Translation terminology – Quick reference guide

You have learnt all the terms in automotive, but do you then find the translation industry speaks yet another language? Are you wondering what FAMT and FIGS can possibly mean? And what even is a translation memory?

To help, I have created a list of the terms you’ll come across the most:

• Source language: The starting language for your project.
• Target language(s): The language(s) you want your project to be returned in.
• Pivot language: An intermediate language used when a direct translation between two languages isn’t available, reliable, or efficient.
• Human Translation (HT): Your project is only worked on by a native-language specialist human translator, together with a human project manager. This could be technical translation such as owner and service information, or creative translation of comms materials.
• Fully Automated Machine Translation (FAMT): Translation carried out entirely by AI without any human involvement at any stage. The system processes the source text, generates the translation and finalises it with no human review, editing or validation.
• Post Edited Machine Translation (PEMT): In this hybrid scenario, the AI-powered machine translation tool produces the first draft. This is then reviewed and improved by a native-language specialist human translator.
• Transcreation: A form of translation used mostly in marketing, branding and creative communications. Rather than translating word-for-word, the linguist re-creates the message to ensure the same emotional impact, intent and effect in the target language.
• Copywriting: Rather than translating, which is based on the source text, copywriting is the creation of new persuasive or marketing-focused text in the target language.
• Independent Proof Reading (IPR): A third-party native-language specialist human translator checks the translation – bringing the benefit of a fresh pair of eyes.
• In-Country Review (ICR): Working with your local colleagues to check the translation, so they can make sure it’s just right for your market and your customers.
• Translation Memory (TM): A database within a CAT tool that stores previous translations, so they can be reused again in current and future projects to improve consistency, reduce time to market and save you some money.
• Dictionary: A repository to store all your company-preferred terms. This is linked to every project, to keep everything consistent.
• ISO short codes: The two-letter form of the short code is most used to standardise how languages are identified in translation systems and file formats. For example, "DE" is the two-letter ISO short code for German.
• FIGS / EFIGS: Acronym for French, Italian, German, Spanish (add English for EFIGS).
• Translation Management System (TMS): A software platform that manages, automates, and streamlines the entire translation project workflow – handling multilingual content efficiently and at scale.
• Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT): Software that helps translators work more efficiently and consistently. It provides tools and resources to assist a human translator, but does not automatically translate the text on its own like machine translation.
• ISO 9001:2015: International standard for Quality Management Systems (QMS), setting out criteria to consistently deliver services that comply with expectations and regulatory requirements.
• ISO 17100:2015: International standard for translation services specifying requirements for a quality translation process (translator qualifications, project management, workflow).
• ISO 18587:2021: International standard for post-editing of machine translation (PEMT), providing requirements and recommendations to ensure quality and consistency.

Unsure about any other terms? Let me know and I can add them to the list.