Computer Aided Translation
CAT tools or Computer Aided Translation tools improve translation project turnaround times and ensure consistent terminology use within a text. Computer aided translation, also called computer-assisted translation, is nothing like the online services offered by Google Translate or Babel Fish. In a machine translation, the computer simply substitutes words in one language with words from another and keeps all spelling mistakes and grammatical and stylistic oddities intact. Computer-assisted translation entails a human translator translating texts using software designed to support and facilitate the translation process.
CAT tools
CAT tools store bilingual sentences in a database, which is known as a ‘translation memory'. When the program detects a similar sentence, it alerts the translator so they can decide whether to include the suggestion or not. CAT tools allow a translator to work faster and more accurately.
Translators also use their CAT tools to build glossaries. Each time the program detects an existing term, it lets the translator choose between applying the existing term or adding a new translation, resulting in proper and consistent terminology use.
Wordfast
I have used Wordfast Pro and Wordfast Classic for some time now because it is highly compatible with other popular CAT tools such as Trados, IBM Translation Manager, SDLX, and DéjàVu.
Wordfast Pro is a stand-alone application. Wordfast Classic adds a toolbar in Microsoft Word to allow access to every Wordfast function. It also adds a large number of handy tools such as terminology search in dictionaries, glossaries, inside other Office programs and on the Internet. Wordfast also applies the source text layout to the target text. Further information about Wordfast…
I am also an experienced XTM and Across user.
Supported file formats
Microsoft Excel (.XLS, .XLSX)
Microsoft Word (.DOC, .DOCX)
Microsoft Powerpoint (.PPT, .PPTX)
Text (.TXT)
Rich Text Format (.RTF)
Portable Document Format – with text (.PDF)
Hypertext Markup Language (.HTM, .HTML)
Active Server Pages (.ASP)
JavaServer Pages (.JSP)
InDesign interchange format (.INX)
InDesign Markup Language (.IDML)
Maker Interchange Format (.MIF) Adobe Framemaker Files
Trados Tageditor (.TTX) (tagged Trados files)
Extensible Markup Language (.XML)
