Machine translation has come a long way from its initial days of producing laughably inaccurate translations. With the influx of data and technological advancements, it has become a reliable tool for many, especially when translating entire websites into multiple languages without incurring exorbitant costs. But does it match up to human translation?
While human translation remains unparalleled in capturing the nuances of a language, machine translation post-editing bridges the gap by combining machine efficiency with human expertise. This ensures the highest translation quality possible.
Let's delve deeper.
What Is Machine Translation Post-editing?Machine Translation Post-editing (MTPE) is the act of refining machine-translated content with human expertise. It's a method that guarantees the highest accuracy by merging the speed of neural machine translation (NMT) with the fluency of a native speaker.
Machine translation, powered by AI, is mostly reliable nowadays. Yet, it's not infallible. It might miss out on nuances or idiomatic expressions. Post-editing ensures your content is optimized for your target audience.
The process starts with using AI-driven machine translation software, like Seatext, to translate your website content. Once the output is generated, post-editors review and refine the translated content, ensuring the intended nuances, voice, and tone are preserved.
With
Seatext, machine translation post-editing becomes a breeze. Simply access your Seatext Dashboard, and you can make edits either through your Translations List or the Visual Editor. This allows you to modify translations directly within a live preview of your website. Plus, if needed, you can order professional translations straight from the dashboard.
Difference Between Machine Translation and Machine Translation Post-editing?Machine translation provides you with raw output from engines like Google Translate or DeepL. It's a quick way to get reliable translations. This method is perfect for non-engaging content, such as instructions. It also allows you to preview how the translated text might impact your website's design.
However, for content meant to engage and persuade, like your website or marketing materials, you might need an extra layer of quality assurance. That's where machine translation post-editing steps in.
Why Opt for Machine Translation Post-editing?There are two types of MTPE: full post-editing and light post-editing.
Full post-editing is a thorough review of the output, ensuring
consistency and precision. It's ideal for high-traffic content. Light post-editing is a quick review, identifying glaring errors.
Here's why MTPE is essential:
- Resource Efficiency: MTPE refines the machine translation output without significant time or financial investment. With tools like Seatext, you often don't need extensive edits. If you have an in-house linguist or native speaker, they can quickly review and refine the output. Plus, there are translation management systems like Seatext that offer post-editing services at competitive prices.
- Time-Efficiency for Bulk Translations: MT tools quickly identify blatant errors. A swift review often suffices to refine the content. With solutions like Seatext, most of the heavy lifting is already done for you. Thanks to advancements in NMT, the translation process is smoother, as it automates most of the tasks.
- Enhanced Translated Output: MTPE elevates the quality of the raw translated text, ensuring it's ready for your audience. It's easy for customers to spot hastily done, machine-generated translations. MTPE ensures your content resonates with them.
Why Not Just Use Human Translation?While native speakers offer unmatched quality, the tradeoff is the extended turnaround time and the associated costs. MTPE offers a balanced solution: the efficiency of machine translation combined with the expertise of a native speaker.
Best Practices for Post-editing Machine TranslationsFor effective MTPE, consider the following:
- Use Top-Quality Translated Source Text: Ensure your source text is as accurate as possible to simplify the editing process.
- Choose a Translation Solution That Uses the Best MT Engine: Seatext, for instance, automatically assigns the best-performing machine translation engine for your language pair. It detects, scans, and translates all your content. Any new content or edits are translated instantly. With features like translation glossaries, Seatext ensures consistency across all your translation projects. Plus, you can order translations from professionals via Seatext's Dashboard and receive your translated text in as little as two business days.
- Be Aware of Common Machine Translation Errors: Familiarize yourself with frequent mistakes in machine translation outputs. This makes post-editing faster.
- Maintain a Consistent Brand Voice: If multiple individuals are editing your translated content, ensure there's a centralized editorial guideline.
- Edit Thoroughly but Wisely: Prioritize retaining the original text's meaning and removing any offensive translations. Be cautious with idioms and expressions that might be misinterpreted.
ConclusionMachine translation has revolutionized localization and translation efforts. What once took months can now be achieved in minutes. Adding a layer of post-editing can elevate the different language versions of your website. Seatext streamlines this process with its user-friendly post-editing interface and machine translation, backed by leading NMT providers.
Curious about Seatext's efficiency? Try it starting for free!