Core Concepts

Translators

Translators are individuals or teams tasked with translating text from one language to another. They convert source files into target files, ensuring accuracy and cultural appropriateness.

Source Files

Source files are the original documents or texts that need to be translated. These are uploaded to TextUnited for translation.

Target Files

Target files are the translated versions of the source files. After translation, these become the deliverable documents in the target language(s).

Automatic Translation

Automatic translation refers to the process of converting text from one language to another using machine learning algorithms and large databases of bilingual or multilingual text pairs. This technology enables rapid translation without human intervention, though it may not always produce perfect results due to potential errors or nuances lost in the translation process.

Task Id

The taskId field is essential in the TextUnited API, especially for managing tasks and processing segments. It serves as a unique identifier for translation requests, helping track progress and retrieve detailed task information and status updates efficiently.

Additionally, the taskId enables automatic division of documents into smaller, manageable segments, allowing for parallel processing across multiple segments. This approach simplifies translation management. It also plays a key role in determining the scope of updates, supporting both partial updates to individual segments and full task revisions as needed.

Notes vs. Language-Specific Notes

The "notes" field lets users add general comments or instructions about a translation task, regardless of the language. In contrast, "languageSpecificNotes" is used for instructions or notes specific to the target language, which may vary depending on the language being translated.

Both fields provide important information for translators but serve different purposes: "notes" gives overall guidance, while "languageSpecificNotes" covers language-specific details

Machine Translation (MT)

Machine translation is a type of translation performed by computer programs. The quality of MT varies depending on the complexity of the source text and may require reviewing and corrections by a professional translator.

MT + Human Review

This term refers to text that is pre-translated via machine translation and then reviewed and corrected by a professional human translator to ensure accuracy and quality.

Proofreading / Revision

Proofreading or revision is the task of reviewing the translated text to ensure accuracy, coherence, and adherence to the source document's intent and style.

Quality Assurance (QA)

QA is an automated check of any errors that may be present in the translated content, such as terminology and translation consistency.