Back when computers appeared and functioned very much like machines, the term "machine translation" (MT) was born. This term is still with us today. Machine Translation has become a lesser used option in the world of dynamic tools such as Translation Memory (TM) that are now the preferred industry choice for translating professionals. Machine translation is a form of translation where a computer program analyzes the text in one language, the 'source text', and then attempts to produce the equivalent text in another language, the 'target text', without human assistance. A 'dictionary' will be provided for the computer, however, grammatical rules are also needed to translate anything other than lists. An example of a difficult situation for a Machine Translation tool would be the word "bank". "Bank" may be a noun or a verb, a subject or an object, all depending on context. And context means everything in machine translation. This difficulty for Machine Translation is the main difference between MT and TM tools. The lack of flexibility and ability to produce "fuzzy matches" or leverage information previously acquired and translations previously completed, means that machine translation will not reduce the time needed or lower the localization costs.

Machine Translation was the first step in the evolution of software tools for translators. Today, with the combination of more dynamic Translation Memory (TM) tools like Trados and Deja Vu and well maintained Terminology Management databases, professional translators can now provide the most accurate and appropriate translations possible. L10N Solutions - making your products and software viable and functional in any language and any culture across the globe.



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