The process of
translation is most often not a one-way affair. 

It involves several
subroutines along the way before a final translated output is formed.
Subroutines could be in the form of the initial planning, research, editing,
and proof-reading. 

But irrespective of the
project (Localization, translation, or transcreation), one component at the
center of it all is Computer-assisted-translation (CAT) tools used to carry out
these projects. They are widely used by translators and translation agencies,
due to the significant advantages they offer, notably in improving workflow and
productivity.

So what are some of the
most used CAT tools in the translation industry today?

In this post, we would be
covering all of that in detail.

Requirements of the
translation industry

With the rate at which
technological advancements in the digital space are occurring coupled with the
surge in demand for LSP services, it is logical for the translation industry to
keep evolving the way they operate. 

In a bid to remain
competitive and stay profitable at the same time, translation companies must
find technologically superior ways of doing things. Otherwise, they risk going
out of business.

For example, Machine translation with
post-editing (MTPE) now offers a faster, less expensive, and more efficient
way of carrying out translation projects.

You also now have the
growing use of Translation memory as a means of augmenting productivity, by
improving a translator’s workflow, plus it also helps translation companies
lower the cost of their services.

Today, software
manufacturers are coming up with innovative solutions in the form of; Language
search engine programs, terminology management software, alignment software,
and the likes. To help improve the productivity and efficiency of translators.

The end result is some of
these tools being used for a variety of purposes like software localization. Although,
the ideal CAT tool should incorporate at least one or more of the
aforementioned features.

What are the best CAT
tools?

There are several CAT
tools with various functions in the market today, too much that we would not be
able to cover in just one post. But going by Proz’s survey of tools
used by professional translators, let us touch on the five
most used CAT tools.

SDL Trados: SDL Trados is an
industry-leading translation software and the most used CAT tool by freelance
translators and language service providers worldwide.

SDL Trados offers a host
of features to boost the translation process, whether it is transcreation,
localization, or whatnot. For starters, they offer Neural Machine Translation
(NMT) support and cloud compatibility through their proprietary SDL Trados
Live. It also supports terminology management to ensure the consistency of
all your translation output and translation memory that helps boost
productivity. SDL Trados compatibility across platforms PC, MAC Tablets, and
Smartphones make it popular among enthusiasts and novice.

Let us quickly point out
that SDL Trados is our preferred CAT tool at TranslationsInlondon.

Wordfast: Wordfast is the
second-most used CAT translation tool in the industry, and it is pretty popular
amongst professional translators, as it offers a pocket-friendly but effective
translation memory solution to its users. Since it originally debuted as an
extension on Microsoft Word, Wordfast is quite intuitive, especially for those
familiar with Microsoft Office programs.

memoQ: This is another robust CAT tool similar yet provides a cheaper
alternative to SDL Trados. Independent translators and language service
providers alike would find this tool extremely useful for most of their
needs. 

memoQ has several
products ranging from its comprehensive cloud platform to its translation
management software, all geared towards improving efficiency and establishing
quality assurance on all translated projects.

Across: Across is a CAT tool that
attempts to strike the perfect balance between functionality and cost. It
delivers quality assurance, workflow control, and automation to your
translation projects due to its several inbuilt features.

Across, like many of its
counterparts, offer a terminology management system and translation memory to
boost efficiency and productivity.

Déjà Vu: A software solution from
French software maker Atril, Déjà Vu attempts to provide an all-in-one solution
for the entire translation process. 

Irrespective of the
peculiarities of an independent translator or the diverse needs of a language
service provider, Déjà Vu has a host of features that cater to most user groups
as it combines translation memory, terminology management, machine translation,
and lexicology into one package.

Conclusion

Keeping up with the
changes in the translation industry requires that freelance translators and
translation agencies must employ the services of CAT tools to make their work
process more efficient. In the same light, brands looking for translation
services should only factor in companies that utilize technology in the form of
Computer-assisted-tools since they tend to provide higher quality output at a
lower cost.