In this final section of our 3 part blog on Writing Translation Friendly content, we elaborate on aspects like Formatting and CAT tools.

Formatting

Formatting is often overlooked. If files are large and poorly formatted, translators may spend up to 50% of their time fixing formatting, affecting delivery time and quality.

Ensure proper formatting to avoid rework. Avoid excessive styling, but use formatting tools effectively.

Pointers to remember:

• Use editable files (Word, Excel) instead of PDFs or scanned files. This saves time and allows CAT tools to retain formatting.
• Avoid complex formatting, unusual fonts, and colors. Keep it simple.
• Maintain consistent styles:
  • Headings:
    • Main heading: font size 14
    • Sub-heading: font size 12
    • Sub-point: font size 11
    • Body text: font size 10
  • Image headings – italics
  • Table headings – italics
• Carefully manage numbering, page numbers, and links. Fix broken links.
• Define hyperlinks and cross-references properly.
• Ensure Excel formulas and references are correct.
• Handle embedded PPT objects carefully or inform the translator.

Delivering a translated file identical to the original is a key quality requirement.

CAT tools:

CAT tools speed up translation and improve accuracy but rely on structured input.

• Keep repetitions: Reuse terms and sentences to benefit from matches in CAT tools.
• No synonyms: Use consistent terminology for better translation memory usage.
• Consistent formatting: Identical formatting improves matching accuracy.
• Spellcheck: Errors affect match detection and meaning.
• Limit file size: Split large files and reduce heavy content like images.

With the growing need for translation, understanding processes and tools is essential. Translation plays a key role in bridging language barriers.

Written by Shweta Bhide and edited by Devaki Kunte
February 20, 2017
Language Services Bureau, Pune, India