Are you an EPFL student looking for a semester project?
Work with us on data science and visualisation projects, and deploy your project as an app on top of Graph Search.
Concept
Computer-assisted translation
Summary
Computer-aided translation (CAT), also referred to as computer-assisted translation or computer-aided human translation (CAHT), is the use of software to assist a human translator in the translation process. The translation is created by a human, and certain aspects of the process are facilitated by software; this is in contrast with machine translation (MT), in which the translation is created by a computer, optionally with some human intervention (e.g. pre-editing and post-editing).
CAT tools are typically understood to mean programs that specifically facilitate the actual translation process. Most CAT tools have (a) the ability to translate a variety of source in a single editing environment without needing to use the file format's associated software for most or all of the translation process, (b) translation memory, and (c) integration of various utilities or processes that increase productivity and consistency in translation.
Computer-assisted translation is a broad and imprecise term covering a range of tools. These can include:
Translation memory tools (TM tools), consisting of a database of text segments in a source language and their translations in one or more target languages.
Spell checkers, either built into word processing software, or available as add-on programs.
Grammar checkers, either built into word processing software, or available as add-on programs.
Terminology managers, which allow translators to manage their own terminology bank in an electronic form. This can range from a simple table created in the translator's word processing software or spreadsheet, a database created in a program such as or, for more robust (and more expensive) solutions, specialized software packages such as SDL MultiTerm, LogiTerm, Termex, TermWeb, etc.
Electronic dictionaries, either unilingual or bilingual
Terminology databases, either on the host computer or accessible through the Internet, such as TERMIUM Plus or Grand dictionnaire terminologique from the Office québécois de la langue française
Full-text search tools (or indexers), which allow the user to query already translated texts or reference documents of various kinds.
Official source
About this result
This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.
Ontological neighbourhood
Related courses (32)
BIO-205: Cellular and molecular biology I
The course covers the regulation of gene expression, which translates the information contained in the genome into function, by adjusting the levels and activities of mRNAs and proteins to the needs o
HUM-432: How people learn: Designing Learning Tools I
The students will understand the cognitive and social factors which affect learning - particularly in science and engineering. They will be able to use social research techniques as part of the design
MSE-489: Biomaterials (for SV)
The course introduces the main classes of biomaterials used in the biomedical field. The interactions with biological environment are discussed and challenges highlighted. State of the art examples pe
Related publications (117)
Related concepts (5)
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between translating (a written text) and interpreting (oral or signed communication between users of different languages); under this distinction, translation can begin only after the appearance of writing within a language community.
Translation memory
A translation memory (TM) is a database that stores "segments", which can be sentences, paragraphs or sentence-like units (headings, titles or elements in a list) that have previously been translated, in order to aid human translators. The translation memory stores the source text and its corresponding translation in language pairs called “translation units”. Individual words are handled by terminology bases and are not within the domain of TM.
Language industry
The language industry is the sector of activity dedicated to facilitating multilingual communication, both oral and written. According to the European Commission's Directorate-General of Translation, the language industry comprises following activities: translation, interpreting, subtitling, dubbing, software and website globalisation, language technology tools development, international conference organisation, language teaching and linguistic consultancy.
Related MOOCs (7)
Neuroscience Reconstructed: Cell Biology
This course will provide the fundamental knowledge in neuroscience required to
understand how the brain is organised and how function at multiple scales is
integrated to give rise to cognition and beh
Neuroscience Reconstructed: Cell Biology
This course will provide the fundamental knowledge in neuroscience required to
understand how the brain is organised and how function at multiple scales is
integrated to give rise to cognition and beh