CAT TOOLS (Computer assisted translation tools) Translation course Hue University College of Foreign Languages Translation is a difficult job and it requires people pursuing it to have the passion, th[.]
CAT TOOLS - (Computer-assisted translation tools) Translation course Hue University College of Foreign Languages Translation is a difficult job and it requires people pursuing it to have the passion, the regular practice and the training In the process of learning a specialized program of translation, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to study many essential and useful subjects One of them is the subject "Online resources for translator and CAT tools", which is very interesting and practical for me and my future job It brought to me many valuable experiences and pointed out what I need to concern myself with to be a professional translator Throughout this course, I have learned about CAT tools, improved my knowledge in localization and had a general view about the translation market The first thing this subject brought to me is that I knew how to use CAT tools, which is a very important element to become a good translator CAT tools (Computer-assisted translation tools), are forms of language translation People use softwares to help the translation process more rapidly and advantageously When studying CAT tools, I learned many types of softwares such as Wordfast pro, Trados, MemoQ, etc Each type has different features, advantages and disadvantages, so I can choose the most appropriate kind which is in accordance with the project and my ability However, I noticed that a translator will need to use at least two types to be able to combine its outstanding features After that, I found many benefits of using CAT tools which are helpful for translators, particularly for my learning Thank to translation memory (TM) in software, the process is more convenient in translating repetitive texts or searching for some terms If I translate terminologies and save them in translation memory, I not need to translate when I meet them again I just need to insert the translation memory and it will help me to translate Translation work will be easier because I can import many references files and useful information Also, I am able to edit the translation because there are available options that help me to correct the mistakes Beside the favorable features I have mentioned above, using these tools makes me more professional in working Most professional translators use them as an integral part to complete the projects well Furthermore, besides you are good at CAT tools, you must have an understanding of filename and how to deal with them In this subject, I have improved my knowledge about types of file text I realized that, in translation people use various types of file and each software has their own suitable types It taught me how to convert a type into another one because sometimes, it is necessary to change the filename for a customer's request They will also base on the ability of using them and CAT tools proficiency to decide working with a translator as well as assess his professional level Secondly, I have learned about localization, an important problem in translation in this subject When translating a project, a translator should not only have the translation skills but also need to have the awareness of the culture and local aspects It is the reason why localization is so necessary Localization is known as an adaptation process of a product or content to a specific locale It means that its functional properties and characteristics need to be in accordance with the language, cultural, political and legal differences of a foreign market or country For example, when I translate in currency terminology, I have to convert the currency to be consistent with the one in the target market We should not use USD in the China market but RMB The definition of localization is quite wide, and there are many aspects to study During the course, I had the opportunity to present slogans localization and draw a lot of lessons learned for myself I have learned that translation is only a part of the localization process We not just merely deliver the contents but also try to switch them to be suitable for local culture and tastes because this process plays a key role in the success of the products in the target market Moreover, we must also focus on subjects, the age groups and social class that product towards For instance, in game localization, which is also a developing field in recent times, it needs to have language choices appropriate to the age of the player, and should use common and vivid words In the localization process, experience is paying special attention to the concept of culture When translated we must pay attention to the cultural differences of the target markets to adjust accordingly The confusion in the concept of culture will partly cause the failure of products in foreign countries In addition, I had the chance to access the translation market and had an overview about it People divide translation in many different fields in which literary translation just accounts a very small part However, the translators have more opportunities in other sectors such as economic or environmental projects I also guide learning about the market price Translation, subtitling and edition have different prices With the development of film, subtitling is a developing field that students have more chances to get the job Game online localization or editing translated text are also promising for us There are many ways to receive a job from the customer For students majoring in translation, they can be a freelancer or an editor to apply to many small projects on the internet Many websites, forums have been established for unprofessional and professional translators, editors such as proz.com or translatorcafe.com I can take part in them, create my profile and then apply for some jobs depending on my ability In profile, I must show my experience related to translation or editing, qualification, specialization, CAT tools and payment methods Clients will evaluate my profile and decide to assign that work for me or not I usually identify a project that suits me by focusing on the purchase order of clients It will include job requirements, prices, work volume (how many words in text), deadline and software to use If I want to take the job, I will email the client and attach a curriculum vitae Based on purchase order, in the email I need to emphasize that I can meet the customer's requirements by specifying my experience in the field of work proposed, rate to complete the work, usability software proficiency and reasonable price I have to demonstrate that I am a potential candidate for that job Beside these important things I have mentioned above, I have learned many useful knowledge about subtitling and World Englishes I practiced subtitling, which is a promising field in translation because it is very necessary When audiences want to watch a movie but they not understand foreign languages, we need to subtitle This process is not only transmits a film but also introduces the culture to the viewer There are a lot of rules that I have to be complied in translating It only contains maximum thirty seven characters each line and speed allowed is one hundred and five words per minute (about 2.5 words per second) Also, I have studied some terms using in subtitling and have learned how to use subtitle software Secondly, I have improved my understanding of the World Englishes It is the emergence and establishment of many varieties of English, both international and intranational Each country has a distinct way of speaking English People divided World Englishes into three categories Inner-circle English countries in which English is the first or the dominant language such as America, Australia, Finland Outer-circle English are the countries in which English is not the mother tongue but it has for a long period of time played a significant role in education, governance, and popular culture, for instance Singapore, Malaysia or India In expandcircle English countries, it has no special administrative status but is recognized as a foreign language which is widely studied Moreover, I have learned some very useful abbreviations, which help me not to be confused when dealing with them After learning this course, my aspiration is becoming a professional translator in environmental specialties The reason I chose this field is that because it has potential, can bring many opportunities for me and I am also very interested in the environment In my opinion, there are four things that I should be concerned about First, I have to develop language proficiency It means that I need to be proficient in both source language and target language For a translator, the abundant vocabulary and the ability to express fluently are the key factors In particular, I must be good at using language for various types of audience Translation will be affected by dialect, educational level, the ages and social classes Also, I should practice in literature, and have an interesting, charismatic and accurate writing style I have to always learn about culture and background knowledge in the translation field that I pursue Each translator often chooses a specialized field for them and focuses on developing in that field by spending time studying more about it The specialized terminologies and the way to interpret them smoothly are not easy It will be very dangerous if we not have enough knowledge and understanding about them and cause the mistakes in the translation process Understanding of culture is also important because it helps me understand the context and the intent as well as the implications of the text easily Furthermore, raising my awareness of culture will help me in the localization process and avoid cultural conflict Learning to proficiently use many CAT tools and understanding a variety types of text are necessary As I have mentioned above, almost all translators are required to be good at at least a CAT tool because it makes the work more quickly in high quality Proficiency about the types of file, file names and converting them also help accelerate the projects and receive the trust of clients A professional translator is not entirely because of innate ability, but also based on training, learning Therefore, to achieve the goal of becoming a good translator, I need to always practice and strive, ready to learn since I was a student majoring in translation The subject "Online resources for translator and CAT tools' ' helps me in improving skills in CAT tools, implementing the knowledge of localization and overviewing the translation market This course helped me to identify targets in the future, let me know what I should myself have to strive to achieve In addition, this course also gives me a lot of useful and practical specialized knowledge Thus, based on them, I have a solid foundation enabling me to develop in the future According to what I have learned from this course, I believe that it will help me find a contented job REFERENCES http://www.nordictrans.com/2013/10/30/the-advantages-of-using-cat-tools/ https://www.gala-global.org/why-localize http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/localization.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Englishes http://grammar.about.com/od/il/g/Inner-Circle.htm http://grammar.about.com/od/mo/g/Outer-Circle.htm http://grammar.about.com/od/e/g/Expanding-Circle-TERM.htm Nguyen Van Tuan, Translation I