Machine Translation

What Is Machine Translation?

Machine Translation (MT) is computer-assisted, automated translation. Developments in technology have led to software solutions that produce reliable translations from source to target language. We are all familiar with translation apps, such as Google Translate, but what fewer people know is that advanced automated translation software, together with skilled human translators, can now generate accurate texts that are fir for purpose.

MT is a intelligent process. The software is programmed to analyse much more than equivalent words in any two languages. It must take into consideration syntax, context and grammar, rather than operate on straightforward algorithms. Only recently has MT become efficient enough to guarantee accurate results in the professional sector. While review by a professional, experienced translator is still essential, automated translation solutions can still be a cost-effective option for global businesses.

If you have a very large amount of text to translate quickly, human translation is not always “humanly” possible and MT can provide a timely alternative. If your documents are for internal use and not publication, the quality of automated solutions is often fit for purpose.

Automated translation is more suited to written text and not recordings or audio files, which can incur inaccuracies due to speed, accent, dialect and intonation. MT is not suitable for all projects. Legal documents, such as contracts, and texts containing sensitive data are more suitable for human translation.