Utilising machine translation can save time and money. However, MT systems are not completely free from errors. And at STAR, quality is everything: That’s why machine-translated texts are checked and post-edited by our professional linguists. With an MT & post-editing service, you benefit from all the advantages of modern language technologies while still receiving the usual high level of quality you’d expect of our trained experts!
When we talk about machine translation, we are referring to the fully automated translation from the source language into the target language with the assistance of AI based on neural machine translation (NMT). But caution must be exercised here: Machine translation brings with it the potential for errors, so for perfect end results, it must be paired with post-editing by a native-speaking human professional.
MTPE stands for machine translation post-editing, in other words human translators with the relevant expertise in MT systems are tasked with editing and improving translation texts that have been generated by machine.
Translation memory or machine translation? This isn’t an either/or question, but instead a fluid transition. Within the framework of intelligent workflows, MT can be incorporated according to information type, target group and time frame, combining proven technology and resources.
Our professional translation process also utilises existing translation resources, such as terminology databases and translation memories, to pretranslate the content, with any remaining content being processed using a suitable MT system.
Our MT & post-editing processes are defined in accordance with DIN ISO 18587:2017 – a standard that only a few companies in our industry can claim to fulfil. As a certified language service provider, we place the emphasis on quality, a high degree of transparency, long-term feedback and the ongoing development of translation technologies for even more efficient processes.
Our customers value certification because it provides a mark of assurance and attests to dependable quality that is based on specific standards and regulations.
For us, the ISO standard for MT & post-editing undoubtedly means we ensure our translators always keep their skills up to date, enabling them to work efficiently and with an eye to the future.
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Let’s be completely honest: As good as modern NMT systems are, they are not 100% reliable. Errors can creep into translations undetected – including errors that may have serious consequences and even incur financial losses.
This is why professional linguists will play a decisive role in the future of MT. The higher your requirements for translation quality, the greater your need for qualified translators who are familiar with the pitfalls of NMT systems.
The most common types of error generated by MT systems include:
• Sense errors
• Omissions
• Inconsistencies in terminology and wording
• Inappropriate style
• Incorrect references
• So-called “hallucinations” in the form of misinformation or irrelevant additions
During the post-editing process, the translation is revised by experienced human translation professionals. Our expert linguists work in accordance with the ISO 18587 standard and, thanks to a long-term feedback model, are able to actively work with us to improve our MT workflows. If you require specific adaptations to target markets in the form of an in-country review, you can utilise our intuitive STAR CLM WebEdit review portal.
Do you want to efficiently and sustainably integrate machine translation into your translation workflow? Have you already thought about your requirements? Why not use our MT checklist and get in touch with any questions you may have?
Upon request, we can provide you with a bilingual proofreading service for machine translations that have been generated outside of our professional MTPE process. This may be of interest to you if, for example, you use your own in-house MT solution to generate machine-translated texts directly in your CMS via an interface.
The documents are always checked by comparing both source and target language.
Even with machine translations, we still guarantee absolute confidentiality. We are able to do this by means of protected servers and strict security protocols.
Keeping your data secure is always our top priority. Being based in Germany, our company meets the strict data protection regulations set by the European Union.
Your data is in safe hands with us.
We run ongoing quality assessments to check efficiency in terms of the time and costs saved.
Once a post-editing project is completed, the “post-editing distance” (PED) provides a statistical calculation of the work required to optimise the MT-generated translations. However, this figure is not the sole factor underpinning optimal evaluation.
That’s why we take a more holistic approach, taking into account not only the work that can be measured objectively, but also the MT-specific error categories and the subjective feedback of our translators. This process can be supplemented by the use of automated assessment systems that utilise machine learning for evaluation.
If you don’t want to use one of the commercially available MT platforms, we can offer you our proprietary STAR MT technology in a product that is tailored to your needs.
STAR MT is based on modern neural machine translation (NMT) technology and can be trained using your existing translations and terminology databases. The advantage for you: The MT system is configured to match the specific features of your texts and can deliver better results than a generic MT solution.
You are also not compromising your data security: Your valuable data is never passed on to third parties; since the MT system can be installed and operated either on a secure STAR server or within your own IT infrastructure.
Do you already have an MT system in place? That’s no problem at all. Our tools and workflows are highly flexible. Using API interfaces, we can also integrate third-party MT systems so that you do not need to move away from your existing solutions.
In addition to hybrid MT solutions, our MT workflows also support common, commercially available MT providers such as DeepL, Systran, etc.
Language Technology Consultant
julian.hamm@star-group.net
+49 7031 21 70-0
