| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | 60,000 word manual without a TM? Thread poster: WILLIAM MCKENZIE
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I have been offered a 60,000 word translation (ESP-ENG). It is a major bank's internal training manual dealing with finance/banking/investments. The agency would prefer me to use Trados and has included the TM. They know I work only with Word and would be prepared to accept it in that format. I am doubting whether to take it on without the use of TENT. What do experienced translators advise and, if I do take it on using only Word, what tips can they offer me regarding maintaining consistency etc
| | | | Karen Stokes 
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:38
Member (2003)
French to English
| Depends on the TM / other resources | Aug 11, 2010 |
If the agency has worked with the client over a long period and the TM is extensive (and good) then personally I wouldn't take the job unless I could use it. Obviously its direct usefulness depends to some extent on what level of matches you've got (ask for the analysis if you haven't already), but even if they're low, I'd want to be able to access it for terminology and concordance searches. Have they sent you glossaries and/or other reference documents too?
| | | | | Just learn to use a CAT | Aug 11, 2010 |
Your investment of money and time will probably be repaid during this job alone.
| | | | | What are your objections against using TM systems? | Aug 11, 2010 |
If it is just the price of such a system, there might be means and ways to work around this. 60.000 words might be just enough to fit into the period a demo version would last.
If you insist on doing the translation itself in Word, you might at least use the features of a TM system to pretranslate the text and/or to get to know where there is internal repetition.
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Kevin Fulton
United States
Local time: 01:38
German to English
| Manuals ideal for CAT tools | Aug 11, 2010 |
Even without a customer-supplied TM, manuals are highly suited for translation with a CAT/TENT. I have yet to see a manual without a high degree of repetition. The other advantage of using a tool is that subsequent updates are very easy -- you can see the changes, additions, etc. without having to compare the entire text line-by-line. For years I translated updates to a user manual that I had initially translated a decade before. It saved me from re-inventing the wheel every time there was a rev... See more Even without a customer-supplied TM, manuals are highly suited for translation with a CAT/TENT. I have yet to see a manual without a high degree of repetition. The other advantage of using a tool is that subsequent updates are very easy -- you can see the changes, additions, etc. without having to compare the entire text line-by-line. For years I translated updates to a user manual that I had initially translated a decade before. It saved me from re-inventing the wheel every time there was a revision. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | 60,000 word manual | Aug 11, 2010 |
Thankyou for the answers so far. I am able to access the TM supplied and a glossary. As for using a trial version, which do you recommend? I tried to download the learning modules for Wordfast Classic to use with the free online Wordfast anywhere but had no luck.
| | | | Emma Goldsmith
Spain
Local time: 07:38
Member (2004)
Spanish to English
| big project as a new CAT user | Aug 11, 2010 |
Any big project will always benefit from a CAT tool because of terminology consistency, as you say, apart from leverage from the TM you have been given.
However, are you familiar with any CAT tool? If not, I would definitely not start using one with a big project at stake. You'll need to start with little files and practise for , say, at least a couple of weeks before you can take a big project on board with a CAT tool.
I thoroughly recommend Trados Studio 2009. You can down... See more Any big project will always benefit from a CAT tool because of terminology consistency, as you say, apart from leverage from the TM you have been given.
However, are you familiar with any CAT tool? If not, I would definitely not start using one with a big project at stake. You'll need to start with little files and practise for , say, at least a couple of weeks before you can take a big project on board with a CAT tool.
I thoroughly recommend Trados Studio 2009. You can download it here http://www.translationzone.com/en/downloads/demodownloads/ and use it with all its features for one month. Then you'd be looking at buying the Freelance licence version probably (the starter version only takes TMs with a max of 5000 units)
But as I say, if you confident with any particular CAT, give it a try. If you aren't, then do this project in Word and get prepared for the next one... ▲ Collapse
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Just a couple of options you would have (non exhaustive list)
Across (free usage for freelance translators)
MemoQ (45 days full functionality)
Deja Vu X (30 days full functionality)
SDL Trados Studio (as indicated: 30 days full functionality)
Wordfast (unlimited demo functionality, but limited in TM size)
SDL Trados 2007 (if you can get hold of one of their 30 days demos that circulate here and there, this is probably the preferred format of your client... See more Just a couple of options you would have (non exhaustive list)
Across (free usage for freelance translators)
MemoQ (45 days full functionality)
Deja Vu X (30 days full functionality)
SDL Trados Studio (as indicated: 30 days full functionality)
Wordfast (unlimited demo functionality, but limited in TM size)
SDL Trados 2007 (if you can get hold of one of their 30 days demos that circulate here and there, this is probably the preferred format of your client, which however does not mean that you cannot achieve this with other products)
and many more...
I wouldn't actually use Omega T on a heavy formatted Word file, but maybe this free system is worth a try as well.
[Bearbeitet am 2010-08-11 16:28 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Paula Morrison
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:38
English to Spanish
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| You can still do it! | Aug 11, 2010 |
You can still do it but my advice is that you take the time to create a good glossary to keep the consistency when using the same terms more than once. That is something clients love seeing, Trados helps you with that consistency, but if you are not using it, try to have a good and thourough glossary.
Good luck!!!
Paula
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Paula Morrison
PM Translation & Interpreting Servi... See more You can still do it but my advice is that you take the time to create a good glossary to keep the consistency when using the same terms more than once. That is something clients love seeing, Trados helps you with that consistency, but if you are not using it, try to have a good and thourough glossary.
Good luck!!!
Paula
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Paula Morrison
PM Translation & Interpreting Services
Tel: 0208 244 8278
Mob: 0782 8090 588
[email protected]
www.pmtranslationservices.co.uk ▲ Collapse
| | | | Aude Sylvain
France
Local time: 07:38
English to French
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Emma Goldsmith wrote:
Any big project will always benefit from a CAT tool because of terminology consistency, as you say, apart from leverage from the TM you have been given.
However, are you familiar with any CAT tool? If not, I would definitely not start using one with a big project at stake. You'll need to start with little files and practise for , say, at least a couple of weeks before you can take a big project on board with a CAT tool.
(...)
But as I say, if you confident with any particular CAT, give it a try. If you aren't, then do this project in Word and get prepared for the next one...
I fully agree with Emma, if you're not familiar with any CAT tool the best thing to do would be to do 1-2 small jobs with such a tool in order to get used to it before you start this big project - or do the whole project in MS Word if you don't have the time for that.
I mainly use Wordfast and as far as I remember I became comfortable at least with the basic functions (use of the TM and glossaries) pretty quickly. I personally find Trados much more complicated to handle for a complete beginner, but this is a very personal opinion!
If you decide to use only MS Word, you may identify the specific terms from your glossary and change them to their translated version with Find/Replace for instance, in another colour, so you simply have to adapt them to the context (location in the sentence, gender, sing/plural etc.) when you 'meet' them in the course of the translation.
And as Wolfgang rightly said you could use a CAT tool simply in the preparation step, to pre-translate the text with the TM you will be provided with (or ask a colleague who's familiar with those tools to do it for you!).
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Personally, I'd say get Trados and learn to use it. The quick start guides are very clear, it won't take you more than a few hours to learn the basics. Even without a TM, just the segmentation feature alone will save you a lot of time at the keyboard by automating the technical part of the work (this, however, does vary from one CAT tool to another - e.g., from my personal impression, Trados is much better at it than Wordfast Pro).
| | | | Hazel Underwood
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:38
Member (2005)
German to English
+ ...
| Any other freelancers nearby? | Aug 12, 2010 |
Do you know any other CAT users who live close by to you? (you could always search in Proz). There might be someone living nearby who would be willing to give you a quick introduction.
I use Trados, Transit and Across and I couldn't be without them. I find it much easier and quicker to translate using CAT tools and they really aren't as complicated as they might sound.
Good luck,
Hazel
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| Invest in Trados | Aug 12, 2010 |
I have been using it for 10 years now and it has increased my income and output.
It will also allow you to use Word, which will be easier for you since that is what you normally use.
Don't be afraid. Make copies of the files and save regularly. Spend a day just 'mucking around'. You will soon come to realise that it is a really useful tool.
| | | | Laurent KRAULAND (X)
France
Local time: 07:38
French to German
+ ...
| Same opinion here... | Aug 12, 2010 |
FarkasAndras wrote:
Your investment of money and time will probably be repaid during this job alone.
although I would not advice you to use one tool rather than the other. As Wolfgang put it, there are many options out there...
| | | | | 60,000 word manual | Aug 12, 2010 |
Once again, a big thanks to all those who have taken the time to proffer advice. Re. Trados, yes, I may be able to get help from someone local who uses it. But the answers here about getting familiar with it range from a few hours to several weeks of practice...I might just concentrate on using it alongside Word for purposes of segmentation/TM. Any further advice/comments re these questions?
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