METM16 presentation
Alan Lounds, Barcelona, Spain
Statistical machine translation (MT) is now an added function in several computer assisted translation (CAT) tools, in which it can be used for translating whole translation segments or leveraged in combination with glossaries and partial matches through auto-assembly. A major limitation of this technology is that users are unable to personalize the MT engines to improve their results with their own translation memories and glossaries. Many translators are also concerned about the security issues involved in sending texts to MT engines on cloud servers that may store the information indefinitely.
Lilt: the customizable CAT/MT tool we've all been waiting for?
Alan Lounds, Barcelona, Spain Statistical machine translation (MT) is now an added function in several computer assisted translation (CAT) tools, in which it can be used for translating whole translation segments or leveraged in combination with glossaries and partial matches through auto-assembly. A major limitation of this technology is that users are unable to personalize the MT engines to improve their results with their own translation memories and glossaries. Many translators are also concerned about the security issues involved in sending texts to MT engines on cloud servers that may store the information indefinitely.
Lilt is an online CAT tool that allows users to improve the MT results by adding their translation memories and glossaries. The MT engine learns from the translation memory and from the translations introduced by the user. Though web-based, Lilt also offers security by encrypting the texts that it processes.
The basic functions of Lilt will be explained, with particular emphasis on new features that may offer an increase in translation quality and productivity in comparison with other CAT and MT systems. This presentation will be of interest mainly to users of such tools but also to anyone curious about the current state of translation technology.
Alan Lounds is head of the Language Advisory Unit at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, where he manages the translation of institutional and academic documents and the creation of language support resources. He has 25 years’ experience as a freelance editor and translator and also teaches academic writing. He is a founder member, former chair and the current CPD chair of Mediterranean Editors and Translators.
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