> Cost of services

> DTP

> Glossaries

> Internationalization

> L10n, i18n, g11n

> Localization

> Translation memory (TM)

> What is Computer Aided Translation?

They are special software programs used by translators when working on translation and localization projects.


By fragmenting a document into strings or segments (usually sentences or paragraphs), CAT TOOLS facilitate the translation process. Each translated segment is saved by the program and is then fully or partially matched with the source text. This allows translators to work more easily on the translated string of text and expand the translation memory (TM).

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> How does Keywords Italia calculate the cost of the services we offer?

Keywords Italia bases the calculation of the cost of localization, translation, and globalization services on the number of words in the original document.

Other calculation methods are used in the translations market; for instance, the cost per page or the number of characters (one page = 1,500 characters, including spaces, which comes to a total of 250 words).

We determine costs on a per-word basis.

We also take into account the text's technical complexity, the overall length of the document(s), and the time-frame requested by the client.

As we continue to work with the same client, the use of CAT tools and translation memory allow us to apply an economy of scale to future projects, which makes it possible for us to lower their cost.

The cost of interpretation services is calculated on the basis of:
- the duration of the service (one hour, half-a-day, a full day, several days)
- the location of the venue (i.e., whether the interpreter needs to travel to the event site), and
- the number of interpreters needed for the service and the technical complexity of the subject matter to be translated.

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> What does DTP mean?

DTP stands for Desktop Publishing. A Desktop Publishing is responsible for the creation or reproduction of the layout for the products translated into different languages.

She or he should have a thorough knowledge of the main operating systems and of artwork and page layout software packages (Adobe Acrobat, Photoshop, Office Suite, Adobe Type Manager, etc).

Once the localization process is completed, the DTP expert studies the original document (fonts, required operating system, specific printer drivers, tables, style sheets, etc.) in order to produce an exact copy in the target language.

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> What are glossaries and what is their purpose?

In software localization as well as in other translation projects where certain concepts, commands and statements are used repeatedly, the first important step is to create a glossary, i.e., a file containing all the key words found throughout the document. Once the translation of such terms is approved by the client, the glossary becomes the starting point of the linguistic project.

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> What is localization and what is its purpose?

Localization is the complex process of adapting a product to the market of a specific country. Localization is often mistaken for translation because part of the work includes text translations. However, localization requires many more skills than those for content translation.

In addition to text translation, a localization specialist must also consider the conventions regarding date, time, and currency formats that are used in the target language and country for which the product localization is intended. It is also necessary to make sure that the style and discorse register are the most appropriate for the target audience. The style used when localizing a game is much more informal than that which is required for the localization of a printer manual.

Another important matter is consistency of terminology. For example, the terms used for the options in a software program and those that appear in the on-line user's guide or the product documentation must be the same as those in the user's interface so that no confusion arises.

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> What are translation memory tools or TM?

The main function of CAT tools is to save translated text in a database called Translation Memory (TM) so that it can be re-used within the same text or even in others.

For example, special CAT tool functions find all the text segments that don't match 100% with previously translated text, and this enables the translator to make the necessary modifications more quickly and consistently.

The use of TM saves time and money for both our clients and our team of professionals . In fact, lower rates apply to segments or paragraphs that were previously translated.

It is important to note that TM and CAT tools do not replace translatorsstyle and terminology consistency .

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