Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE)

We offer this service, albeit with a cautionary note:
Light Post-Editing & Full Post-Editing

Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE) – When is it the right choice to make?

Here at eurolanguage Fachübersetzungen we are convinced that there is no substitute for high-quality human translation. Language is a living entity, one suffused with nuance and defined by context – subtle factors that a machine is simply incapable of grasping.

That said, situations do arise in which machine translation accompanied by accurately targeted post-editing may prove to be a pragmatic and cost-effective solution. Which is why, for quite a while now, we have also been offering our customers Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE).

However, you should be under no illusions: in no shape or form does MTPE constitute a fully-compatible alternative to the output of a human translator. This remains true to this day. Whereas a human translator will adapt the content and style of the text to suit the target group, MTPE will always by definition remain a post-edited machine translation – with all of the attendant limitations that this implies.

A MTPE solution can never replace the quality and accuracy, nor the quintessentially human creativity and originality of a professional translator. Nonetheless, there are without doubt certain scenarios in which MTPE is a viable option, and it is one that can deliver a cost-saving.

Of course, the professionalism of the editor is a decisive factor in the final outcome of post-edited machine translation. We here at eurolanguage only ever use highly trained translators working in their native language.

MTPE or human translation – Which is the right choice?

Machine translation with post-editing is a fast and pragmatic solution that suits certain sets of requirements. However, when it comes to quality, an accurate grasp of nuance and the ideal way to address your target group, human translation reigns supreme.

Let us decide together which solution is best for your project.

We look forward to discussing this with you!

Enquire about MTPE at eurolanguage

MTPE SERVICE FROM EUROLANGUAGE

Let us know about the purpose which your text seeks to serve
We can then advise you on the most efficient form of MTPE for your purpose
You will receive a personal quotation from us
We only ever use native-speaker MTPE editors
When time is of the essence, our Express MTPE Service delivers your text within 24 hours
Data security guaranteed
Machine translation with DeeplPro
We also take great pleasure with this service in going that eurolanguage Extra Mile for you – meticulous work at a fair price

Was is Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE)?

As the name indicates, MTPE refers to the post-editing of machine translations by a professional linguist. Computer-generated translations can be post-edited to varying levels and a distinction is made between ‘light post-editing’ and ‘full post-editing’.

We can provide you with either of these options and are always delighted to advise you on the most appropriate choice for your project. To help you, we have put together this short guide:

Light Post-Editing

With this option, we simply check machine translation output for obvious errors and correct them. Here are some typical examples of what that work involves:

Correcting of grammatical and typographical errors
Checking that all dimensional units and numerals in the source text have been transposed and rendered correctly
Checking the correct written form of proper nouns (common errors in computer translation, such as ‘Calvin Small’ instead of ‘Calvin Klein’)
Checking for completeness – Inserting any omitted parts of a sentence or phrase
Correcting major terminological errors

This service does NOT include:

❌ Improvement of sentence structure or choice of words

❌ Stylistic amendments or enhancements

❌ Checking of terminology or consistency

❌ Localisation of texts for the target audience

When is Light Post-Editing all that you need?

For texts that are intended to provide a quick overview and that serve purely informative purposes:

In-house communication within a company: reports, memoranda, e-mails that are only intended for internal use
Technical documents for in-house use: operating instructions or specifications for technical staff
Informative mailshots: newsletters or announcements where the focus is on content rather than on style
Market research and data evaluation: the translation of survey results or customer feedback for in-house analysis purposes

Basic working documents for technical staff: texts that will be revised by experts or that serve as guidance

⚠ NOT SUITABLE FOR: marketing texts, legal documents or texts intended for publication to reach an external readership

The costs of Light Post-Editing

Given that this service only involves superficial corrections, it takes less time and is therefore correspondingly less expensive than a human translation. It offers a quick solution for simple content, but that comes with significant limitations in terms of style and precision. Nonetheless, this form of post-editing of machine translations does have its place in the scheme of things since it ‘does what it says on the tin’ – it gets the job done in situations for which it is the appropriate tool to use.

Full Post-Editing

This constitutes the proverbial next level, at which we revise the text in greater depth. It includes all aspects of Light Post-Editing to which it adds the following:

Translation errors and inaccuracies are corrected
Style and sentence structure receive a careful makeover
Terminology is checked and corrected where necessary (this also involves checks against any glossaries that may be provided)
The use of appropriate forms of address, in line with customer stipulations: formal, informal, gender-specific – in accordance with the stipulations of any style guide you may elect to provide.

Despite all of the above, full post-editing still lags some distance behind the work of a skilled human translator. Full Post-Editing is therefore really only suited to the translation of relatively simple texts – and it does not lend itself to challenging or creative content.

When is Full Post-Editing the right tool for the job?

Technical manuals and product descriptions: content that can be understood by the end customer and that does not require high levels of stylistic finesse
In-house presentations and reports for which the content needs to be conveyed but where the precise wording is of secondary importance
Simple website texts: FAQ pages, general company information, factual texts
Straightforward marketing texts: standardised promotional materials with a clear structure (e.g. product lists, descriptions of events)
Standardised contracts or terms & conditions of business: clear, factual language WITHOUT intricate legal subtleties

⚠ NOT SUITABLE FOR: creative texts, sophisticated marketing texts, literary content or highly specialist texts such as legal documents, contracts, scientific papers and, of course, not appropriate for translations for statutory bodies that need to be sworn and/or certified.

The costs for Full Post-Editing

Since this option involves a more thorough form of editing, it is priced between a Light Post-Editing solution and a translation by a professional linguist. Full Post-Editing is a viable option for appropriate kinds of content where the need is for error-free and clear communication.

MTPE at eurolanguage Fachübersetzungen

For which language combinations can eurolanguage provide you with an MTPE solution?

Machine translation software is by no means a universal silver bullet: at this time, machine translation is better in some languages than in others. Accordingly, we therefore only offer MTPE in certain language combinations, including English, French, Italian and Spanish.

For other language pairs, we will weigh up whether a human translation might be a more appropriate option for you from the outset. We would quantify the amount of work involved and would then advise you – all of which is of course free of charge to you.

As a translation agency, we of course exist to serve the needs and wishes of our customers. To that end, we seek only to provide language services that fully satisfy your requirements.

Here at eurolanguage, all post-editing work is carried out exclusively by professionally qualified translators, all of whom work solely into their native language.

These are all individuals to whom we have been entrusting translation work for many years. People whose many years of experience enable them to identify the foibles and strengths of computer-generator or ‘machine’ translation.