Glossary

Alignment - Creation of a translation memory from old translations.

Background text - A text in the source or target language that relates to the subject of the source text.

CAT tool - abbreviation for "Computer-Aided Translation Tool". A tool for saving and re-using human translations in order to ensure consistency in the translation.

Certified translation - a translation that has been certified by an accordingly authorised translator as corresponding to the source text and that it is accurate and complete in terms of content. Such translations are sometimes requested by public agencies.

Consecutive interpreting - consecutive interpreting is where the interpreting is done on time delay, i.e. after or alternating with the speaker.

Controlled language - language with a restricted vocabulary and limited rules of formulation, e.g. to take into account the corporate language of a company. Amongst other things, it is used in technical documents to facilitate the understanding of a text for users or non-native speakers, or to allow for the use of automatic translation systems.

Function of the text - the purpose of the text in transmitting information.

Glossary - Collection of (specialist) terms with definitions and/or translations in the target language for the purposes of regulating / unifying the terms to be used in a translation.

Interpreting - oral transmission of a statement from a source language into a target language.

Liaison interpreting - during liaison interpreting, which is especially used for small meetings and gatherings, the dialogue between the participants is transmitted into the foreign language by sentence or in short sections.

Localisation - This means the logical and formal adjustment of software and documentation to the conventions and requirements of the respective target language country. The process of localisation includes converting weights, measurements and currencies and taking cultural differences into account. Tables of contents and indexes are created, graphics are translated, screenshots of the translated software are taken and inserted into the documentation, and any formatting work will be done. Software developers very often have to adjust the size of buttons and text fields after they are translated; German and French texts, for example, usually require more space than English texts.

Parallel text - a text composed in the source or target language, which in terms of the speciality or type of the text is comparable to the source text, and which can also be used as reference material.

Publicly appointed and certified translator - A translator who has been sworn in before a German court and is authorised to prepare so-called certified translations.

Simultaneous interpreting - with simultaneous interpreting, the interpreting is done almost at the same time as the source text. The interpreter translates the statement the moment it is heard.

Source language - the language in which the source text is written.

Source text - the text to be translated.

Sworn translator - see "Publicly appointed and certified translator".

Target language - the language in which the source text is to be translated.

Target text - the result of the translation.

Translate - the written transmission of a text from a source language into a target language.

Translation - the written result of the translation process.

Translation Memory - a database which stores manually (human) produced translations in order to re-use these at a later date, as and when needed. This way, same or similar translations can be "recycled".