What is Machine Translation Post-Editing?
Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE) refers to the process of refining and correcting text that has been translated by a machine translation (MT) system. Unlike traditional translation, which is done entirely by a human translator, MTPE involves working with a machine-generated output and improving it to meet specific quality standards. As machine translation technologies evolve, post-editing has become an increasingly critical step to ensure that the final product is both accurate and contextually appropriate.
Machine translation systems, such as Google Translate or DeepL, can produce fast translations, but they often lack the nuance, cultural understanding, and contextual accuracy that human translators provide. Post-editors bridge this gap by revising the machine-translated text, correcting errors, and ensuring that the translation is fluent and aligned with the intended meaning.
Types of Machine Translation Post-Editing
MTPE can be broadly divided into two categories: light post-editing and full post-editing. The choice between these two types depends on the project’s requirements, the desired quality level, and the translated content’s purpose.
1. Light Post-Editing
Light post-editing focuses on making minimal corrections to the machine-translated text to ensure basic comprehensibility. The goal here is to produce a translation that is understandable and conveys the general meaning of the source text, but it may still contain some stylistic and grammatical flaws. Light post-editing is often used for content that has a short lifespan or does not require a high level of accuracy, such as internal communications, informal documentation, or social media posts.
Key Features of Light Post-Editing
– Correcting critical errors that could change the meaning.
– Ensuring that the text is understandable and coherent.
– Little attention to style, tone, or idiomatic expressions.
– Keeping revisions to a minimum to save time and cost.
Light post-editing is often favoured for projects with tight deadlines or budgets, where the translation doesn’t need to be perfect but should be accurate enough for the intended audience to understand the message.
2. Full Post-Editing
Full post-editing is a more comprehensive process aiming to produce a translation as close to human quality as possible. This type of post-editing involves not only correcting errors but also refining the style, tone, and fluency of the text. The goal is to create a polished, accurate translation that meets the same standards as a human-translated document. Full post-editing is typically used for high-stakes content, such as legal documents, marketing materials, or published content.
Key Features of Full Post-Editing
– Correcting all grammatical, syntactical, and contextual errors.
– Ensuring the text flows naturally and reads fluently.
– Adjusting the tone and style to match the target audience.
– Addressing cultural nuances and idiomatic expressions.
– Thorough review to achieve high-quality, human-like translation.
Full post-editing requires more time and expertise compared to light post-editing, but it ensures that the final product is of a higher quality and suitable for professional or public use.
Differences Between Post-Editing and Proofreading
Although post-editing and proofreading may seem similar, they are distinct processes with different objectives.
1. Source of Text
The primary difference between post-editing and proofreading lies in the source of the text. In post-editing, the text being revised is generated by a machine translation system, which may include errors that are specific to machine processing, such as awkward phrasing or incorrect terminology. Proofreading, on the other hand, involves reviewing a text that has already been translated by a human translator, to catch minor errors like typos, punctuation mistakes, or inconsistencies.
2. Depth of Review
Post-editing requires a deeper level of review compared to proofreading. In MTPE, the post-editor must identify and correct a wide range of issues, from mistranslations to grammatical errors to stylistic inconsistencies. This involves a higher degree of intervention and often requires rewriting parts of the text to ensure clarity and accuracy. Proofreading, while still important, usually involves making more superficial changes and fine-tuning the translation rather than overhauling it.
3. Objective
Post-editing aims to transform a machine-generated translation into a usable, accurate, and contextually appropriate text. Proofreading, on the other hand, focuses on polishing a translation that has already been deemed acceptable, refining it to ensure it is error-free and meets the required standards.
4. Skills Required
Post-editing often demands a combination of linguistic skills, subject matter expertise, and familiarity with machine translation technology. Post-editors need to understand the common pitfalls of machine translation systems and how to correct them efficiently. Proofreading primarily requires strong language skills and an eye for detail, as a human has already translated the text and generally requires fewer major changes.
Why Machine Translation Post-Editing is Essential
As machine translation technology improves, the demand for post-editing services is growing. Here are some reasons why MTPE is becoming increasingly important in the language services industry:
Increased Productivity
MTPE allows for faster turnaround times compared to traditional human translation. By leveraging machine translation for the initial draft, post-editors can focus on correcting and refining the text, increasing overall productivity.
Cost Efficiency
For clients with limited budgets, MTPE offers a more affordable alternative to full human translation. Light post-editing, in particular, can be a cost-effective solution for content that doesn’t require perfect translation quality.
Scalability
With the volume of content being produced globally, especially in digital environments, MTPE provides a scalable solution for translating large amounts of text quickly.
Consistency
Machine translation systems can maintain consistent terminology and phrasing across large projects. Post-editors can fine-tune this consistency, ensuring the translation aligns with client-specific glossaries and style guides.
Challenges in Machine Translation Post-Editing
While MTPE offers many benefits, it also presents several challenges:
Quality of Machine Translation Output
The quality of the initial machine translation can vary significantly depending on the language pair, the complexity of the source text, and the MT system used. Poor-quality MT output can require extensive post-editing, sometimes as time-consuming as human translation.
Post-Editor Expertise
Not all translators are suited for post-editing. Post-editors need to be highly skilled at identifying and correcting machine translation errors, which can differ from the errors found in human translations. Additionally, they must be comfortable working with MT technology and understand its limitations.
Client Expectations
Educating clients on the difference between light and full post-editing is crucial. Some clients may expect perfect quality from light post-editing, leading to potential dissatisfaction. Clear communication about the level of quality that can be achieved through different types of post-editing is essential.
In conclusion
Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE) is a vital service in today’s translation industry, offering a balance between speed, cost-efficiency, and quality. With its two distinct levels—light and full post-editing—MTPE can be tailored to meet the needs of various projects. However, it’s important to recognize the differences between post-editing and proofreading, as well as the challenges and skills required for effective post-editing. As the demand for multilingual content continues to grow, MTPE will play an increasingly important role in bridging the gap between machine-generated and high-quality human translations.
References:
1. TAUS. (2023). “Machine Translation Post-Editing Guidelines.” Retrieved from [taus.net](https://www.taus.net).
2. ISO 18587:2017. “Translation services — Post-editing of machine translation output — Requirements.” International Organization for Standardization.
3. O’Brien, S. (2011). “Machine Translation and Post-editing: Techniques and Applications.” Cambridge Scholars Publishing.