as a handy reference tool for old-timers in the industry. Esselink’s book delves into all the key roles involved in the localization process, including information for translators, engineers, and project managers. A large part of its focus is on localizing software under Windows, however it does touch briefly on other operating systems.

Internationalization and Localization Using Microsoft .Net by Nick Symmonds
This book is a guideline for developers and IT managers on how to internationalize their software using Microsoft’s .NET platform. It is a comparatively readable book in a notoriously unreadable genre, but more of a general introduction than a detailed technical treatise.

Developing International Software by Dr International
This book/CD-ROM explains how to localize applications for Windows XP and 2000, determine important culture-specific issues, avoid international pitfalls and legal issues, and use the best technologies and coding practices.

XML Internationalization and Localization by Yves Savourel
This book addresses the ways in which XML can help document producers to overcome the obstacles inherent in internationalizing (and then localizing) their content. It is complete with a section that details and compares a wide array of different translation tools and techniques.

International User Interfaces by Jakob Nielsen and Elisa M. Del Galdo
This book is composed of a series of articles on internationalizing user-interface design. It is compiled to confront the problems UI developers face in rendering their products more accessible to a global audience.

Business Without Borders by Donald A. de Palma
This book is a highly-lauded treatment of how and why companies ought to go global, touching on every aspect of the globalization process. It is a comprehensive guide full of strategy and insight for overcoming the challenges e-businesses will invariably meet in launching their international marketing campaigns.

CJKV Information Processing by Ken Lunde
This book is a thorough introduction and exhaustive reference for those interested in either developing or localizing software that supports East Asian character sets (namely Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese). The author not only helps to familiarize his audience with significant historical information regarding these writing systems (including methods of input and output at the onset of the computer age), he also delves deeply into modern encoding and programming methods, complete with page after page of handy character tables and example source code—available in Java, C, and Perl.

Read Me First! A Style Guide for the Computer Industry by Sun Technical Publications
This book helps acquaint its readers with professional practices relating to all aspects of creating technical documentation. Its advice ranges from how to create grammatically and stylistically appropriate writing guides, to graphical user interface techniques, and then on to advice dealing with glossary and index creation, the use of hyperlinks, as well as the clarification of often-misused terminology.

Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications by Microsoft Corporation
This book is widely recognized as a must-have for anyone in the technical publication field. In addition to assisting its readers in developing industry-standard writing style guides for their companies or organizations, Microsoft’s manual also helps to standardize nettlesome issues regarding technical- and computer-related terminology—making for clean, consistent publications and user interfaces that, in turn, can be more painlessly internationalized at a later date.

Java™ Look and Feel Design Guidelines by Sun Microsystems Inc.
This book is a style guide aimed at teaching its readers how to design more professional, clean, and intuitive graphical user interfaces for Java applications. It does not explore the coding aspect of programming applications, but rather is a manual for helping designers to create more useful and aesthetically pleasing interfaces, dealing specifically with topics like utility windows, menus, dialogs, buttons, and many other components that affect the usability of Java programs.

Computer-Aided Translation Technology: A Practical Introduction by Lynne Bowker
This book focuses on introducing the medley of CAT tools and technologies that translation professionals are likely to encounter in the course of their work. It delves into the ways in which translators might interact with and benefit from the different computer-aided translation tools available, and how said tools might affect and improve the translator’s workflow. While not promoting any specific approach to translation, Bowker’s book is an attempt at familiarizing its readers with what technologies are out there and how they can help you.

Computers and Translation: A Translator’s Guide by H.L. Somers (editor)
This book is composed of a collection of articles on translation technology: touching on machine translation, computer-aided translation, and translation memory, complete with some historical sketches and notes on the future trends thereof. This collection is aimed at delineating the limitations of technology’s role in translation, and thereby clarifying how computers can be used to help, not replace, the translator.

Machine Translation: Its Scope and Limits by Yorick Wilks
This book is a discourse on the history of machine translation and its development—spread across forty years and three continents—into contemporary models. In this volume, Yorick Wilks, the Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Sheffield (not to mention a stock of other scholarly appellations), discusses the many conflicting approaches to MT technology over the years, and rounds things off with suppositions regarding the roles that new models in A.I. and other fields will play in the future of machine translation technology.

Translation and Globalization by Michael Cronin
This book is a critical examination of the role and function of translation in the context of an ever-globalizing world. Michael Cronin seeks to investigate the effects that changes in global economic and social infrastructures have had on translation and, by extension, translators themselves. With a primary focus on non-literary translation as a uniquely-positioned lens through which we can examine globalization and what it means for the future of people and their respective cultures, Cronin’s book aims to impress on readers the importance of translation not only as a useful product, but as an illuminating process.

The Global English Style Guide by John R. Kohl
This book is a style guide for instructing writers in all disciplines how to produce English documents that are better suited to translation (both machine and human), and that are more catered toward facilitating reading-comprehension among non-native speakers of English. The author delves into problems relating to style, syntax and terminology, and offers concrete examples that will help writers to gain control over more explicit, simple, consistent, and translatable English.

Technical Translation: Usability Strategies for Translating Technical Documentation by Jody Byrne
This book is an introduction to technical translation and the usability of technical documents. Going beyond mere concerns with terminology, Jody Burn addresses the process of managing document usability and translation from the perspective of cognitive psychology and technical communication, aiming to help readers develop skills more suited to the creation of usable (and thus marketable) documents in a field more demanding and extensive than ever.

Software

A selection of translating tools ranging from machine translation (MT), to computer-aided translation (CAT) and terminology management software (TMS). As always, this is a growing compendium. If there are any tools that ought to be added, please let us know.

• Across Language Server

A translation platform that incorporates multiple-format translation memory and TMS tools into a workflow management system. This allows service providers and their customers to interact more intimately throughout the entire “linguistic supply chain.”

• An-Nakel Al Arabi Translator

An assortment of machine translation systems developed by CIMOS, dealing primarily with bi-directional Arabic-to-English, Arabic-to-French, and English-to-French projects. Their software comes with specialized subject dictionaries, and can be used as a stand-alone product, as a web-based server, or can be embedded within your application of choice.

• Alchemy CATALYST

A visual localization support tool developed by Alchemy Software. This software environment integrates all phases of the localization workflow—from project management to translation, as well as engineering and testing—into an easy-to-use visual system that allows users to focus more on the quality of their work, free from the distractions of its underlying technology.

• Déjà Vu

A translator workstation developed by ATRIL. Déjà Vu combines translation memory with a terminology management system. This CAT has the ability to perform example-based machine translation (EBMT), which helps to increase productivity and consistency for both corporate and freelance translators alike.

• ESTeam Translator

A machine translation system combined with customizable a translation memory system. This multilingual software supports bi-directional translations between all official languages of the European Union.

• ForeignDesk

An open source CAT environment released by Lionbridge. Their technology combines a translation memory system with terminology management tools—as well as a project assistant—allowing users to streamline the translation process. Their software is TMX-compliant, and features fuzzy match applications.

• Heartsome Translation Studio

A CAT tool designed to be compatible with a wide array of other localization products, and developed completely around open standards of language technology (TMX, SRX, TBX, UTF-8, etc.). Its integrated interface allows translation memory and terminology management to be handled within the same application, a process facilitated by configurable software functions and hot-keys.

• LogiTerm

Developed by Terminotix, Logiterm Professional is primarily a terminology and parallel text search engine, but also includes different tools for generating dictionaries, creating glossaries and aligning documents.

• MemorySphere

A translation memory system developed by AppTek. Their product offers automated document alignment combined with a translation memory database that supports multiple language pairs. Complete with a document management application in which users can directly manage their source documents.

• MetaTexis

A CAT system that runs in Microsoft Word. They offer translation memory and terminology management systems with full Unicode support in an already-familiar interface—users won’t have to become acquainted with a new software environment, as all of its functions can be accessed right there in Word.

• Multilizer 2009

A software localization support tool. Multilizer’s product offers a visual editing interface combined with a translation memory system for companies looking to localize their PC, internet and mobile software. Its features are designed to streamline the translation process in an expansive array of file formats.

• MultiTrans 4

A translator workstation developed by MultiCorpora. Their software provides translators with a document alignment application, along with translation memory and terminology management systems. Translators can manage their workflow with MultiTrans’ analysis agent, as well as access others’ translation memory databases online.

• Omega T

An open source computer-assisted translation tool developed by Didier Briel and team. OmegaT is a translation workstation, fully equipped with a translation memory system, project support, a bitext aligner/converter, as well as a TMX validator, paragraph segmentation capabilities and many other tools to assist language professionals in their translations.

• PeTra Expert

A machine translation system developed by SyNTHEMA. Their MT system is combined with translation memory technology to offer the complete and automated translation of documents. Their software is compatible with most industry-standard desktop publishing and CAT environments.

• ProMemoria

A translation workstation developed by BridgeTerm. ProMemoria is a combination of translation memory, terminology management, and dictionary creation tools that integrate with Microsoft Word. It can also handle machine translation based on users’ own custom-made subject dictionaries.

• Trados Studio Professional

A translator workstation developed by SDL International. Provides all the features users need to optimize their translation workflow: terminology management, translation memory, and project management, all complete with help wizards to assist users along the way. SDL’s software also includes an automated quality assurance feature to help translators keep their translations clean, professional and consistent.

• Similis

A translation memory system developed by Lingua et Machina. Similis can either run in Word or as a standalone translation environment. It helps users to reuse already-translated words and segments, while automatically updating their TM databases. This software can also automatically align documents and extract new terminology in the process.

• Tr-AID

A translation memory system developed by the Institute for Language and Speech Processing. Tr-AID is embedded in Microsoft Word for user convenience, and comes with customizable terminology management features.

• TransWhiz 10

A machine translation system developed by OTEK. They offer both bi-directional English/Chinese and Japanese/Chinese MT systems. Transwhiz 10 can translate in batches or integrate with Microsoft Word as a translation memory system, as well as automatically translate RSS news feeds and instant messages.

• Tstream

A translation workstation and terminology manager developed by Xplanation. Tstream can be used on all platforms and has the ability to integrate with a web-based project management system. Its translation environment works independently of all word processors, so there’s no need to learn new interfaces, spend money on new software nor waste time on continuously updating it.

• Visual Localize

A localization support tool developed by AIT. Visual Localize is a CAT system designed primarily for localizing software and graphical user interface. As a completely visual aid that incorporates translation memory technology, it allows translators to view their work in context.

• WordFast Pro

A translation memory system that works on all platforms (Mac, Windows, and Linux). Wordfast Pro is a standalone program that provides a customizable translating environment, while also assisting users in broadening their TM databases.

• MemoQ

A translation workstation developed by Kilgray. MemoQ is a fully-integrated CAT environment—with a wide range of file format support—that provides users with a customizable visual workspace, as well as access to a variety of remote translation memories and term bases. Some of its more distinguished features include a sophisticated alignment function, and the ability to perform group translations, where different members of a team can translate and proofread the same document simultaneously.

• Lingobit Localizer

A tool for localizing software, predominantly MFC, .NET, WPF, Delphi and Java-based applications. Lingobit Localizer utilizes translation memory technology in combination with a visual user interface in order to assist users in focusing on their translations without the hassle of dealing with source-code. It also includes tools for quality assurance and project management.

• RC-Wintrans

An environment for localizing graphical user interfaces in conjunction with Win32, Microsoft .NET, Java and XML software. RC-WinTrans offers built-in support for Trados’ translation memory system and comes equipped with context viewers to assist users in the software localization process.

• WorldServer

A web-based CAT tool developed by Idiom Technologies. WorldServer provides translators and end-clients alike with a centralized platform to streamline the localization process. Complete with a system of centralizing and ensuring consistency among translation memory and terminology databases.

• Passolo 2009

A software localization tool developed by SDL International. Passolo 2009 comes equipped with an array of features to save its users time, including a completely customizable working environment, the ability to revert to previous versions of a workflow, and an improved glossary search.

• WordFisher

A free translation memory system that integrates with Microsoft Word. WordFisher is similar to commercial TM environments in that it provides users with the ability to align and synchronize their documents, customize glossaries, expand upon their TM databases and check for translation consistency.

• Tramigo

A tool for localizing Flash files, developed by Avral. Tramigo assists users by extracting translatable text from SWF files, protecting content that doesn’t need to be translated, and by generating a newly-translated version of the original SWF file after the translator has done his work.

• Anaphraseus

An open source CAT tool. Anaphraseus allows users to create and modify translation memories. Its main features include text segmentation, terminology management, fuzzy match TM search, and TMX import/export capabilities.

• AnyMem

A translation memory system developed by AIT. AnyMem’s CAT engine is loaded with features: TM database and terminology management systems, selective search and translate functions, integration with Microsoft Word, a configurable interface display, and Unicode support.

• ApSIC Xbench

A terminology reference tool developed by ApSIC. This is an internal software solution that ApSIC is offering to the public for download. Xbench helps translators to customize the display of their bilingual information, with support in a variety of different CAT formats. It also comes equipped with features to aid translators with quality assurance, ensuring clean and consistent work.

• SynchroTerm

A terminology extraction engine developed by BridgeTerm. SynchroTerm enables users to extract terms from parallel texts and other translation memories. It automates the extraction process and allows users to build, enlarge and edit their terminology databases.

• IQ

A terminology management tool developed by acrolinx. IQ seeks to minimize linguistic variation and maximize content reuse by providing users with a host of quality assurance features that introduce consistency in spelling, grammar and style into the translator’s workflow.

• AlignFactory

A tool for aligning documents developed by Terminotix. AlignFactory automates the document alignment process and seeks to outperform the capabilities of the built-in alignment functions found in many commercial CAT workstations.

• PowerGlot

A localization tool for Mac software, developed by Florent Pillet. Powerglot extracts translatable text for its users and provides them with a TM system to aid in the translation process. After users are finished translating, PowerGlot will automatically reconstruct the now-localized application.

• iLocalize

A tool for localizing Mac applications, developed by Arizona Software. iLocalize comes with a variety of features to help users localize their Mac applications. Its TM-glossary can treat multiple languages within the same project, while checking consistency and applying smart filters to the source code—making sure that users can find and translate what needs to be translated.

• MadCap Lingo

A CAT tool for localizing documents, developed by MadCap Software. MadCap Lingo allows users to import translatable material in a broad range of file formats, where they can view source and target texts side-by-side in a visually-oriented translation environment. It comes equipped with a translation memory system and tools for creating and editing TM databases, as well as functions that help translators create statistical reports about their various projects.

• Snowball

A simple and intuitive CAT tool, developed by Total Recall Software. Snowball integrates with Microsoft Word, automatically analyzing and updating translation memory databases in the background while translators do their work. In the Pro and Freelance versions, Snowball supports TMX import and export, and provides access to multiple databases.

• Transit

One of the first CAT tools on the market, developed by the STAR Group. Transit supports a wide range of languages and file formats, combining translation and terminology management functions with project management and quality assurance utilities.

• XTM Suite

A web-based translation management system developed by XML-INTL. XML Suite can be used as a standalone TMS, or can be split into separate working modules that can be integrated into existing systems. Its different applications help users to manage all aspects of the localization process, from workflow management, to quality assurance and terminology management. XML Suite is scalable and customizable according to its users’ needs.

• GlobalSight

An open source initiative sponsored by WeLocalize. GlobalSight is a highly customizable translation management system that supports collaborative editing and management models through its own imbedded crowdsourcing application, CrowdSight.

• Wordbee Translator

A completely web-based CAT tool developed by Wordbee S.A. Wordbee Translator is based on a collaborative model in which translators can work on the same project, remotely and at the same time—all of which can be tracked by its real-time tracking system. This CAT tool can process most common file formats, including Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint (including graphics), Adobe InDesign, OpenOffice documents, RTF, XML, and HTML. It can be subscribed to for a monthly fee.

• Google Translator Toolkit

A free web-based CAT tool developed by Google. Google’s Translator Toolkit supports most common file formats, like html, txt, doc, and rtf, etc. With Google’s application, TM import and export is performed in TMX format, whereas glossaries are exported in Google’s custom CSV format. Professional translators and other users are encouraged to take a careful look at Google’s Terms of Service before availing themselves of this technology. Source: http://www.l10nworks.com

Open Translation Tools

• Anaphraseus
  Anaphraseus is a CAT (Computer Aided Translation) tool, OpenOffice.org 2 macro set similar to famous Wordfast. Works with Wordfast Translation Memory format (*.TXT). Supports text segmentation. Features: Term Recognition. Fuzzy Search. Unicode support.
  
• Apertium
  Apertium is a machine translation platform, initially aimed at related-language pairs, but recently expanded to deal with more divergent language pairs (such as English-Catalan). The platform provides a language-independent machine translation engine, tools to manage the linguistic data necessary to build a machine translation system for a given language pair, and linguistic data for 21 language pairs, with more under development.
  The platform also includes cell phone applications, blog plugins, web services and several graphical user interfaces. Apertium may translate plain text, web sites or documents without loss of formatting.
  
• Autshumato ITE
  Autshumato Integrated Translation Environment (ITE) is a free computer aided translation application. It provides a single translation environment that contains translation memory, machine translation and a glossary to facilitate the translation process.
  Although Autshumato ITE is specifically developed for the eleven official South African languages, it is in essence language independent, and can be adapted for translating between any language pair.
  
• bitext2tmx Bitext2tmx is a cross-platform Java application to align bitext (of a corresponding original text and its translation) and generate a TMX translation memory for use in computer-assisted translation.
  
• CollaboDict
  Web-based software for collaborative creation of dictionaries.
  
• Cross Lingual Wiki Engine
  The Cross Lingual Wiki Engine project aims to design, develop and test lightweight wiki tools that can be used to translate content in wikis. At present the project is implemented as part of TikiWiki.
  
• Dict.org Dict.org is a hosted dictionary. It is based on the GPL software GCIDE.
  
• dotSUB in 6 toolboxes
  dotSUB is a browser based tool enabling subtitling of videos on the web into and from any language.
  
• Fantasdic
  Fantasdic is a DICT client. It is multi-platform and written in the Ruby programming language. It retrieves definitions from the internet via the DICT protocol instead of from a file on the local hard drive.
  
• Gaupol
  Gaupol is a software tool for the Windows operating system that translates subtitles on video from one language to another. Focused on being accessible to the user, Gaupol emphasizes simplicity and ease of use and can work in many subtitle file formats.
  Created to translate previously-created subtitles, Gaupol is not the best tool for initial subtitle creation or editing the original subtitles in the video. However, as a translation tool, Gaupol is effective and simple to use for text-based subtitles with many small but useful features like the ability to find and replace text, framerate conversion and previews of the edits in an external video player.
  Gaupol is designed so that users can easily translate a group of subtitles at the same time and assign each to a specific time in the video.
  
• gedit-pomode
  gedit-pomode is a plugin for convenient editing of PO files in the gedit text editor.
  
• Gengo
  Gengo is a full featured plugin that provides multi-language blogging for WordPress 2.5+. It allows for an unlimited number of translations and summaries for any post and provides template tags to display language information. It allows you to edit translations side by side, detects and filters by language automatically when a visitor comes to your site and automatically generates semantic information for links and content blocks.
  
• Global Translator
  Global Translator is a free and open source Wordpress Plugin which is able to automatically translate your blog in the following different languages:
  English, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, Russian, Greek, Dutch, Norwegian, Bulgarian, Czech, Croat, Danish, Finnish, Hindi, Polish, Rumanian and Swedish.
  
• GlobalSigh
  GlobalSight is a collaborative, open source initiative to develop a flexible and sustainable Translation Management System (TMS) that leverages the best ideas and addresses the true needs of the industry. GlobalSight embraces an ecosystem of enterprise clients, translators, language service providers, technology suppliers, universities, research institutions and individuals alike!
  
• Glossmaster
  Glossmaster is the multi-lingual terminology tool developed for ANLoc, the African Network for Localization.
  Glossmaster contains a core list of 2500 information technology terms that have been selected from a wide variety of software applications originally written in English, with definitions for each term in English, as well as other information that will help clarify the underlying technical concepts.
  
• GNOME Dictionary
  GNOME Dictionary is a DICT client written in C by Emmanuele Bassi and others. It is part of the open-source GNOME desktop software suite, inside the gnome-utils meta-package. It allows users of GNOME to look up words on dictionary sources.
  
• GNOME Subtitles
  GNOME Subtitles is a subtitle editor for the GNOME desktop. It supports the most common text-based subtitle formats and allows for subtitle editing, translation and synchronization.
  
• GNU Aspell
  GNU Aspell is a Free and Open Source spell checker designed to eventually replace Ispell. It can either be used as a library or as an independent spell checker. Its main feature is that it does a superior job of suggesting possible replacements for misspelled words.
  
• gtranslator
  gtranslator is a GNOME2 application intended to make editing PO files
  easy for language translators.
  
• Hunspell
  Hunspell is the default spell checker of OpenOffice.org and Mozilla Firefox 3 & Thunderbird.
  
• Image Localization Manager in 3 toolboxes
  Image Localization Manager helps you to streamline your image localization process by presenting all the information needed for translating and editing image files in the same window. We hope you love the image preview feature!
  
• Ini Translator
  Ini Translator is a utility program to translate ini-style language files, with a look and feel reminiscent of poEdit.
  
• Ispell
  Ispell is a program that enables users to correct spelling and typographical errors in a file. When presented with a word that is not in the dictionary, Ispell attempts to find near misses that might include the word you meant.
  
• jDictionary
  jDictionary has an intuitive user interface and is able to upgrade itself, upgrade its plugins, and provide news and information about new plugins.
  
• jubler Jubler is a tool to edit text-based subtitles. It can be used as an authoring software for new subtitles or as a tool to convert, transform, correct and refine existing subtitles. The most popular subtitle formats can be used. Preview of the subtitles in realtime or in design time, spell checking, translation mode and styles editing are some of the main features.
  
• Kartouche
  Kartouche is a web-based translation tool - it allows translations to be submitted via a browser-based interface. Kartouche's sister application, Omnivore, stores the completed translations in a searchable store to which comments and corrections can be added.
  
• KBabel KBabel is a set of tools for editing and managing gettext PO files.
  
• Kyfiethu Kyfiethu is a web-based Welsh translation workflow tool. It is based on Kartouche.
  
• Launchpad Translations
  Launchpad Translations (codenamed "Rosetta") is a platform for open source application translation on the internet. It lets anybody help translate their favorite open source application into their favorite spoken language. Launchpad supports most localizable open-source applications.
  
• Lingro Lingro is an online multilingual dictionary tool. Lingro's mission is to create an on-line environment that allows anyone learning a language to quickly look up and learn the vocabulary most important to them. Lingro is not open source software, but all content on Lingro is licensed under Creative Commons.
  
• Linguas OS GNU/Linux operating system adapted for translators. Linguas OS is a remaster of PCFluxboxOS built for translators.
  
• LOGON The LOGON infrastructure (and source tree) is a collection of software, grammars, and other linguistic resources to facilitate experimentation with transfer-based machine translation (MT).
  
• Moses
  Moses is a statistical machine translation system that allows you to automatically train translation models for any language pair. All you need is a collection of translated texts (parallel corpus).
  
• Okapi
  The Okapi Framework is a set of interface specifications, format definitions, components and applications that provides an environment to build interoperable tools for the different steps of the translation and localization process.
  
• OmegaT
  OmegaT is a free translation memory application written in Java. It is a tool intended for professional translators.
  
• OmegaWiki A collaborative project to produce a free, multilingual resource in every language, with lexicological, terminological and thesaurus information.
  
• Open Translation Engine The OTE is an open source project developing language translation and dictionary tools for the internet community. This prototype system currently supports Dutch to English translations.
  
• Open-Tran.eu Translation service for software developers: easily find translations into many different languages for interface texts used by other software
  
• OpenLogos Opensource machine language translation tool.
  
• PCLOS-trans
  PC-LOS-trans is now Tuxtrans.
  A desktop system for translators created on the basis of the gnu/linux distribution Ubuntu 10.04.
  Tuxtrans is a full fledged desktop system meant as a replacement for the widely known OS. But it is not just an operating system, it is an OS including a collection of software applications which allows a translator to do his/her job most efficiently and in line with the latest standards.
  
• Poedit
  Poedit is cross-platform gettext catalogs (.po files) editor. It aims to provide more convenient approach to editing catalogs.
  
• Pootle
  Pootle is a web portal that simplifies the translation process. It allows online translation, work assignment, gives statistics and allows volunteer contribution.
  
• Project Open
  Project Open is a general-purpose project management system with a translation module. The source license is a GPL hybrid, and the translation module is FL (“Free License”), which is “pseudo FOSS”, with extensive limits on redistribution of code.
  
• Qt Linguist
  Qt Linguist is a tool for adding translations to Qt applications.
  
• Subtitle Editor
  Subtitle Editor is a GTK+2 tool to edit subtitles for GNU/Linux/*BSD. It can be used for new subtitles or as a tool to transform, edit, correct and refine existing subtitles. The program also displays sound waves, making it easier to synchronize subtitles to voices.
  
• TinyTM An open-source translation memory tool.
  
• Traduki
  Traduki is a suite of open source linguistic software. Originally intended to be "just" a machine translation software, Traduki got its author so involved that it eventually grew into a much larger scale project.
  
• Transifex
  Transifex is a scalable localization platform with a focus on integrating with the existing workflow of both translators and developers. It aims to make it simple for content providers to receive quality translations from big translation communities, no matter where the project is hosted.
  
• Translate Toolkit The Translate Toolkit is designed by localisers for localisers. Its aim is to make localisation easier and of higher quality. The toolkit can convert between various different translation formats and makes it possible to stay in one format across all localisation tasks.
  
• translatewiki.net A community project where open source software is internationalised and localised. Translatewiki.net is where Wikipedia is localised, this results in a community with localisation in over 150 active languages.
  Translatewiki.net does localise other software as well when the software is freely licensed and when there is active support for the internationalisation of the software and when localisations are updated in a timely fashion
  
• Transolution
  Transolution is a Computer Aided Translation (CAT) suite supporting the XLIFF standard with features to improve translation efficiency and quality. The suite provides an XLIFF Editor, translation memory engine and filters to convert different formats to and from XLIFF.
  
• Vertimus
  Vertimus is an open source web tool for managing workflow for translations. Each translation has a status which changes at each step, and users can create an account, book any translation and communicate with a team. An example of Vertimus in action can be found at http://gnomefr.traduc.org/suivi. The first release provides support for localization between English and French.
  
• Virtaal Virtaal is a graphical translation tool. It is meant to be easy to use and powerful at the same time. Although the initial focus is on software translation (localisation or l10n), it is definitely useful for other forms of translation.
  
• Wiktionary Wiktionary is a collaborative project to produce a free-content multilingual dictionary. Designed as the lexical companion to Wikipedia, Wiktionary has grown beyond a standard dictionary and now includes a thesaurus, a rhyme guide, phrase books, language statistics and extensive appendices.
  
• Wordforge The Wordforge Off-line Localization Editor, previously known as Pootling, is an intelligent, platform-independent offline localization tool developed specifically to allow translators to get the most out of the XLIFF file format.
  
• WordNet
  WordNet is a large lexical database of English, developed under the direction of George A. Miller. Nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs are grouped into sets of cognitive synonyms (synsets), each expressing a distinct concept.
  
• Worldwide Lexicon The Worldwide Lexicon enables people to create translation communities around any website, blog or topic. WWL combines automatic machine translation with people, who edit and improve machine translations.
  
• WPML
  WPML is a WordPress plugin that can turn any WordPress or WordPressMU site into a full featured multilingual content management system.Source: http://socialsourcecommons.org