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There are three sections in this chapter, including the background information of the respondents, results of the software localization vendors, and freelance TRADOS translators

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Chapter 4 Results

This chapter aims to present the results of the survey. There are three sections in this chapter, including the background information of the respondents, results of the software localization vendors, and freelance TRADOS translators.

4.1 Background information of the respondents

The major difficulty for survey implementation was to find qualified respondents.

As the researcher did not have direct networking with the software localization industry, the respondents of the survey were found mainly through snowballing. One respondent who represents the software localization vendor was a friend of the researcher while another five people from software localization companies were forwarded by two friends. One more software localization vendor by another

respondent who is a freelance TRADOS translator. Four of all forwarded respondents were listed as the major software localization vendors by the Survey of Translation and Interpretation Industry in Taiwan (The Government Information Office, 2003).

The researcher attempted to contact the remaining three other vendors on the list but failed to obtain their consent to be interviewed.

During the design process of the survey, two pilot interviews were conducted.

The official interview duration started on December 24 of 2004 and ended on January 5 of 2005. Seven persons from the software localization companies or software localization department in translation agencies were surveyed and another seven freelance TRADOS translators were surveyed. The initial contacts with the

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respondents were either through email or telephone communication. Six out of seven respondents from the software localization business agreed to be interviewed

face-to-face while one chose to answer the survey questions via email. Five out of seven freelance TRADOS translators accepted face-to-face interview while two answered the survey questions via email.

After making an appointment for an interview, the researcher visited the respondent at an appointed location to conduct the interview. The duration of the interviews ranged from fifteen minutes to two hours depending on the amount of information provided by the respondent. All the interviews were recorded.

Fourteen respondents were interviewed in total, including seven as the software localization vendors and seven as the freelance TRADOS translators. Among the respondents as the software localization vendors, two were from the localization departments of translation agencies while five were from specialized software localization vendors. All respondents were identified by a code in this research. A brief breakdown of the details of the respondents from the software localization business and freelance TRADOS translators is shown in Table 4.1 and Table 4.2.

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Table 4.1 Respondents – the software localization vendors

Code From Gender Time of interview

A Translation agency Male 2004/12/28

B Translation agency Male 2004/12/29

C Specialized software

localization vendor

Male 2004/12/30

D Specialized software

localization vendor

Female 2005/01/03

E Specialized software

localization vendor

Female 2005/01/04

F Specialized software

localization vendor

Female 2005/01/05

G Specialized software

localization vendor

Female 2004/12/31 (Email reply)

Table 4.2 Respondents – the freelance TRADOS translators

Code Gender Time of interview

A Female 2004/12/24

B Female 2004/12/29

C Female 2004/12/30

D Female 2005/01/03

E Female 2005/01/06

F Female 2004/12/28 (Email reply)

G Female 2005/01/05 (Email reply)

4.1.1 Software localization vendors

Eight respondents, on behalf of their companies respectively, were interviewed to answer the survey questions from the perspective of the software localization vendors,

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with two from translation agencies and five from specialized software localization vendors. Three respondents are male and four are female. Three respondents took translation courses or received translation training while two did not and another two did not answer. Four respondents have experience in translation with the duration ranging from 2 years to 8 years, with an average of 4.8 years, but three respondents did not answer. Six respondents TRADOS answered how long they have used TRADOS. The duration ranges between 6 months to 8 years, with an average of 4.6 years. Six respondents personally are still using TRADOS. Those who did not answer the questions related to translation training, translation experience, and TRADOS experience are all from the software localization companies and involve more in project management or higher level of management.

Table 3.2 illustrates the background information of the respondents as software localization vendors. Figure 4.1 shows that two respondents started using TRADOS when they started their translation career. Two respondents adopted TRADOS some time after they started taking on translation work. One respondent has used TRADOS for five years but does not have previous translation experience. The respondent explained that she works as a project manager and thus has no translation experience.

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Table 4.3 Background information of respondents – the software localization vendors

N=7 Category Number Percentage

From Translation agencies

Specialized software localization vendors

2

5

28

72

Gender Male

Female

3 4

43 57 Translation training Yes

No

Not available

3 2 2

44 29 27 Translation experience 2-3 years

3 years 6 years 8 years Not available

1 1 1 1 3

14 14 14 14 44 Years of using TRADOS 6 months

3-4 years 5 years 6 years 8 years Not available

1 1 1 1 1 2

14 14 14 14 14 30 Still using TRADOS or not Yes

No

Not available

5 1 1

72 14 14

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Translation experience and TRADOS experience of software localization vendors

3

6

8

2.5

0.5 0

6

8

3.5

5

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

A D E F G

Software localization vendors Years

Figure 4.1 Translation experience and TRADOS experience of software localization vendors (except respondent B and C)

4.1.2 Freelance TRADOS translators

All the respondents are female and all have taken translation courses or received translation training. Six freelance TRADOS translators have experience in translation for at least three years, with two for three years, two for four years, one for four and half years and one for seven years. The average translation experience is 3.8 years.

The experience of using TRADOS is short compared to the translation experience, with the longest one as 4 years, followed by 3 years, and the rest ranging between 2 months to 2.5 years. The average duration of using TRADOS is 1.7 years. Over half of the respondents are still using TRADOS. The average source words that are

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translated per day by using TRADOS range between 1,500 words and 4000 words.

Three respondents gave the answer of two thousands words which is the mode.

Table 4.4 Background information of respondents – the freelance TRADOS translators

N=7 Category Number Percentage

Gender Male

Female

0 7

0 100 Taken translation courses or

received translation training

Yes No

7 0

100 0 Years of translation Less than 1 year

3 years 4 years 4.5 years 7 years

1 2 2 1 1

14 29 29 14 14 Years of using TRADOS 2 months

3 months 4 months 1.5 years 2.5 years 3 years 4 years

1 1 1 1 1 1 1

14 14 14 14 14 14 14 Still using TRADOS or not Yes

No

4 3

57 43 Average source words that are

translated per day by using TRADOS

1500 words 2000 words

2500 – 3000 words 3500 words

2000 – 4000 words

1 3 1 1 1

14 44 14 14 14

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Translation experience and TRADOS experience for freelance TRADOS translators

3 3

7

4

1 4

1.5 2.5

0.2 0.3 4

0.4 3 4.5

0.501 1.52 2.53 3.54 4.55 5.56 6.57 7.5

A B C D E F G

Freelance TRADOS translators Years

Figure 4.2 Translation experience and TRADOS experience of freelance TRADOS translators

4.2 Responses from software localization vendors

The responses of software localization vendors are categorized into cost-related, product-related, information-related and others as shown in the following sections.

4.2.1 Cost-related questions

Cost-related questions include Question 3 (total purchases), 5 (switching costs), 6 (profit level), 13 (translators' cost of equipment), 14 (translators' labor cost) and 15

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(attractiveness of vendors' translation price to the software localization vendors) for software localization vendors. These questions aim to investigate the percentage of TRADOS translators' output in the total purchases of the software localization vendors, the switching costs the software localization vendors fact, the profit level of the software localization vendors, translators' cost of equipment and translators' labor cost, and the attractiveness of the translation price paid by the software localization vendors to the freelance TRADOS translators.

The answers of the software localization vendors show that the total cost dedicated to outsource translation to freelance TRADOS translators is likely to vary for different projects due to the different nature of projects and various payment structures for freelance TRADOS translators. When freelance TRADOS translators offer quality translation, they are likely to receive premium rates for translation, leading to higher translation outsourcing cost for software localization vendors.

According to the respondents, the TRADOS translation outsourcing accounts for 30%

to 40% in the total cost of the software localization vendors.

When the software localization vendors have to switch to new freelance TRADOS translators, some switching costs may arise. If the software localization vendors are able to use the next capable freelance TRADOS translator, the switching costs may be kept relatively low. However, if new freelance translator who has no experience of using TRADOS is going to make up the lost translation capacity, the switching costs will be high for the software localization vendors. Other sources of switching costs come from the likely deterioration of translation quality, TRADOS training, and increasing review costs.

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According to the vendors, the profit level in the software localization industry is average to low due to severe competition. It also has been pointed out that software localization vendors offering translation service only do not have a high profit margin.

Profits usually come from other localization activities such as testing and consultancy.

The total costs of the freelance TRADOS translators when they work with TRADOS can be divided into the cost of equipment and labor cost. The cost of equipment includes computer hardware and software (TRADOS). While computers are already considered as essential equipment for translation by the translators who all have experience in translation, the major cost of equipment is the high cost of buying TRADOS. The labor costs involved are mainly the time investment required for translation. Familiarity of using TRADOS can help increase the translation speed.

According to the software localization vendors, the attractiveness of the translation rates offered by the software localization vendors to the freelance

TRADOS translators is determined by different criteria, including freelance TRADOS translator's translation experience, translation quality, and career attitude, as well as the financial health of the vendors.

Followings are more detailed answers for each question.

Questions No. 3: What is the percentage of TRADOS translators' output in the total costs or purchases of software localization vendors? _____% (Very high/high/a bit high/average/a bit low/low/very low)

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The answers given by vendors fall into the category between 30% and 40%, with one indicating around 1/3, one 30%, two 30% to 40%, one 40%. Two vendors

considered the percentage to be low or a bit low. The percentage changes due to the nature of the project and different payment scales for translators. Software

localization vendors give different quotations to clients while taking into account of the nature and difficulty level of projects. As a result, different projects are likely to have different budgets. Software localization vendors usually pay premium rates to the freelance TRADOS translators who offer quality translation. Therefore, when there are varied budget allocation and various levels of translation payments, the translation expense for each project will be different.

Table 4.5 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 3 Respondent Answers

A Around 1/3 or less. Most of the expenses are personnel costs. In addition, translators of different translation qualities are paid differently so the percentage may change.

B The percentage should be between 30% and 40% for vendors in general.

The percentage varies because the quotations of projects vary for different languages. In fact the specific percentage should be between 30% and 60%. The market price changes constantly as the nature of the projects varies and the competition dynamics differ.

C The percentage is very high. TRADOS translators' output accounts for half to two thirds of our total costs. Translators are just like the raw materials in our business. Without translators' translation input, our company can not function.

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Table 4.5 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 3 (continued)

D TRADOS translators' output account for around 40% in our total cost. The number may vary in different projects. If the costs of reviewing and follow-up works are included, the language cost of the project accounts for around 60% to 70% of our total cost.

E The percentage is around 30% in general. The nature of the project and the translation quality of translators will affect the percentage. When the project is just an update of the product where the repetitive content can be found in TM, the translation charge will not be very high. We give

premium rates to translators whose translation quality is good, resulting in higher percentage of our total cost dedicated to freelance TRADOS translators.

F In general, the percentage is between 30% to 40%. The percentage varies as translators with different levels of quality are paid differently. We are glad to give premium rates to translators with better quality.

G A bit low

(Original in Chinese, translated by Hsin-Jung Chung)

Question No. 5: Does the software localization vendor face switching costs while switching from one TRADOS translator to another? Are the switching costs high or low? (Very high/high/a bit high/average/a bit low/low/very low)

All the vendors indicated that certain levels of switching costs are unavoidable and are determined by various factors including the TRADOS capability, translation experience, and difficulty level of projects. The leaving of experienced translators pose a bigger loss to the vendor, according to two vendors. Two vendors said that they tend to use the next person in line to make up the lost capacity when translators quit so the switching costs may not be very high. Another two vendors said the switching costs would be high if the vendor has to use new freelance translators who do not

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know how to use TRADOS. When new freelance TRADOS translators have to spend a period of time learning how to use TRADOS and translate with TRADOS, this increases the potential cost of lost capacity and deterioration of translation quality.

The cost of training new freelance translators to use TRADOS is also a cost. Another respondent said that TRADOS is not very difficult for freelance translators to learn but the translation proficiency of freelance TRADOS translators is difficult to be developed. Four vendors pointed out that possible increase of costs in reviewing translations of new freelance TRADOS translators for the project may be another concern.

Table 4.6 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 5 Respondent Answers

The switching costs are very high as it takes a long time to fine-tune the translation quality of a translator to a satisfactory level. The longer the time the vendor puts in, the bigger the loss is. The switching costs come from the time and training required in the development of a translator.

The costs have nothing to do with the capability of using the tool (translation memory).

B The training of translators may be a switching cost which is not very high as TRADOS is not difficult to learn. Most translators only use very basic functions in TRADOS such as Workbench and Multiterm. Switching costs come from finding the qualified translators with good translation capability and IT knowledge. Capability of translation is more important than the capability of using the tool.

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Table 4.6 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 5 (continued)

C In fact, when an experienced translator leaves, we go to the next person in line. There are different levels of translators with different payment structures. Sometimes we have to allow a novice translator to take on the job, the switching cost is then the possible deterioration of translation quality and our credit. We definitely suffer a great loss if an experienced translator quit. We may have to use two or three translators to make up the capacity of the experienced translator and make more efforts to review the translation, resulting in the increase of review costs and delay of schedule.

Currently we have four levels of translators, including the best, good, average, and poor levels.

D In fact, we will face switching costs but the costs have nothing to do with TRADOS. The possible deterioration of translation quality is related to another translator's unfamiliarity with the project. The switching costs are determined by the difficulty level of the projects. The costs mainly come from the time required for the translator to get familiarize with the project and the possible increase of efforts of the reviewer in the revision stage.

We do not necessarily switch to novice or experienced translators. We tend to look for the most suitable person for the project. If the project is not very difficult, we will use novice translators who can pick up the style very quickly. If the project is very technical, translators who are new to the project may have to spend a longer time to familiarize themselves with the project. Meanwhile, the reviewers may have to spend longer time on revision when the projects are translated by translators who are new to the projects.

E When we switch to novice translators who have no experience in using TRADOS, they may come up with translation of lower readability. Then our switching cost is high. If we switch to translators who know how to use TRADOS and have experience in translation, our switching cost is lower. When we lose translators during peak seasons, the switching cost is higher because of the possible deterioration of translation quality and potential increase in reviewing costs.

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Table 4.6 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 5 (continued)

F The switching cost is quite high. The cost comes from training translators to use translation tools. In the early period of training, frequent instruction, communication, and some examinations are required. Novice translators have to spend more time to get used to the style of software localization.

With the training that we offer, translators have to spare their time for training and practicing. It definitely involves risk when we switch translators, but the risk is not necessarily related to the translation tool.

G The switching costs are average. The costs come from recruiting translators and provide training. New translators also mean some risk before we see the production quality.

(Original in Chinese, translated by Hsin-Jung Chung)

Questions No. 6: What is the profit level of the software localization vendor?

(Very high/high/a bit high/average/a bit low/low/very low)

Three vendors indicated that the profit level for the software localization industry is average. Two vendors said the profit is not very high and one said it is low for the newly established department in the company. One respondent said the industry competition is severe and the other one said the companies at the downstream players within the industry are squeezed in terms of profit. Three vendors pointed out that if a vendor is capable of offering services other than translation, the profit level could be increased. The translation business alone is not considered as the source of profit from the perspective of the software localization vendors.

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Table 4.7 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 6 Respondent Answers

A The localization department in my company does not have a long history so the profit level is low. For software localization vendors in general, the profit level is average.

B If a software localization vendor is only responsible for the translation of a software product, the profit is not good. If the vendor also does testing for the product, the profit is better. There is a severe competition in the localization industry so generally the profit is not high. A company who focuses on localization business should enjoy a better profit than us. We specialize more in programming.

C The profit level also depends on the translation quality. Large companies enjoy higher profits from large projects and are able to give higher rates to good translators. The retention of good translators can maintain the quality of translation. In return, large companies offering quality translation can continue to bid for even larger projects for more profits.

D Average, neither high nor low.

E The profit is not very high. We mainly focus on the translation process of software localization so the profit is not very good. It is generally

believed that translation is not a professional activity thus the payment is usually forced down by the client. If a vendor can do testing for the client, a better profit can be expected as it is considered to be more professional and technical.

F Our profit is average. We are at the lower level of the localization industry hierarchy so our profit has been forced down. Translation can only be done by human translators so there is not much room for breakthroughs in the productivity improvement.

G Average

(Original in Chinese, translated by Hsin-Jung Chung)

Question No. 13: To the knowledge of the software localization vendor, what is the cost of equipment of translators when TRADOS is used in the process of

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translation? Is the cost of equipment high or low? (Very high/high/a bit high/average/a bit low/low/very low)

All vendors mentioned that computer and TRADOS software are required for using TRADOS for translation. The cost of purchasing a copy of TRADOS was considered to be the major source of costs of equipment as TRADOS costs a lot.

However, three vendors indicated that the high cost of buying TRADOS could be considered as an investment for professional freelance TRADOS translators. If the software is only used for a short time, the cost is relatively high. As computer was mentioned by every respondent, two vendors said that there is no need to buy a new computer especially for TRADOS, meaning the average specifications should suffice.

Three vendors added Internet connection as another cost of equipment as one respondent said online researching requires stable and fast Internet connection.

Table 4.8 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 13 Respondent Answers

A Computer, software and Internet. The cost is high for a freelance

translator as TRADOS costs a lot. If the software is only used for a short time, the cost is even relatively higher. Freelance translators who

establish a long-term relationship with localization vendors may be provided with a copy of TRADOS. The Internet is for researching so a certain level of speed is necessary to avoid the waste of time.

B Software and computer hardware are the costs of equipment. A professional translator may consider the purchase of TRADOS is an investment while the price may seemed to be very high for a student.

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Table 4.8 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 13 (continued) C There is almost no cost of equipment even when computer is used. Each

translator has a computer, or more but there is no need to buy a very high-end computer. The computer does not need to have excellent

processing speed as translator processes and stores one sentence at a time.

Professional translators who are in the localization industry for six or seven years may buy TRADOS as it is an investment for them.

D Apart from the computer equipment, TRADOS is the only cost of equipment. If translators use TRADOS to make money, the cost of equipment should be low. If translators enjoy high income, the cost is relatively low. TRAODS is the only thing that translators have to invest.

E Translators in Taiwan think it costs a lot to buy TRADOS as they are not paid enough for their translation. Translators do not have to buy high performance computers as the general specifications should satisfy the demand. The computer hard disk should have enough storage space for large projects. It is very important to have stable and fast Internet

connection as translators may have to access reference documents online.

F Computer and TRADOS. Currently, unless the computer is very low-end, there is no need to buy a new computer for using TRADOS. TRAODS is costly for individual translator so we offer TRADOS to our freelance TRAODS translators. As a result, our freelance TRADOS translators do not have to buy the software. There is no extra cost of using TRADOS for translation.

G Computer, software and Internet connection. The cost is a bit high.

(Original in Chinese, translated by Hsin-Jung Chung)

Question No. 14: To the knowledge of the software localization vendor, what is the labor cost of translators when TRADOS is used in the process of translation? Is the labor cost high or low? (Very high/high/a bit high/average/a bit low/low/very low)

All vendors pointed out that "time investment" is the labor cost of working with

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TRADOS. Inexperienced freelance TRADOS translators may have to spend longer time to produce correct translation via the help of TRADOS, according to two vendors. One respondent said that familiarity of using TRADOS could definitely increase the speed of translation . One respondent said the labor cost is average and another one said the cost is directly proportional to the income.

Table 4.9 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 14 Respondent Answers

A The labor cost is high as translators have to put in their time and efforts to translate. The efforts and time required on a document tend to reduce in the later stage of the translation as the translator gets familiar with the domain knowledge and repetitive content in the document.

B The time spent on translating is the major labor cost. How to produce correct translation takes away most of the time while learning how to use the tool is not that difficult. Translators only use very basic function in TRADOS.

C The time spent on translation is the translator's labor cost. The speed of translation definitely increases when TRADOS is used. Without TRADOS, a translator is not able to ensure the consistency in the translation.

D Time is the labor cost. The more time the translator puts in, the higher the income is.

E The time spent on translation. Translators of the younger generation enjoy a lower labor cost as they are more familiar with using TRADOS.

F For experienced TRADOS translators, the labor cost – time spent on translation, is not high. Those who are not familiar with the tool have to spend a longer time to get used to using the tool. After a certain period of time, the labor cost should be average for TRADOS translators.

G Time and researching. The cost is average.

(Original in Chinese, translated by Hsin-Jung Chung)

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Question No. 15: Is the translation price offered by the software localization vendor attractive to freelance TRADOS translators? What is its attractiveness level?

(Very high/high/a bit high/average/a bit low/low/very low)

One respondent believed price was attractive to freelance TRADOS translators while two vendors considered the attractiveness level as average. One respondent said the price should be acceptable. The rest three vendors proposed several criteria to be considered for price attractiveness, including translation experience, translation quality, career attitude of the translator, and whom the translator works with.

Translators with more experience and better translation quality could receive premium translation rates. One respondent even said that full-time freelance TRADOS

translators are able to enjoy a high income from doing translation for software

localization. However, if translators work with newly established localization vendors, they are less likely to receive premium translation rates.

Table 4.10 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 15 Respondent Answers

A For the novice translators in the software localization industry, the

attractiveness level is very low. For experienced translators, it depends on whom they work with. New companies tend to offer lower prices. The payment level is related to the translation quality of individual translator.

For experienced translators, the attractiveness level may be high.

B I think the attractiveness level should be acceptable as projects often come with a large number of source words to be translated. To my knowledge, TRADOS translators usually work for several vendors instead of only one vendor.

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Table 4.10 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 15 (continued)

C I think TRADOS translators can make a fortune out of software

localization but many translators are not satisfied with the price. Most of the freelance translators do not take this part-time job seriously and hang on long enough to see their progress in translation. For these translators, the attractiveness of the payment is average. For full-time translators, they can earn 100,000 or even 200,000 dollars a month. The attractiveness of the payment depends on the attitude of the individual translator.

D Each company has a different pricing structure. As far as I know, our company pays a higher price than others and can retain our translators.

Translation quality is a factor which affects payment. We are willing to pay a higher price to translators whose translation quality is good as we can spend fewer efforts on reviewing.

E It is definitely attractive when compared to the unit price offered by translation agencies. In addition, translators can increase their

competitiveness by using TRADOS to accumulate translation experience.

F The attractiveness level should be average. As the translation output produced by using TRADOS is low compared to other tools, we have a different pricing structure for TRADOS translators.

G The attractiveness level is average.

(Original in Chinese, translated by Hsin-Jung Chung)

4.2.2 Product-related questions

Product-related questions include Question 1 (substitute product), 2 (competition from substitute product), 4 (product differentiation), 8 (important business input), and 9 (quality influence) and 17 (other attractive characteristics of freelance TRADOS translators' translation to the software localization vendors) for the software

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localization vendors. These questions are designed to explore whether there is any substitute product for the translation output of freelance TRADOS translators, whether freelance TRADOS translators have to compete with the substitute product, the differentiation level of the translation output of freelance TRADOS translators, whether the translation output of freelance TRADOS translators is an important business input for the software localization vendors and affects the product or service quality of the software localization vendors. The software localization vendors are also asked to identify other attractive characteristics of translation offered by freelance TRADOS translators in Question 17 when TRADOS is used by all translators.

All vendors believe that there is no substitute product for the translation of freelance TRADOS translators. Even machine translation has been developed, it is not advanced enough to replace human translators. As a result, there is no competition from the substitute product. In terms of the product differentiation, the translation outputs of different freelance TRADOS translators are considered by almost all vendors to be similar when TRADOS is used. However, individual differences of the freelance TRADOS translators can still be recognized in their TRADOS translation outputs. Translation experience, translation training or working attitude may all be the reasons for the differences in freelance TRADOS translators' outputs. When no previous translation is available in TRADOS, individual differences are likely to be enlarged so freelance TRADOS translators are very likely to offer very different renditions.

All software localization vendors interviewed considered the translation output of freelance TRADOS translators an important business input for them. The

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importance level is rated from high to very high. In addition, all the software localization vendors indicated that the translation output of freelance TRADOS translators affects the product or service quality of the vendors. The impact level is likely to be high during peak seasons when reviewers may be too busy to conduct proper reviews of the translation of freelance TRADOS translators.

When the vendors were asked about other characteristics they consider while outsourcing translation when TRADOS is used, accuracy and fluency were listed as the most important and second important factors. Although turnaround time was not highly rated as accuracy and fluency, it was mentioned by every respondent. The factors to be considered include accuracy, fluency, turnaround time, availability, format, price, quality, style, prompt delivery, format, willingness to follow instructions, and capability of using TRADOS

Question No. 1: A substitute product refers to the product of the same function.

To the knowledge of the software localization vendor, is there any substitute product for the translation output of TRADOS translators?

It is believed that that is no substitute product for the translation output of freelance TRADOS translators. All vendors did not think it is possible for machine translation to replace human translators at this point of time due to different linguistic structures between English and Chinese as well as the poor functionality of machine translation that has been developed.

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Table 4.11 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No.1 Respondent Answers

A It is impossible for machine translation to replace human translation, especially in Chinese, Japanese and Korean translations. It is more likely to apply machine translation for European languages due to similarity in linguistic structures.

B No. Machine translation can not replace human translation.

C Machine translation only suits individual home user for web page translation, as an example. The output of translation is like the Chinese spoken by a foreigner. The user can tell the Chinese translation does not sound right but is still understandable. Currently there is no substitute product for human translator.

D No, at least not for Chinese. We did some experiments on machine translation. The results showed that it is impossible for machine

translation to replace human translators in Asian language translation. But it is possible to adopt machine translation for European languages.

E The localization industry has proved that machine translation can not replace human translators. Machine translation only suits the translation for general documents instead of software localization.

F We had experience in reviewing the translation of machine translation.

We almost had to redo the translation. I have not seen any improved machine translation products in recent years. The answer should be no.

G The machine translation that has been developed is not good enough to replace the translation produced by translators who use TRADOS.

(Original in Chinese, translated by Hsin-Jung Chung)

Question No. 2: Do TRADOS translators have to compete with the substitute product?

All respondents answered that freelance TRADOS translators do not have to compete with the substitute product, if any substitute product is available. One

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respondent pointed out that machine translation may be used as a substitute product when quality is not a major concern. Another respondent looks forward to the creation of the substitute product as freelance translators are not always available for work.

Table 4.12 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 2 Respondent Answers

A No.

B No.

C No. However, I hope the substitute product can come out in the near future as it brings a lot of headache to our project managers to grab hold of our freelance TRADOS translators.

D No. Machine translation has limited applicability. It all depends on what quality the user is looking for. Machine translation may apply to the automatic translation of a web page but it can not be used in proper translation for software products.

E No.

F No. Human translators still have their competitive edges.

G No.

(Original in Chinese, translated by Hsin-Jung Chung)

Question No. 4. Are the translation outputs of TRADOS translators purchased by the software localization vendor similar or differentiated? (Very similar/similar/a bit similar/a bit dissimilar/dissimilar/very dissimilar)

With only one exception, all respondents answered that when TM can replace the repetitive content in the new document, translators tend to come up with similar translations. However, similar translations still show individual differences. Smaller differences are shown among the translations of translators who received training or have more experience, as indicated by two respondents. When it comes to the content

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that no previous translation is available for reference, freelance TRADOS translators may offer very different translations, according to two respondents. The nature of TRADOS only allows it to identify matches of sentences so the translation of some segments has to be looked up manually by freelance TRADOS translators. Three respondents added that translators who do not follow the project requirements such as consulting appropriate glossary or translation memories tend to come up with

translations that are not similar to others. The differentiated translations of freelance TRADOS translators can be attributed to the different translation capability,

background, knowledge, and personal preference. Another two respondents also pointed out the quality of TM can affect the quality of translation.

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Table 4.13 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 4 Respondent Answers

A When TM is provided to translators, the outputs of TRADOS translators are similar. Without TM, the outputs of different TRADOS translators may be different. Where there is a large percentage of repetitive content in the new document to be identified by TM, translators may produce similar outputs. In addition, the quality of TM may also affect the quality of translation to a great extent.

B When translators do not share the same TM, they tend to come up with different translations which need to be aligned by the reviewers. Even when the translation is done by a team in the company, there will still be differences between each team member's translations. However, the difference between the team's translations will be smaller than the translations from individual freelance translators. Translator's capability of translation is the major reason for the difference in translation. Each translator has a different writing style. For example, untrained translators tend to translate inverted sentences literally. In addition, when the vendor does not offer a glossary for terminology, translators may come up with a variety of translations.

C Individual translators have very distinctive translation styles if they have not received any training at all. Experienced translators tend to have similar translation styles. Experience and knowledge in the IT domain are the two determinants. For the repetitive content that TM can help,

translators can come up with similar translations. But for other parts of the text, translators can come up with very different translations. Some translators do not consult TM carefully and just use the first version of translation available without considering the context.

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Table 4.13 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 4 (continued) D Translators' capabilities of translation determine the style of their outputs.

TRADOS can help when there is repetitive content stored in TM. But other than that, TRADOS does not help too much. For those sentences that are not 100%

match, translators still have to make proper changes. The quality of TM may have an impact on the quality of translation. When the legacy translation in the TM is of poor quality, translators may have to adopt the translation of poor quality to ensure consistency. On the other hand, TM of good quality will help increase the quality of translation.

E Translations of different translators are definitely different. TRADOS may provide legacy translations for reference but translators may use different wordings. The general style of translators using TRADOS may not be very dissimilar but the differentiation still exists. Generally speaking, the difference between experienced translators' translations is relatively small. The quality of translation output is related to the translator's background, knowledge, and personal preference. Not every translator follows our instructions. Some translators do not consult TM or check glossary before they start translating and come up with poor quality translation. The sentence pairs may be retrieved by the translation memory but sometimes translators have to consult concordance manually. TRADOS is a support tool. Poor quality of translation is not going to be improved by the use of any support tool. In addition, TM affects the quality of translation. In order to ensure that the source segment is aligned with the target segment, the translation is done sentence by sentence, resulting in low

readability.

F The quality of translation depends on the translator. With the same TM,

translations of different translators will not show too much difference. However, sometimes clients have their own glossary and requirements of style. When some translators do not follow the instructions carefully, translations from different translators may show a great difference. The translation quality is not directly related to the tool used. TRADOS just helps translators to process the identical or similar sentences.

G Similar. Some other CAT (Computer Aided Translation) tool can export translation memory out in standard format so it can be imported into TRADOS.

(Original in Chinese, translated by Hsin-Jung Chung)

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Question No. 8: Is the translation output of TRADOS translators an important input to the business of the software localization vendor? What is its importance level?

(Very high/high/a bit high/average/a bit low/low/very low)

All respondents answered that the translation output of freelance TRADOS translators is an important input to the business of the software localization vendor.

Six respondents said the importance level of it is very high and one said high. One respondent further pointed out that there is a great demand for freelance TRADOS translators. Another respondent said freelance TRAODS translators are just like the raw materials of the business for the software localization vendors. In other words, the respondent said that it is impossible for software localization vendors to work without the translation input from freelance TRADOS translators.

Table 4.14 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 8 Respondent Answers

A Yes. The importance level is high.

B Yes. The importance level is very high. There is a great demand for translators who know how to use TRADOS. Not many translators in Taiwan know how to use TRADOS. Among the translators who use TRADOS, only a small number of translators produce quality translation.

C The translation output of the TRADOS translators is of vital importance to us. Without translators, we are not able to operate. Translators are just like the raw materials to us.

D The importance level is very high. Software localization is different from general translation so the translation output of TRADOS translators is very important to us.

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Table 4.14 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 8 (continued) E Yes, very important.

F Yes, the importance level is very high. Without the help of freelance TRADOS translators, we are not able to satisfy the demand from our clients.

G Yes, average.

(Original in Chinese, translated by Hsin-Jung Chung)

Question No. 9: Does the translation output of TRADOS translators affect the product or service quality of the software localization vendor? What is the impact level? (Very high/high/a bit high/average/a bit low/low/very low)

All respondents answered that the translation output of freelance TRADOS translators affects the product or service quality of the software localization vendors.

Four respondents said the impact level is high with the rest indicating the possible factors that may lead to high impact levels. Three respondents especially pointed out that the quality of translators' outputs has its impact. The short turnaround time was mentioned twice. Two respondents said that the quality of their products and services is mostly likely to be affected during peak seasons when the reviewers are too busy to conduct comprehensive reviews of the translation returned by freelance TRADOS translators.

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Table 4.15 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 9 Respondent Answers

A The impact level is determined by the delivery time required by the client. When the client requires an urgent delivery, the vendor may not ensure the quality through regular reviewing procedures, which may result in the decline in quality.

On the contrary, when enough time is allowed for reviewing procedures, translation quality may be enhanced by the vendor, leading to lower impact level.

B Yes. The impact level is high.

C Yes. During peak seasons, the impact level is very high as reviewers may be too busy to review all the projects. During off-peak seasons, reviewers may be able to make proper correction to enhance the quality.

D Yes, the impact level is very high. Different translators have different styles which result in different impact levels. The urgency of the project also affects the translation quality as translators may not have enough time to think and work. We may be forced to cut down the review procedures for an urgent project. TRADOS saves time and improves consistency. However, human translator plays the major role in translation and TRADOS is not of much help to the translation quality. To some extent, TRADOS greatly damages the quality of translation. As the text is divided to segments in TRADOS, novice translators tend to translate sentence by sentence without providing linkage in the context.

E Yes. As a software localization vendor, we have to be responsible for our output and provide guarantee. We have to review the translations of our translators and improve their quality when necessary. Poor quality of translation will increase our review costs. Poor quality in peak seasons or off-peak seasons has different impact levels. We always deliver our translations by batch. Clients will perform QA check on every batch and return the translations if they find any problems.

In general, the impact level is average.

F Yes. The quality and quantity of TRADOS translators' output are equally important. Limited translation output and poor quality affect our product quality.

G Yes, very high.

(Original in Chinese, translated by Hsin-Jung Chung)

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Question No. 17: As TRADOS has taken care of the issue of terminology, the consistency of translation is no longer a major issue of translation. Then, what are the characteristics of a translation output that the software localization vendor looks for while purchasing translation services? For example, accuracy, fluency, turnaround speed, format……

Five out of seven respondents listed accuracy as the first and most important characteristic, which can not be compromised. Among these five, three listed fluency as the next important factor. All respondents mentioned turnaround time. One

respondent said the fast turnaround time is very important. Three respondents said they would try to allow enough time for translation so turnaround time is not always the most important factor to consider. Four respondents mentioned format. Two respondents insisted on the quality of translation. Prompt delivery was also mentioned by two respondents. In addition, it is important for translators to follow given

instructions from the client, according to two respondents. In conclusion, the characteristics mentioned by the respondents include accuracy, fluency, turnaround time, availability, format, price, quality, style, prompt delivery, format, willingness to follow instructions, and capability of using TRADOS.

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Table 4.16 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 17 Respondent Answers

A Accuracy, fluency, and turnaround time. Accuracy can be quantified but fluency can not. Slow turnaround is not acceptable as software, the end product, has to be launched as early as possible. The early introduction of the software into the market will ensure higher profits for software developers. For urgent cases, accuracy and turnaround time are the two most important criteria and fluency is of secondary importance as it is difficult to measure. For general cases that are not urgent, fluency is more important than the speed of translation.

B We will firstly consider the availability of the translators who establish a long-term relationship with us. These translators produce quality translation with fast turnaround. Accuracy, fluency, turnaround speed, and format are all important as well. Price and quality are especially important. The turnaround speed is not always important. We may ask for extension from the clients if translators need a bit more time to translate.

C Accuracy is the most important criterion. In terms of the new content, translators have to consult references and come up with correct translation. They have to create new and correct translation memories.

The second criterion is style. The style specified by the client has to be followed exactly. Fluency is not too much as an issue as we work with translators whose fluency in translation is acceptable to us. Turnaround speed may not be as important as reliability. We can not work with translators who have fast turnaround but do not return the translation on time. In addition, it is important for translators to consult glossary or TM as requested in order to come up with correct translation. Some lazy translators just create new terminology without consulting the glossary.

D Accuracy is the most important factor, followed by fluency. Unless the project is really in a rush, we usually allow enough time for translation and translation speed is not that important. Fast turnaround then becomes an added value. Format is included in the category of accuracy. Prompt delivery, or commitment, is as important as accuracy. Translators do not have to return the translation in advance but they have to return on time.

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Table 4.16 Answers of software localization vendors for Question No. 17 (continued)

E Accuracy, fluency, turnaround speed and format are all important. We also expect the translators not to change the file name or file format. In particular, we expect translators to follow the rules in style guide as the incompliance is considered as an error by the client. We think quality and prompt delivery are equally important. Turnaround speed is not of vital importance. As we pay close attention to translation quality, we usually ensure there is enough time for translation. If we can not ensure the translation quality of an urgent project, we will turn down the project.

F Accuracy is the most important criterion, followed by format. Fluency and turnaround speed will be considered as well. Correct translation without correct format is unacceptable for some clients.

G Translators have to be willing to follow additional instructions and review comments. In addition, "fast turn-around time" within 24 hours is good enough. In many cases, especially for software translation, the client needs to have a fast turn around time so it won't delay the project schedule. It is very common that the client may find out that there are last minute English strings to be translated. And in some cases, the software (or document sometimes) may not be frozen when the localization project has to start (in order to simultaneously release English and localized products).

In addition, the capability of using TRADOS will be considered.

(Original in Chinese, translated by Hsin-Jung Chung)

4.2.3 Information-related questions

Information-related questions are Question 10 (translation quality evaluation criteria), 11 (translation evaluation system), and 12 (full information of the market).

These questions aim to explore what criteria the software localization vendors use to evaluate the translation quality of the freelance TRADOS translators, whether the

數據

Table 4.1    Respondents – the software localization vendors
Table 4.3    Background information of respondents – the software localization  vendors
Figure 4.1    Translation experience and TRADOS experience of software localization  vendors (except respondent B and C)
Table 4.4    Background information of respondents – the freelance TRADOS  translators
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