Why use CAT Tools?

 

 

The objective of this post is to give some simple insight on CAT tools and how they work

 

These are some of the most used CAT Tools:

 

 

The term CAT stands for Computer Aided Translation.

 

CAT tools have significantly improved how translators work and how Language Service Providers manage translation projects.

 

Cat tools use three main resources:

  • Filters
  • Translations memories
  • Termbases (or Glossaries)

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    Filters

     

    A CAT tool handles several file extensions
    Filters helps the CAT tool to select only the text to translate from the files of any specific extension

     

     

    Translation memories

     

    A translation memory is a repository of all the sentences (in technical language they are also called “segments” or “translation units”) of a client.

     

    This means that when a client asks for an update of a manual already translated, you can have a leverage from the client’s memory.

     

    You have two benefits:

  • the new translation can therefore be consistent with the “old” project
  • the cost of the new translation is lower

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    Termbases

     

    A termbase is a glossary containing all the relevant terms of the client. Where a “term” can be the combination of one or more words.