Science no Longer the Exclusivity of Developed Countries

While emerging countries such as China, India, and Brazil have long been associated with the global scientific community, the presence of Iran, Turkey, Tunisia, and Israel in this very private club may come as a surprise.

A recent study published by the Royal Society, Britain’s national academy of science, reveals that “rapidly” emerging scientific nations, of which several are in the Islamic world, are now embarked on the fast train of science R&D. These emerging countries could soon challenge the scientific superpowers of the West.

Iran, for instance, is the fastest growing country in the world when it comes to the number of scientific papers published in journals. The government of Tehran plans to allocate 4% of its GDP to scientific R&D before 2030. By comparison, the EU average budget for scientific R&D is 1.8% of its GDP. Critics may say that this money will be going toward nuclear research. But the fact is that more and more US scientists are collaborating with their Iranian counterparts on multiple science projects. The number of joint US-Iranian scientific papers published over the past 12 years has increased from 300 to 1,600. And when it comes to science, Iran will go as far as cooperate with its archenemy, Israel. Both countries are working hand in hand on a scientific light source project in Jordan.

But other nations such as Tunisia and Turkey are also thriving when it comes to science. Turkey’s scientific R&D spending has increased six-fold since 1995 and the number of researchers has increased by 43% over the past 12 years. With an R&D budget of 1.25% of its GDP, Tunisia hopes to increase its pharmaceutical exports five-fold over the next five years.

The Royal Society’s report concludes by stating that there are over 7 million researchers in the world today and that the global annual budget allocated to R&D has increased by 45% since 2002. With the arrival of emerging nations, these numbers will surely increase even further. To be continued.

File Compression and organization using WinRAR

Many times documentation and files used in translation projects are extremely large due to the volume of text to be translated and/or the amount of images, charts, graphics, and screenshots used in the layout.Many times the layout itself is so complex that it adds to the size of the source file.

There are plenty of applications to compress or “zip up” the files so they can be sent or uploaded easily. The most popular, WinZip, has been around for years. Another popular application that is being more widely used is WinRAR.

WinRAR is a file compression tool for making files smaller and adding multiple files to a single protected archive for safer, easier transfer over networks and via the internet.

WinRAR integrates itself into your Windows shell so that by right clicking on any given documents or files, you have the ability to compress those files, usually into a smaller, more protected format.

Right clicking a file or multiple files gives you the following options:

In this case, I selected Frame Maker.doc on my hard drive and I’m given the following options. If you are doing a single file and you’d like to retain the original name of the file, simply select (in this case) Add to “Frame Maker.rar”, and the program will automatically create a compressed version of this file using the default WinRAR options.

By selecting Add to archive…, you are presented with more options:

You are given the choice of Archive format, and in this case I’d like to stress using RAR as opposed to ZIP since RAR gives us more options.

If you are using a single file, WinRAR will automatically select the name of your file. You have the option to change this to another name of your choosing which is nice when dealing with multiple files. The extension is automatically .rar even if you delete the entire line and set your file name as, “I LOVE COOKIES”. It will still be I LOVE COOKIES.rar

Another great feature of WinRAR is the ability to split archives into specifically sized volumes.

As you can see, I used my MOV02033.AVI file, right clicked, chose the option in the bottom left-hand corner and chose a specific file size to split my main file into. There are several default sizes, but I prefer to choose my own depending on the size of the file being compressed.

A quick chart on sizes is like this:

1,000,000 bytes = 1 megabyte or 1mb
5,000,000 bytes = 5 megabytes or 5mb
10,000,000 bytes = 10 megabytes or 10mb

You can set this as high or as low as you’d like. Depending on the size of whatever I’m going to compress, I like to create volumes of anywhere from 5mb to 100mb each. When working with extremely large files in the gigabyte range it’s better to use larger split volumes in the 50mb to 100mb range. It will make decompressing the files faster and create fewer archives. Remember, the larger the volume you create, the less archives you create. As you can see in the picture above, I chose to split my main 60mb file into 10mb archives coming out to around 56mb total when compressed.

Once I have my main file split into compressed volumes I no longer need it. It’s basically copied over into 6 smaller volumes (using my example above), and when I unpack those files, it’ll be there whole and intact. Simply by selecting the first volume in the set and then choose to extract it, it will know there’s a set of files related to the first one and unpack your compressed file wherever you choose.

Just remember to select PUT RECOVERY RECORD so that if any damage occurs (data loss) during transfer, the file can be repaired easily by the recipient.

Another nice feature is the COMMENT tab detailed below:

By using this feature you are given the ability to add a note to your archive as shown above. This is really handy for adding extra information, details which were missed or forgotten in a meeting or email, or just saying Hello or Thanks!

WinRAR provides the user with the ability to compress any volume, split it if needed, and protect for it for safe transmission over networks and online. WinRAR is a safe and easy solution for protecting the integrity of your files and archives from data loss due to power failures, internet disconnections, and other mishaps while working with important files. Using WinRAR also saves vital hard drive space where there may be constraints.

It may take a little longer to prepare and send that important document for translation, analysis or cleanup, but at least you can be guaranteed your documents are safe.

Translation Memory (TM) versus Machine Translation (MT)

What is a Translation Memory?

A translation memory (TM) is a linguistic database that continually captures your translations as you work for future use.

All previously translated segments are accumulated within the translation memory (in source and target language pairs called translation units) and reused so that you never have to translate the same sentence twice. The more you build up your translation memory, the faster you can translate subsequent translations and your new project is more consistent, enabling you to take on more projects and increase your revenue.

Translation memory managers, usually included in Computer-Aided Translation (CAT) tools, are most suitable for translating technical documentation and documents containing specialized vocabularies. Their benefits include:

Consistence - Ensuring that the translated documents are consistent, including common definitions, phrasings and terminology. For example, if the software is already translated and now it is time to translate or update its manual or help, the translation memory will use the previous stored sentences to guide the current translation. In other words, the documentation or the help file will be consistent with the terms used in the main software.

Flexibility - Enabling translators to translate documents in a wide variety of formats without having to own the software typically required to process these formats.

Speed - Accelerating the overall translation process; since translation memories "remember" previously translated material, translators only have to translate it once.

Cost - Reducing costs of translation projects. For example, your company just updated the radiology image equipment. Usually, most of the user guide document will stay unchanged, only some items in the document will need to be updated. The translation memory has the ability to use the previous sentences stored in its database to pre-translate the current updated manual. This benefit will cause a relevant impact in the translation cost.

How does translation memory software differ from machine translation?

Machine translation automatically translates a document without any human input (or assistance).

These kinds of tools are fast, but result in a poor quality translation as a machine cannot understand the subtleties or contexts of language. As a result, quality and accuracy tend to be around 50% - 70%, therefore it is not advisable to send the raw form directly to your customers.

For example, the simple text below was translated using Google Translate (one of the most popular Machine Translation tools). The source text was translated from English into Korean. Using the same MT system, the translated sentence was translated back to English (which we call as reverse translation).

Original English text:

"Excel Translations' unique organizational structure allows the company to handle all phases of a medical translation project."

Korean Translation:

"엑셀 번역 '독특한 조직 구조는 회사가 의료 번역 프로젝트의 모든 단계를 처리할 수 있습니다."

Reverse English Translation:

"Excel Translations' unique organizational structure, medical translation project, the company can handle all phases of."

However, the "imperfect but fast" machine translation system is efficient in some cases. IBM and Microsoft have been using machine translation engines for the last ten years to provide real-time feedback for their customers. For example, a user can ask a question on the IBM portal about the installation for an acquired product in China. This question (written in Chinese) is automatically translated into English, so IBM's server's search engine finds the highest match topics. Then, these topics are automatically translated into Chinese and the customer can find a solution for his question in a few seconds.

In this case, the quality of the translation is poor, but the customer is a 100% satisfied because he is now able to install his product. However, on the other hand, the Machine Translation's quality is not acceptable for providing a multilingual prospect for a Neurovascular Array system.

Documentation: Part of Your Core Business Asset Portfolio?

The last decade of the 21st century brought more changes in publishing technology. Not only did publishing move from paper to the WWW, but it became more versatile, effective and interactive. Publications could be searched and content could be extracted.

Additionally, multimedia features deepened access to published information. Hypertext links enabled users to navigate through documents and allowed them to watch video clips with sound while reading a warning paragraph. With these new technologies, users were able to design their own experience of published material.

Throughout these advances most companies have viewed documentation –such as user guides and technical manuals– as a necessary tool to help consumers use the products they purchased. However, it was rare that documentation would get the business asset treatment, worthy of significant investment. The documents were still semi-interactive: though the companies could enable users to change their experience of the text, they could not present different versions of the text to users based on the user’s interaction with the document. In other words, companies did not have the technology to enable users to change the presentation of content to reflect their own needs.

For example, an American professional mechanic and a Brazilian apprentice require different levels of information from an auto-repair manual. The apprentice will need every step explained in detail and it will be much better if the instructions appear in Brazilian Portuguese while the mechanic will need only the data unique to the specific automobile. Yet these two levels of users could not interact with the same manual so the documentation had to be tailored to their respective levels of expertise.

New technologies such as XML enabled the creation of truly interactive documents in which the readers can specify their own needs and preferences and have the text change accordingly. With XML, a single document can contain the same text in different languages. Previously, companies with multiple foreign markets had to produce separate volumes for each language. Today, the text can be stored in a single XML-based FrameMaker document so that layout specifications (such as which illustrations go with corresponding captions) are preserved and smart action can be taken when automatic translation tools are used (for example, excluding proper nouns from translation). Another aspect of the auto-repair manual that could be changed interactively is the units of measure: imperial units (inches, gallons, degrees Fahrenheit, and so on) could be converted to metric units (meters, liters, degrees Celsius, and so on) based on the reader’s locale and preference.

The “new” ability to produce documentation has transformed documentation into “a core business asset” with serious revenue-producing potential. So, If your business hasn't been paying attention to your documentation, you're ignoring a sales tool and a revenue generator.

Time to actually read the manual!

Creativity as added value

In the translation industry, we tend to undervalue the creative aspects of the translation process. We rather focus on objective quality standards and evaluation methods to obtain measurable results about the translation output. We prefer to link translation quality to quantifiable and assessable variables. Our different QA steps are designed to guarantee accuracy, completeness and linguistic correction of the target text. This objective and scientific approach to translation prevails, and these are also the values that we present to clients when we describe the benefits of our professional translation services. Creativity is not a good companion of objective quality, neither a popular sales argument in the translation industry.

However, creativity is a very important skill that operates throughout the whole translation process. First, translators need to be extremely perceptive when they read and understand the source text. This initial interpretation work requires high levels of creative alertness to explore possible multiple meanings and grasp all the nuances and connotations conveyed in a text. Creativity will also play a crucial role in the second part of the translation process, when this complex meaning and content network is transferred to the target language and culture. A successful projection of the richness of meanings and evocations of the original text will be partly determined by the writing abilities of the translator. It is obvious that a technical user manual will not contain metaphors, second meanings, connotations or evocations and will thus not require as much creative talent in the interpretative as well as representative work involved in translation.

However, a clear insight of the source and an intelligent representation of the target message are crucial to reach the audience through certain document types or messages related to advertising or marketing. This is why many argue that another step beyond translation is sometimes required for certain texts to accomplish complex communication goals. Transcreation is the term used to define this extra creative effort to adapt a message to the target culture. Yet, any translation process and any translation work that aims at excellence should include transcreation, as well as the creative value it entails. As Walter Benjamin states in his essay ‘The task of the translator’: ‘to some degree all (great) texts contain their potential translation between the lines’. We could add that to discover this ‘potential translation’ and reveal it can be actually considered an art. Moreover, the quality and greatness of a translation work can depend on the artistic and creative talent of a translator or team of translators. The fact that the industry prefers to look in another direction will not change that.

The European patent is still on course…

In our last entry about patents in Europe, we wondered when it would be possible to talk about a unique pan-European patent system.

That has already become a reality! European Parliament gave its approval to member states so that they could use the enhanced cooperation procedure in order to establish a unique patent system within the European Union.
The goal for European companies? To encourage and boost innovation and competitiveness, thereby making the patent registration procedure easier and reducing all the inherent costs (especially translation costs).

On March 10, 2011, 25 EU member states gave their green light for the creation of a unique pan-European patent system. Only Spain and Italy are standing their ground and squarely refusing to participate in this agreement. Despite this, the process is definitely moving now. Indeed, last April 13, 2010, European Commission presented two proposals for unitary patent protection. Now, any companies or any inventors will be able to protect their inventions within those signatory 25 member states. Patent requests can be registered in any language, but the EPO (European Patent Office) will continue to submit patents in one of the three official languages (English, French or German). During a transitory period of 12 years maximum, patents submitted in French or German will have to be translated into English, and those submitted in English will have to be translated in one of the 2 other official languages. These translations will be necessary until the machine translation system is totally workable and efficient.
In the meanwhile, all additional translations completed up to now will be used in order to expand and enrich the machine translation system database.

English source language tips for two common issues

1. Content
Imperial English measurements such as length, temperature, etc. are often found in documentation for medical device translation. Most linguists need to convert these measurements to Metric to localize the translation. In a multiple language project, you may find slight variances of these conversions.

Suggestion for source document: provide both Imperial and Metric measurements to assure consistency in target documents. Provide instructions whether the Imperial measurements can be removed or else kept in the target within parentheses.

Example source
Temperature: -40° F to +158° F (-25° C to 70° C)
Example translation:
Temperatura: -25 °C a 70 °C
or
Temperatura: -25 °C a 70 °C (-40° F a +158° F)


2. Layout
Adequate White Space in English source documentation can be lacking in certain areas such as tables or graphic callouts. Since text expansion occurs in many languages, translations may end up being hyphenated or have a reduced font size in order to fit within the small area provided.

Suggestion for source document: Widen and lengthen trouble areas such as column rows and text boxes containing graphic callouts.

Example Source
User
not
User

Example Translation
Usuario

These are two issues that are easy to manage by the source material author(s) and will improve the translation process and quality.