In today’s fast-paced world, there is a growing demand for rapid and high-quality language translation services that are also affordable. This is where post-edited machine translation comes into play.
Machine translation has made significant progress in accuracy and efficiency, but it still has room to reach its full potential.
Using computer technology to translate text into another language with minimal or no human involvement has proven to be effective and time-saving. You can even leverage tools like ChatGPT for translation purposes nowadays.
However, while machines excel at word-for-word translations, they often lack the ability to capture voice, tone, context, and cultural nuances.
This is where post-editing becomes crucial, allowing for various levels of human involvement to ensure the desired outcomes.
Understanding Post-Edited Machine Translation
Post-edited machine translation involves revising and refining content after it has been translated by a machine.
A human translator reviews the content to ensure technical accuracy, appropriate voice and tone, and cultural suitability.
Machine translation engines can translate thousands of words within minutes, while a human translator can handle around 3,000–3,500 words per day. This speed advantage of machine translation brings cost savings and faster turnaround times.
However, post-editing allows for the inclusion of human quality checks, which can improve the overall output quality, albeit at a higher cost.
Exploring Types of Post-Edited Machine Translation
There are two main types of post editing: light and full.
Light Post-Editing: This approach involves minimal modifications to the raw machine translation output, focusing on making the translation understandable, factually accurate, and grammatically correct.
Light post-editing tasks include:
- Correcting grammar, punctuation, and spelling mistakes.
- Rewriting confusing sentences to clarify the text’s meaning.
The goal of light post-editing is to address critical errors and poor use of terminology that can lead to unintelligible content or unintended legal consequences. While the text may not flow as smoothly, it remains factually correct and acceptable.
Full Post-Editing: This is a more meticulous and time-consuming process aimed at producing accurate translations with consistent terminology, appropriate tone, and style. Full post-editing ensures there are no stylistic inconsistencies or grammatical mistakes.
In addition to light post-editing tasks, full post-editing involves:
- Cross-referencing translations with other resources.
- Making syntactic modifications to align with the target language.
The content should appear as if a professional linguist worked on it from the beginning after full post-editing.
Advantages of Post-Edited Machine Translation
Human translation is renowned for its accuracy and premium quality but comes with a higher cost and slower turnaround times.
On the other hand, machine translation is fast and cost-effective, but the quality may not meet professional standards.
Post-edited machine translation strikes a balance between quality and cost efficiency. It combines machine translation with human post-editing and AI evaluation to deliver satisfactory results at lower price points without sacrificing quality or throughput time.
This combination, known as PEMT (Post-Edited Machine Translation), can be the sweet spot for achieving your translation goals.
Harnessing the Power of PEMT
Translation projects can vary greatly, and at Accelingo, we prioritize flexibility to cater to your specific needs. Whether you require pure human translation or a machine-driven approach, we have the specialized services to support you.
When determining the price for your translation project, we consider several factors and offer a customized solution. To ensure an accurate quote, provide detailed information about the languages involved, the level of language services required (translation or localization), and whether it’s a one-time project or an ongoing need.
The more information you provide, the more likely we can offer an attractive price tailored to your requirements. If you’re unsure about your exact needs, our experts are here to assist you in finding the optimal solution.
Contact Accelingo today to embark on your translation journey. We’re ready to help you achieve your language goals.
