Many companies only start to consider terminology when they translate their content into other languages. Yet the foundation for consistent corporate language is laid right from the start in the source language. If authors do not use established specialised terminology consistently, these differences and potential misunderstandings are often carried over into all target languages. That’s why it’s worth checking the terminology in the source text before starting the translation. In this blog post, you’ll find out how a professional terminology check can help improve the quality of source and target texts.
Source terminology as the foundation of corporate language
Terminology work definitely begins in the source language. Content writers use technical terms for products, components, processes and services. Ideally, these technical terms should be recorded centrally to ensure that they are used consistently by everyone.
The terminology in the target languages is based on the specified terms and definitions in the source language. In terminology databases, terms are linked to their equivalents, enabling consistent and unambiguous communication across all languages.
This not only improves the clarity and quality of the texts, but also makes the translation process easier and supports translators by providing clear guidelines. At the same time, quality control becomes significantly simpler and more reliable.
Terminology check during the text creation process
In practice, terminology is not always followed consistently when writing. Different authors use different technical terms and don’t adhere to established standards.
As a result, incorrect or inconsistent terminology finds its way into the content and is subsequently carried over into the translation. This can lead to misunderstandings and errors. However, there are ways to avoid this.
Authoring support in editorial systems and CMSs
Some editorial and content management systems offer authoring support as a core feature or plug-in. This involves integrating terminology databases directly into the working environment.
These systems can then, for example, warn of prohibited terms, suggest correct terms or search specifically for the correct terminology. This enables writers to avoid time-consuming research and mistakes right from the writing stage.
In many cases, however, such functions are not available to all departments. Often, for example, only the technical documentation team uses the relevant editorial system, meaning that company-wide terminology checks cannot be guaranteed.
Integration into plug-ins and widgets
However, terminology can also be integrated into more widely used word processing programs, such as Microsoft Word or PowerPoint. This is done either via plug-ins or using additional software provided by terminology database manufacturers. So-called widgets run in the background and provide the connection to the terminology database. By selecting text or using a shortcut,
terms can then be checked against the database and corrected if necessary. The same applies to plug-ins that integrate the database into the word processing software, enabling text to be checked and corrected within the software. The advantage of both methods is that specified terminology is available to all employees in their usual working environments and can therefore be used by a wider group of people.
Terminology check following text creation
Whilst the terminology check during text creation is therefore closely linked to the file format, it can be carried out as a separate step after the text has been created, regardless of the file format. This can be done both before the text is published and before it is sent for translation.
Here, too, incorrect terms in the source text are identified and can be corrected quickly. This not only improves the quality of the source texts, but also lays the best foundation for consistent translation output.
A tool that’s well suited to this purpose is a structured terminology check with our review platform oneReview.
Terminology check with oneReview
You can use oneReview in a variety of ways – either directly within your translation workflow or as a standalone check for your source texts. This allows you to easily integrate a review stage into your processes after the text creation process has been completed.
- View the full text in the layout
- Professional integration of terminology
- Colour-coding of prohibited or incorrect terms
- Review directly in the text editor
- Integrated quality checks
An overview of the process
We have deliberately kept our process simple: oneword creates a project based on the source document and integrates your terminology database.
The content is then made available in one of two formats:
1. HTML version for internal review
The text is provided with colour-coding. Any discrepancies in terminology are immediately apparent and can be corrected in the source document.
2. Editing in oneReview
Corrections are made directly in oneReview, supported by various quality control functions. After that, oneword will provide you with the cleaned-up source document.
Both formats allow for the rapid checking and correction of terminology in the source language, meaning that the documents can be used directly in subsequent processes.
Conclusion: Consistent terminology in the source language is crucial
Correct terminology is not only important during translation, but also when writing or checking the source texts. If companies use agreed terminology consistently from the outset and check it before translation begins, they lay the foundations for consistent communication in all target languages. At the same time, they improve the quality of their content, avoid unnecessary rounds of corrections and streamline both translation processes and quality checks. What is essential is that the terminology can be seamlessly integrated into existing processes and environments, meaning that the review constitutes a small but important additional step in the text creation process.
Would you like to ensure that the terminology in your source texts is checked thoroughly and identify any discrepancies at an early stage? The experts at oneword would be happy to discuss with you, in a no-obligation consultation, which options are best suited to your needs, how you can effectively integrate oneReview into your existing processes, and how you can achieve a lasting improvement in the quality of your source and target texts.
