Linguistic software is any program or data that provides analysis, processing, storage, and retrieval of texts in natural language. These tools have the capability of enhancing the comprehension of information present in documents and other content for the target audience.
As companies and enterprises across the world embrace globalization and international expansion, the need to keep up pace with international customers’ demands and preferences has also increased. Although human translators have been executing the arduous task of translation for decades, the increasing complexity of translation projects calls out the need to have linguistic software that translation companies can use to tailor content according to target markets.
There are many linguistic software out there, and deciding which of these is the best linguistic software can be a hard decision.
Table of Content
Let us look at some of the best software for linguists your translation company should adopt in the future for an error-free translation of content.
SDL Trados is a translation software for Computer Assisted Translations (CAT). This tool is a versatile tool that offers additional support for translations, terminology management, and the smooth flow of the translation process. SDL Trados, provided by SDL is a highly efficient tool that is also used as a solution for terminology management by companies providing translations to global customers.
The SDL Trados software complies with the terminology provided by client companies while delivering a coherent language style for all types of content. The correct technical terms are used in translations by ensuring that recurring and mutually used terms and phrases are used in special databases, for professional corporate wording. Owing to the integrated translation memory system, translation companies can reuse the already translated texts in all the projects. By providing this translation support, SDL Trados improves the efficiency of the translation process, while guaranteeing a consistent quality of content.
However, SDL Trados should not be confused with machine translations, as it only serves the implementation of consistent quality and guarantees a sustainable and efficient increase in productivity and quality.
Wordfast Solutions are designed to help translators save time, money, and effort by storing the translations in a translation memory database. Since 1999, Wordfast Solutions has been providing affordable and user-friendly translation memory tools on the market.
Wordfast Anywhere, a product of Wordfast Solutions, aims at driving efficiency to the desktop of the end-user, i.e. the translator. WFA allows translators to access and work on translation projects from their web browsers. By storing translation memories, glossaries, and files in a secure workspace on a centralized server, translators can easily access their data from anywhere.
With WFA, there is no need to install or download any software, and translators need to go to the WFA website to launch the latest version of WFA for an instant translation. It offers users a private, password-protected workspace on a centralized server that translators can use to upload and store in their WFA workspace. WFA has the added advantage of delivering cross-platform compatibility, as it can be accessed through any browser and can run on a web-enabled device irrespective of the operating system such as Mac, Linux, and Windows. Other than this, WFA enables translators to engage in instant collaboration by inviting colleagues to share translation memories and glossaries, and files in real time inside the WFA’s secure online translation environment.
What is unique about WFA is that it is offered to all translators free of charge, regardless of whether they have a Wordfast license or not.
Transifex is a localization solution that enables organizations to efficiently launch their product content in different languages. The software works as a centralized location for the customers’ materials such as video captions, strings, and landing pages, providing a holistic environment for translation.
Transifex provides a dependable localization system that delivers the benefits of efficient launching of product content as well as acts as a centralized location for content. Businesses and enterprises that have extensive reach and presence can benefit greatly from this localization solution. However, the process of translation with the help of Transifex can be a challenging job as it involves reading through a vast amount of videos, records, applications, and websites to figure out what content needs to be translated.
Localization is made easy with Transifex, with its cloud-hosted system and intuitive interfaces, as well as APIs, web-based translation editor, and integrated apps for developers. These enable the translators and users to centralize the collected data while automating the workflow for their colleagues, designers, directors, and translators.
MarsCloud provides an advanced system that not only fulfills your requirements for linguistic software but offers a whole lot of powerful features to manage, organize, and accelerate your translation and localization projects. From a robust TMS to a vendor market, it includes everything.
It helps you to manage and update your linguistic assets, manage your teams, and all your translation projects on one software.
Simply put, translation management is made easy with MarsCloud. Here you can find top-rated LSPs for your projects, create custom workflows, monitor progress in real time, and manage your teams without any hassle.
This SaaS product is designed to improve operational efficiency, minimize the hassle, reduce turnaround, and streamline workflow for better and faster results.
MemoQ TMS is a translator management system that supports complex translations while allowing enterprises and translation companies to centralize and automate the management of localization workflows. With memoQ TMS, several collaborators can work simultaneously without any geographical restrictions.
MemoQ is considered one of the best linguistic software owing to its exceptionally rich, built-in features, that enables real-time collaboration at the server level and helps translators improve translation quality as well as control their multilingual content.
MemoQ delivers automation and integration for advanced workflows to deliver flexibility to translation companies. MemoQ is a well-known and popular TMS tool among translators, that provides a broad basis for vendor management. Translation companies can equip their customers and vendors with a high level of productivity that results in improved ROI and shorter release times.
MemoQ offers a wide pool of supported file formats and comes with an added feature of customization according to vendor demand. It offers scalability not only from the perspective of infrastructure but also from the perspective of human resources and vendors.
Smart CAT is a computer-assisted translation tool that is a translation management system as well as a place for bringing translators and clients together. It is cloud-based and completely free for freelance translators, which distinguishes it from other CAT tools. It also comes in a free version for companies and LSPs, but as opposed to freelancers, the companies can choose between different packages that require payment.
Owing to the translation memory offered by Smart CAT, translators do not have to translate the same phrase twice. Whenever a phrase is already stored in the translation memory of the CAT tool, it is readily made available for the translator.
Smart CAT supports the integrations of external applications, such as content management tools like WordPress, or services to store/share data such as Google Drive and Dropbox. Smart CAT proves to be a professional CAT tool that comes along with various functions such as the ability to upload translation memories, benefiting from translation management tools, integrated machine translation engines, and much more. The glossaries in Smart Cat support the consistent use of terminology, allowing for uniform corporate language. Furthermore, translators can enter terms in glossaries in their respective translations as well as comments and application examples.
Memsource is a cloud-based translation system that aims to make the translation process affordable and easier for businesses. In Memsource, traditional computer-assisted translation features and machine translation options are also available.
Memsource’s built-in dashboards allow translators to gain deeper data insights that drive strategic decision-making. The Analytics Dashboard of Memsource easily creates detailed reports and makes informed business decisions without the need for a specialized data team. It allows translators to keep an eye on the status of their projects as well as the savings from machine translation.
With Memsource, translators and language service providers can have access to quality assurance tools such as automated QA checks, spelling and grammar checks, glossaries, and translation memory. Memsource offers a service that goes beyond the simple machine translation integration, called Machine Translation Quality Estimation. This implies that the translator can be saved from the hassle of figuring out which MT engine fits an enterprise’s project requirements, as an AI-powered algorithm will find the MT engine that is the best fit for its projects.
Memsource can edit more than 50 file formats, the most popular of which are Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe InDesign, HTML, XML, and Photoshop.
The Across Language server is a computer-assisted translation management system that is designed to support the entire process of translation including project and workflow control, translation, correction, and release.
The Across CAT system allows translators to create translation memories and terminology databases. The software can be connected to various machine translators such as Google Translate, DeepL, Moses, KantanMT, or SYSTRAN. The post-editing process by the translator is made less complicated as the translation created with machine translation is available in the crossDesk environment. Additionally, the software offers a wide range of functions that help to speed up the translation process, such as Translation memory, terminology databases, and simultaneous processing of multiple tasks.
The Across offers increased data security in the supply chain by offering centralized control of individual workflows and data storage options in a central database. It also allows the automation of processes and seamless connection of the entire supply chain. The third-party systems are carefully integrated with the Across CAT platform, including product information management systems and machine translation.
Before choosing linguistic software, a translation agency or an enterprise should consider some factors that would benefit them in the long run and help to achieve the desired ROI in the new market. Here are some of the factors which can help you choose the best linguistic software:
The software should be simplified and not require complex procedures for a setup. It should be easy to install and should fit easily into the existing technology stack.
Functionality is important when choosing linguistic software. Seek a translation management system or linguistic software that removes the steps from the translation process and does not require additional resources to manage.
Make sure your chosen linguistic software or TMS has built-in connectors to your existing content management system, and ensure that your software is compatible with file formats that you work on (websites, web apps, documents, spreadsheets, email templates).
Your chosen translation tools should include a translation memory which is a database of current and past translations performed that you can reuse. This will save you from having to re-translate every line of new content.
Linguistic assets are translation repositories that include a glossary of terms and style guides. The presence of linguistic assets helps to answer broad queries about how a translation should turn out to be.
Due to the abundance of cyber threats, linguistic software should have firm security protocols to protect sensitive information about its clients and translation projects. Make sure your chosen TMS is certified by the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
For all TMS users, quick and responsive support is important. Choose a TMS that has good customer support that will form the first line of defense against software glitches, errors, or other technical issues.
Good linguistic software should not be dependent on one vendor only and should not prevent your business from working with a range of providers.
A linguistic software or TMS should be flexible, as flexibility is an important trait for global organizations, especially if they have complex workflows or processes. Choose a software that allows workflow changes between processes or mid-process. Look for features such as advanced translation workflows, which can enable translators and content managers to review and publish translations easily.
With the increasing complexity of content that is required to be translated, companies are seeking to choose linguistic software that would ease the complexity of translation tasks. Although choosing the best linguistic software can be tricky, proper research and support from a translation partner can go a long way in ensuring your enterprise chooses the right software for all your complex translation needs. If you are looking for an all-in-one solution where you can get your content translated and localized and manage multiple localization projects simultaneously, MarsCloud is a reliable option! Want to know more about us? Get in touch now!
