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| Here are questions we've been asked about terminology. You can also view the original topic.
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Q: Why is it important to think about the terminology in our products?
A: For two reasons: (1) different people use different words to refer to the same thing, and (2) the same word can have different meanings. Both these realities can make your information difficult to understand and your products difficult to use. The problem is compounded for translation, since every source language term can have multiple different translations. Processes and tools need to be put in place to increase the consistency of the terms used both in the source language and in the translations. Otherwise, usability suffers and costs increase.
Q: We can give our translators a glossary. Is that enough when developing products for the global marketplace?
A: No. Most glossaries don't contain enough terms to really make a difference in the translation process. Furthermore, terminology problems also exist in the source language itself. Just like other parts of the globalization process, terminology management must start in the development environment. Critically examine the terms suggested at the design stage to weed out jargon and other problems. Gather user feedback on product terms during usability tests. Establish a resource of "standard" product terms and provide your developers with tools to help them use them. Identify and correct the terminology problems that occur when products are bundled together. Consult with your translators about how to avoid problems that affect translation.
Q: We use a content management approach where content can be reused, and our translators use translation memories. Doesn't that take care of terminology?
A: No. Tools that are designed to handle longer segments, such as sentences, do not usually do a good job of identifying and managing terms within those segments. And they can't store metadata -- information about the terms themselves. Look for tools specifically designed to handle terminology, such as a tool to extract terms from content files, and a tool that can store detailed information about terms. Terminology is more like data than like text, and is not well-suited to the "book" paradigm. A well-designed terminology database can be a source of glossaries while at the same time support your globalization needs and prepare you for future applications such as using terminology to enhance searches. |
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