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Free and Open-Source Software and Tools for translators
Posted: Saturday, February 11, 2012 - 5 comment(s) [ Comment ] - 0 trackback(s) [ Trackback ]
Category: Translator Education

 

Free and Open-Source Software and Tools for translators
While the phrase ‘free and open-source software’ (FOSS) might seem like a mouthful, this is simply what it means: many translators are unaware of the fact that there is a plethora of free software and tools out there that are available for them to download and utilise. It is called ‘open-source’ because the source code has been made available to the public for their usage.

FOSS is useful for translators, as many translators are self-employed. This means that income is not always stable, so it is helpful to have access to tools that are necessary in one’s work, and not have to spend a considerable sum on them. One website that can help you get acquainted with mixing translation and FOSS isLinux for Translators, where an overview is provided explaining how to implement FOSS options.

·         tuxtrans — this desktop GNU/Linux System offers a myriad of software packages designed specifically for translators, such as OpenOffice, Anaphraseus, OmegaT, and more. There are also programs for CAT software and tools for localising software, aligning text, managing terms and subtitling videos and more.

·         Linguas OS — an alternative GNU/Linux System developed for translators.

·         OmegaT — this program is written in Java and is compatible with the Windows, Linux and Mac OS X operating systems. It offers a free translation memory application and translation tool.

·         OmegaT+ — a user-friendly translation program that has features such as translation memory, full and partial matches, a glossary function and a search engine. It also supports a variety of document types.

·         Anaphraseus — this tool functions as a macro in OpenOffice, and can be likened to how Wordfast is crammed into MS Word.

·         Open Language Tools — an XLIFF (XML localisation interchange file format) translation editor and an XLIFF filter. This program is written in Java and is compatible with the Windows, Linux and Mac OS X operating systems. It also supports a variety of document types.

·         IntelliWebSearch — a time-saving tool that can be highly customised by users.

·         TDict — this program is compatible with the Windows, Linux and Mac OS X operating systems and offers access to 48 different dictionaries and resources.

·         ]project open[ — open-source management software.

·         TransProCalc — free/open-source translation project management tools.

·         GnuCash — free/open-source accounting software with a multitude of features.

·         OpenOffice — this is a comprehensive software suite with applications such as word processing, database front end, spreadsheets, drawing tools, presentations, HTML/web page editor, and more. It is completely free and can be used across all platforms.

·         Mozilla Thunderbird — a free, open-source, cross-platform email and news client.

·         Mozilla Firefox — a free Web browser, lauded for its low demand on PC resources. It has a built-in spell checker, tabbed browsing, a download manager, and other useful functions.

·         FileZilla — can be used across all platforms and offers many useful features. The graphical user interface is also very intuitive.

These are only some of the software programs and tools available online that can be useful in your translation projects. If you are not sure of how to utilise them, that’s what Google is for. If you know of any programs or tools that are not listed here, feel free to share the information by leaving a comment below. Any questions are welcome as well.
Tips for translators: How to use Google as a research Tool (II)
Posted: Saturday, February 11, 2012 - 0 comment(s) [ Comment ] - 0 trackback(s) [ Trackback ]
Category: Translator Education

 

Tips for translators:  How to use Google as a research Tool (II)


This is the second of two articles related to this topic; the first post on how to use Google as a research tool was released last weeks. With this article, it is our hope that you will find the information on advanced and other search operators useful in your research as a translator. In your line of work, time is money, and we want to help you work as efficiently as possible using these tips on how to use Google effectively as a valuable research tool:

·         Website operator — [site:]
The use of this operator tells Google that you want only results that can be found in the specific site you specify. Basic search operators can also be used in conjunction with this operator. For example, the search [site:microsoft.com “computer terminology”] will yield results from the site ‘microsoft.com’ that contain the phrase ‘computer terminology’.

·         File type operator — [filetype:]
A file suffix can be added (e.g. ‘pdf’ or ‘doc’) and Google will show only results which contain pages that end in those specific suffixes. For example, the search [recycling glossary filetype:pdf OR filetype:doc] will yield results related to recycling glossaries in ‘pdf’ or ‘doc’ formats.

·         In title operator — [intitle:]
The in title operator lets Google know that you are looking only for pages that have the term added after the operator in their title. For example, the search [genome intitle:glossary] will yield results that contain the word ‘glossary’ in their titles, and the word ‘genome’ anywhere within the document (regardless of whether it is found in the title).

·         In URL operator — [inurl:]
When this operator is used, Google restricts results to sites that contain the term specified after the operator in their URL. For example, the search [printer site:samsung.com inurl:troubleshooting] will yield results from the Samsung site that contain the word ‘troubleshooting’ in the URL and also mention the word ‘printer’ anywhere within the text.

·         Define operator — [define:]
This operator is quite useful for looking up word, sentence or acronym definitions. The operator simply needs to be placed in front of the word you wish to look up. For example, the search [define:article] will yield results for the definition and synonyms of the word ‘article’.

·         Unit conversion operator
This simplifies unit conversion. All you need do is type in the conversion unit you are looking for after the unit that you already have: e.g. [25 miles in km] or [370 Fahrenheit in Celsius].

These are only some of the many search operators you can use to help conduct your research via Google much more efficiently and effectively. Feel free to leave a comment and share with other readers any search operators that are not mentioned and that you find useful.
Tips for Translators: How to Use Google as a Research Tool (I)
Posted: Wednesday, February 1, 2012 - 1 comment(s) [ Comment ] - 0 trackback(s) [ Trackback ]
Category: Translator Education

 

 

Tips for Translators: How to Use Google as a Research Tool

 


As a freelance translator, it is likely that you are very busy and want to save as much time possible, while doing your work without compromising its quality. In order to do this, we are providing you with some helpful tips on how to use Google as a research tool. Whether you are looking to search for the meaning of a certain acronym or technical word, or are looking up the manual of a product, listed below are some basic search operators you can utilise to help you maximise Google's usefulness as a research tool:

  • Quotation marks (“”) — [“key phrase”]
    Using quotation marks before and after your search terms prompts Google to search through its database for the exact sentence as opposed to any combination of the words. For example, the search [“cartography glossary”] will yield only results with the words in that exact order.

     

  • Logical operator ‘or’ (OR) — [keyword1 OR keyword2]
    By default, Google uses all the words typed in the search box. That said, it is necessary to use this operator if you wish results to be shown with either of the keywords you type. Note that OR must be typed in all caps: e.g. the search [“hoover manual” OR “vacuum cleaner manual”] will yield results for manuals of both Hoovers and vacuum cleaners.

     

  • Minus sign (-) — [keyword1 -keyword2]
    This search operator can be used if you wish to eliminate results that contain a particular term. For example, the search [“computer terminology” -wikipedia] will yield results containing the phrase “computer terminology” that are not found within Wikipedia.

     

  • Plus sign (+) — [keyword1 +keyword2]
    Using the plus sign tells Google that you want results to include all the keywords you have typed, without exception. For example, the search [glossary +spanish +legal] will yield results that contain the three keywords glossary, Spanish and legal.

     

  • Asterisk (*) — [“keyword1 * keyword2”]
    Google recognises the asterisk or ‘wildcard’ operator as a placeholder. This comes in handy when searching for a phrase (always between quotation marks) that matches one or more words. For example, the search [“manual of * construction”] will find manuals from different types of construction—road construction, building construction, etc.

     

  • Tilde (~) — [~keyword]
    This search operator prompts Google to return results of the specific keyword you typed along with its synonyms or alternative endings. For example, the search [architecture ~thesaurus] will yield results of architecture thesaurus and thesauri, dictionaries, glossaries, etc.

While these search operators may be tedious to use in the beginning, as you get the hang of them, it will soon become second nature to input these operators, and you will find that using them is seamless and, more importantly, convenient and helpful.
7 Mistakes Freelance Translators Should Avoid
Posted: Saturday, January 28, 2012 - 0 comment(s) [ Comment ] - 0 trackback(s) [ Trackback ]
Category: Freelance Translation: Marketing

7 Mistakes Freelance Translators Should Avoid

There are several measures you can take to establish productive relationships with your customers. Delivering high quality translations and keeping up with deadlines will play the most important part of course.

There are many things we have learnt by working with hundreds upon hundreds of translators and clients over the years, which we thought would be good to share with you: avoiding the seven mistakes identified in this article will help you have a long term relationship with your clients, and will more importantly, ensure that you run a stress free business.

7 mistakes you should avoid

1 – Charging too little for your core service.
Never sell your core service too cheaply. It will devalue your product and customers may not appreciate it. You can offer free test translations or reduced charges for your supplementary services such as job-checking or for translations of only a few words.

If you charge too little for your core service in order to get new clients, you will despise them in the long run; and if you charge them less the first time, they will expect you to charge the same rate the next time they work with you. The relationship may suffer when you would, only naturally want to put your prices up.

2 – Being afraid to ask your customer questions.
Do not be concerned with asking your clients questions about the files you are translating: there is nothing wrong with going back to your customer asking for clarification of words that maybe be difficult to read or understand. They will not think any less of you because you asked a question. Be sure, however to ask relevant questions, well in advance of the deadline.

3 – Thinking you will lose your customer if you turn down a project.
If the project offered to you is in a subject you do not know about, or a deadline you cannot meet, don’t be afraid to turn down the project. Whatever the reason may be, being clear and open to your client about it will help you to establish long lasting relationships. Taking on a project which you cannot properly translate, or accepting a deadline which is not feasible will do more damage to the relationship than turning down a project for a perfectly valid reason.

4 – Only getting in touch with your customer when you need work from them.
Keep in touch with your customers regularly. Let them know how you are doing. Tell them about the new tools or software you may have acquired, and any new skills you may have learned since last working with them.

5 – Thinking that you are the only translator your client should work with.
Translation companies need to have multiple translators for each language pair they work with and in particular subject matters. Do not feel threatened if your client uses another translator and asks you to carry out checking or proofreading: this means they trust you and value your opinion.

6 – Not having a specialist subject.
Without a doubt translators need to be able to cover a variety of subjects: they will also need, however, to have a specialism in which they have extra knowledge which sets them apart from other translators. Your niche will help you to become an authority in your particular field and the first port of call with your customers.

7 – Not collaborating with your fellow translators. 
The translation community is global and we all have the same aspirations and challenges wherever we are in the world. There are many professional support organisations and associations out there for translators. Most successful translators are the ones that support their colleagues and share information.

Written originally by Levent Yildizgoren
What is a patent application?
Posted: Saturday, January 7, 2012 - 1 comment(s) [ Comment ] - 0 trackback(s) [ Trackback ]
Category: Translator Education

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A patent application is a request pending at a patent office for the grant of a patent for the invention described and claimed by that application. An application consists of a description of the invention (thepatent specification), together with official forms and correspondence relating to the application. The term patent application is also used to refer to the process of applying for a patent, or to the patent specification itself (i.e. the content of the document filed with a view to initiating the process of applying for a patent [1]).

In order to obtain the grant of a patent, a person, either legal or natural, must file an application at a patent office with jurisdiction to grant a patent in the geographic area over which coverage is required. This will often be a national patent office but could be a regional body, such as the European Patent Office. Once the patent specification complies with the laws of the office concerned, a patent may be granted for the invention described and claimed by the specification.

The process of "negotiating" or "arguing" with a patent office for the grant of a patent, and interaction with a patent office with regard to a patent after its grant, is known as patent prosecution. Patent prosecution is distinct from patent litigation which relates to legal proceedings for infringement of a patent after it is granted.

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