Categories: words, translation, triumphs, trials
Date: 07 April 2008 00:27:03
Last week I experienced the deep joy of translating an operating manual for a camcorder. To do this job, I was obliged to use some translation software. The principle is easy. You translate a sentence, the software stores it. If this same sentence or one very similar reappears in the text it will suggest the existing translation as an option. This should be all fine and dandy for texts such as operating manuals where the text is pretty much the same for each upgrade of model. All the translator has to do is find the new and modified sections of text and do the necessary. In theory.
Agencies LOVE this software for two simple reasons:
1. They can persuade their clients that the translations will use standard language and terminology
2. They pay their translators only for the new and modified text - not for the stuff which has already been translated.
Except the problem is that although the software recognises sentences which are identical, it does not recognise what comes before or after. This is called context. And it is pretty important. But clients aren't generally linguists and do not seem to appreciate this point.
Any road up. There I am, bashing out the delights of how to turn on the new all-singing, all-dancing camcorder when I come to the end of my day. I save everything, close it down and go and do something marginally more interesting with my life.
Next day, switch on computer, open software, open document (of which about a third is now complete) and my eyes pop out of my head. All the text on the page is in Greek. I don't know if it was correct Greek - I don't read Greek - but it certainly looked like Greek. I fiddle about a bit with the software trying to trick it back to German and English but it won't play. I send the doc to my client to ask him what he thinks is going on. He writes back to say that it's in English and German on his computer.
Brainwave: open saved original untranslated document (phew!) and run it through the software. The translated section is in the memory and so I can start again where I left off. This little drama occurs every time I close down the document - and as it was a mere 75 pages long (can there really be that much to say about operating a camcorder? Well, it would appear so...) this happens several times as I translate about 20 pages on a good day.
When I'd finished, I closed it down and emailed it off - hoping to heaven that it would not translate itself into Greek in the process. Client seemed pleased enough - so that was another hurdle negotiated. Eureka.
On the subject of things Greek, I bought a new handheld blender the other day. Dead cheap (no instructions included) and was looking forward to making my own hummous with it. I can honestly say it was not a resounding success.
Does anyone have a recipe that works? I'd be interested to hear about it.