At our translation agency, we believe that MTPE only really works well when revision is taken seriously. This means that we always include the source text: this is the only way we can ensure that the translation is not only linguistically correct, but also clear, correct and consistent in content, with the style and message you want to convey. Without that check, misunderstandings can arise, and that is precisely what you don’t want. We have spoken to clients who have had entire reports translated by a machine only to find out later that terms were used inconsistently, some sentences made no sense at all or the tone was completely wrong. One client even told us that it was only at the final presentation that they discovered that the word “product safety” had been translated as “safe toy”. Ouch.

MTPE works very well for certain types of texts, especially those with large volumes and texts with a lot of repetition. Think product descriptions, internal memos or informative content where style is not as important. Especially if things need to be done quickly or the budget is on the tighter side, this approach can save a lot of time and money. But: it is still essential that a professional translator checks the translated text with care. 

Yet there are also texts where we say: MTPE is not the way. For legal documents such as contracts or general terms and conditions, for medical texts, and certainly for official records such as SDS documents (Safety Data Sheets), the accuracy required is simply too high. Those texts must be clear, 100% correct and legally watertight. You don’t want any mistakes or misunderstandings there, and certainly no assumptions from a translation machine.

For this kind of work, we translate according to the ISO 17100 standard. This means that one specialised, native-speaking translator translates the text, and a second then performs expert revision on the translated text – with the source text alongside it. That way, we not only check for spelling and grammar, but also for style, terminology, consistency and context. You can then be sure that your text will be flawless and professional – as it should be.

Our advice? Don’t take unnecessary risks. MTPE can be an excellent choice, if applied properly. But when in doubt, check with us to see what best suits your document. We are happy to provide a free quote for both an MTPE option and a full human translation according to the ISO 17100 standard. Then you can choose what suits your goal, deadline and quality requirements.

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One of the biggest challenges in the translation process is choosing between translating exactly what the source text says and making sure the translation actually resonates with the target audience. Translators are generally expected to stay somewhat faithful to the original text when translating  to the target language. This is an important rule of thumb, because taking too much liberty with the content can have serious consequences for the user of the translated text. Think of legal documents or complex technical manuals, where a translator’s free interpretation of a statute or chemical formula could have dire consequences for the end user.

At the same time, a rigid, literal translation can also lead to less-than-ideal results. A faithful rendering of a phrase like “I’m under the weather” is likely to raise eyebrows with an Italian reader.

Of course, a professional linguist who stays true to the source will immediately recognize that a literal translation is nonsense. But what do you do when translating a simple phrase like “I like you” into Japanese? The translator needs to know the speaker’s gender, their relationship to the person being addressed, and ideally the person’s name, to avoid using an impolite form of “you.” A good translator takes all of these subtle, contextual elements into account when translating something that seems straightforward on the surface. In short, a skilled translator not only masters the mechanics of the work but also knows how to ask the right questions ahead of time in order to make sure the final version is linguistically and contextually appropriate.

… And what about AI?

For machine translation, things that a human intuitively grasps and intellectually processes aren’t always obvious. AI needs to be “fed” with answers to subtle questions about who is speaking, what the context is, and where the conversation takes place. For a user looking for a quick fix, that’s not only inefficient but it’s also impractical. The ability to balance faithfulness to the source with human understanding of context and intent makes the human role essential for an accurate, high-quality translation. Professional translators also check and maintain consistency and precision for repeat assignments by building client-specific translation memory and developing a feel for the desired communication style.

… but we can make sense of it with AI too

When perfection isn’t absolutely necessary and a client still opts for AI translation, we can play an effective corrective role. We have professional translators post-edit the AI-generated version. That means comparing the machine translation to the original source text and correcting for context, logic, tone, grammar, and spelling. The results can be pretty solid, and delivered faster and more affordably than a human-only translation.

If even that level of refinement isn’t needed, there’s always the option of a machine translation with proofreading only. With this, a native-speaking proofreader — sometimes called an editor in this case — reviews the machine-translated content for grammar, spelling, and flow, but without referencing the original text. That means faithfulness to the source isn’t guaranteed. You get a more average-quality result perhaps, but it’s quick and cost-effective. This is another service we offer at Translation Kings, especially when the translation isn’t considered “business critical.”

… and if it absolutely can’t cost a thing?

Some clients choose to generate the machine translation themselves and then have a willing colleague proofread it. Naturally, we consider this the least desirable option. Beyond the obvious reasons, we often try to explain to clients that having an in-house employee proofread a machine translation isn’t efficient. The time a non-professional spends on that kind of task usually doesn’t hold up against what a trained proofreader can do. No matter how fluent or native-sounding the colleague may be, experience, translation memory, and methodology ensure speed, accuracy, and ultimately, better results. Plus, that colleague wasn’t hired to spend hours, days, or even weeks correcting a machine translation. Their time is better spent on the tasks they were actually hired and paid to do. If you compare the lost time and revenue from taking them off their core duties with the cost of a professional proofreader, the math is almost always in favor of outsourcing.

No matter how cheap an in-house “fix” may seem, and however you look at it: outsourcing the job to a real linguist gets you better results, faster turnaround, and is more cost-effective in the long run.

The post However you look at it… appeared first on TranslationAgency.com.

As a translation agency, a large number of confidential documents pass through our hands every day. And not just through our hands, but also those of our translators and our DTP team. These documents often contain personal data and confidential business information. As an ISO 9001/ISO 17100 certified agency, we have been handling this carefully for years, thanks to stringent confidentiality requirements and processes.

This applies not only to how we handle what we read and translate, but also how that information is stored securely on our proprietary server and how we consistently delete all information entrusted to us within the set retention periods. That’s all well and good. But the world has changed.

Fast forward to 2023 – ………

Whereas a few years ago, a scammer could get away with stealing bank details and PIN codes through phishing and internet fraud via Nigerian princes, in recent years, they have turned to different and considerably better-organised methods.

Entire organised crime syndicates compete with the drug cartels both in size and effectiveness and, according to some estimates (United Nations), employ 1.5 million workers. The target audience is no longer the somewhat naive and gullible digital illiterate, but concerns a (one might assume) well-informed younger generation, industry leaders, governments and even data security consultants.

Voice and face changing AI applications, combined with translation services and stolen data, can sometimes mimic reality beyond recognition, making them many times more effective in snatching data, money and personal information. Even from those who think they have armed themselves against it.

Without trying to get political, if you add to this the fact that in some democratic countries it apparently no longer seems unthinkable that personal data can quite easily end up in the hands of unelected Tech billionaires, then the data protection cocktail is served pretty strong.

The changing playing field and what Translation Kings is doing with it… ISO 27001

As a leading translation agency and in our emphatic responsibility towards our clients, we continue to do everything possible to give our clients and employees the confidence that their data and other sensitive information is and remains in safe hands with us.

The decision to obtain the prominent and internationally recognised ISO 27001 certificate was therefore quickly made. After an intense period of evaluating and further improving processes, control measures, guidelines, encryption applications, and ICT reconfigurations for the purpose of data protection, we are proud to report that we have obtained ISO 27001 certification.

What does ISO 27001 certification entail?

ISO 27001 is an international standard for information security. It is a system of measures and controls to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information. This standard ensures that your data is safe from threats such as data breaches, cyber-attacks or data loss.

An ISO 27001 certification means that we meet the strict underlying requirements and have implemented an effective Information Security Management System (ISMS). The certificate shows that we are serious about protecting sensitive data and comply with international information security standards.

Our ISO 27001 certification is critical to earn the trust of our clients, partners and other stakeholders in the knowledge that their data is handled securely and that risks associated with information security deficiencies are identified and mitigated in a timely manner.

An obvious advantage…

We work on behalf of governments, medical and technical service providers, financial institutions, lawyers, multinationals, SMEs and individuals. They entrust us with a wealth of information on a daily basis. Earning that trust, is not a given and something we will have to prove every day.

Knock on wood, but the fact that we have never breached that trust over the past 17 years is great and shows that our existing protocols have worked. But the world is changing greatly and it is changing fast. So fast, in fact, that the most renowned specialists themselves sometimes become victims of data breaches and cyber-attacks. It’s not enough to just sit around and hope nothing will ever go wrong.

Our clients deserve better. At a minimum, ISO 27001 is an important step in the right direction and we recommend not settling for anything less.

The post Who can you still trust? ISO 27001: essential security appeared first on TranslationAgency.com.

AI has been with us for years. Car navigation systems, traffic cameras that read license plates, Google Translate, and even the home thermostat that knows who is home and who isn’t: we might call it something else, but it’s all AI — nothing more, nothing less.

The reason AI has gained so much extra attention since 2022 is all about the rapid development of deep learning. Don’t ask me how, but deep learning uses linear algebra and statistics to process vast amounts of (human-generated) data and extract patterns from it. In short: it trains and teaches itself.

Large Language Models (LLMs)

This is where so-called Large Language Models come into play. These LLMs, from companies like Google and OpenAI, have been trained to such an extent that they can now perform tasks like photoshopping, composing music, automating robots, making medical diagnoses, mapping climate developments, and coding software.

As deep learning continues to analyse more and more data and trains itself, many researchers are grappling with the question of what AI will ultimately be capable of and whether more deep learning leads to ‘better’ results.

The central question is: what does ‘better’ deep learning mean? Is it ‘better’ if it scores increasingly higher on a math or law exam, or is it ‘better’ if it starts coming up with creative ideas on its own?

What Can LLMs Do and What They Can’t (Yet)?

Current models excel at generating essays, creating TikTok videos, and summarising a legal dissertation. All of this is made possible by the patterns they extract from their training data. However, these models fall short in determining which data is logical, applicable, and appropriate. Logic and reasoning based on trade-offs are still largely missing.

In that context, it’s currently unclear whether the present LLM models will ever be capable of consistent reasoning. It might even require entirely different and yet to be developed models to achieve that level of cognitive ability.

The Role of Humans

As long as AI’s limitations persist, human logical reasoning and creativity will be essential to fully harness the benefits of both. Or, as Albert Einstein once said (and he was usually right): if you keep using the same method, you’ll keep getting the same result. In short: creative thinking should never be excluded.

You might think this sounds self-serving, but there is now serious research on this. Studies (source: April 2024 npj Digital Medicine) show that combining AI with qualified human intellect — including reasoning skills, intuition, creative thinking, and logic — significantly improves data output.

This has been demonstrated in medical, cultural, mechanical, and legal research, as well as in the translation industry.

…And What Does That Mean for Translation?

In translation, context, nuance, creativity, logic, and localisation (cultural adaptation) play a critical role. We’ve seen empirical evidence that some of our clients, based on their experience with AI, have developed a more nuanced perspective on its applications.

After experimenting with various translation software (which is, of course, an AI product), the conclusions are, let’s say, mixed. This doesn’t apply to less complex translations like emails, simple word lists, or a website for furniture, offering colour choices for a new chair. However, for business-critical texts that need to be precise, where nuance, logic within context, specialised knowledge, effective communication with the target audience, and the use of commercial keywords are essential, AI alone can fall short.

That’s where clients also look for human intervention. I deliberately write ‘also’ because clients don’t necessarily abandon AI in translations, but they are looking for ways to combine it with human correction and text editing.

Translation Kings’ Role When AI Translations Are Desired

Translation Kings has been offering this service since last year: a machine translation with post-editing. We (or you, if you wish) handle the machine translation and then have it post-edited against the source text by a professional translator. For the reasons described above, this gives the client a fast, cost-effective, and quality translation. While it’s not an ISO 17100-certified translation, it’s good enough for the client’s intended purpose, and without the shortfalls which AI has not yet overcome.

As long as AI cannot solve problems on its own and still requires human intervention for guidance and correction, Translation Kings embraces AI technology in any application our clients desire.

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