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Wordfast Beginner- Help Thread poster: Sandra Kick
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Hello all
I've recently joined up after receiving no help other than sarcastic replies from the yahoo wordfast forum. Okay, I'm green in this field of TM usage and really at the end of my tether. So, we all started off from scratch and I would really be grateful if i can get some useful advice on Wordfast. Is it normal that the target box remains empty? Unless I'm overworked or missing something quite simple. I generate no translation only a repetition of the source. Yes, I've check... See more Hello all
I've recently joined up after receiving no help other than sarcastic replies from the yahoo wordfast forum. Okay, I'm green in this field of TM usage and really at the end of my tether. So, we all started off from scratch and I would really be grateful if i can get some useful advice on Wordfast. Is it normal that the target box remains empty? Unless I'm overworked or missing something quite simple. I generate no translation only a repetition of the source. Yes, I've checked P.B and the necessary underscores are in place. In the manual on p.9 an instruction to "Type in your translation" appears. Now where is this translation hiding? Am I supposed to type in my own brainstorms or am I just overtired. Should there be a visible "window " with the corresponding translation? If so, its nowhere on my screen. Sorry, I know these questions are very boring but I need help. If somebody can find the time to throw some light on the matter I could eventually get some sleep.
Waiting with abated breath
Wordslow user
Sandra ▲ Collapse
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Magda Dziadosz 
Poland
Local time: 21:29
Member (2004)
English to Polish
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| And how big is your TM? | Oct 3, 2004 |
wordplay wrote:
In the manual on p.9 an instruction to "Type in your translation" appears. Now where is this translation hiding? Am I supposed to type in my own brainstorms or am I just overtired.
No good news to you, I'm afraid - yes, you are supposed to type your own brainstorm AND probably be overtired all the time . Even if if you manage to build a huge TM, you probably will see empty target box most of the time and will be forced to use your brain...welcome to the world of translation!
Magda
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| Have you tried this? | Oct 4, 2004 |
Hi, I'm not sure what you mean by "empty" for the target. If you mean that the box is just one big blank, then you need to go to Pandora's box and take out the underscores from "Copy source when no match" (or something along those lines; I have an older version). Then you'll have the target in the box and you simply overwrite.
Otherwise, you can use the curved down arrow (copy source), but I find it easier to let WF do it.
Obviously, your translation memory will be empty when you sta... See more Hi, I'm not sure what you mean by "empty" for the target. If you mean that the box is just one big blank, then you need to go to Pandora's box and take out the underscores from "Copy source when no match" (or something along those lines; I have an older version). Then you'll have the target in the box and you simply overwrite.
Otherwise, you can use the curved down arrow (copy source), but I find it easier to let WF do it.
Obviously, your translation memory will be empty when you start and will gradually build as you work.
Another thing: be sure to do the clean-up using the button under "tools" because that updates the memory. If you use the "quick clean-up" the memory will NOT get updated.
Hope this answers your questions!
Catherine ▲ Collapse
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Nicolette Ri (X)
Local time: 21:29
French to Dutch
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avsie (X)
Local time: 21:29
English to French
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| Wordfast is not an automatic translation software... | Oct 4, 2004 |
I think you were confusing machine translation and computer-assisted translation!
Wordfast doesn't provide you with any translation of a source text, unless you (or somebody else) have already entered the translation in the translation memory file.
So yes I'm afraid you *will* have to use your brains That's what translation is all about...!
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Bilingualduo
Italy
Local time: 21:29
English to Italian
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| Translation memory versus Machine translation | Oct 4, 2004 |
wordplay wrote:
Is it normal that the target box remains empty? Unless I\'m overworked or missing something quite simple. I generate no translation only a repetition of the source.
Sandra
Hi Sandra,
On the WF group, somebody did point out that Wordfast is not an MT (Machine Translation) programme and that therefore, any translation WF proposes for you must originate from translations you yourself have created/input - either in the past and therefore over time you build up a TM (Translation memory) or, if you\'re just starting out, you have to build it up from scratch as it were.
Since I gather you are just starting out using a CAT tool, it\'s more likely the problem you\'re talking about stems from the fact that you haven\'t yet built up a TM?
Other suggestions posted so far relating to PB setting apply and affect what you actually see in the translation box as you work your way through the translation.
HTH,
Bambi
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Sandra Kick
Local time: 21:29
English
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TOPIC STARTER | Beginner appreciates advice | Oct 4, 2004 |
Hello all
Well, what a relief! I thought I missing something and it was simply a misunderstanding of the functions of CAT. I am used to using "L&M" Power Translater" € 29.00 and the automated translation is more often than not hilarious but sometimes a useful grammer check. The terminologies are almost accurate but syntax and sentence protocol a bit stretching especially as the grammatical complexities of German differs to that of English. I am an avid believer in "MOT" i.e. My Ow... See more Hello all
Well, what a relief! I thought I missing something and it was simply a misunderstanding of the functions of CAT. I am used to using "L&M" Power Translater" € 29.00 and the automated translation is more often than not hilarious but sometimes a useful grammer check. The terminologies are almost accurate but syntax and sentence protocol a bit stretching especially as the grammatical complexities of German differs to that of English. I am an avid believer in "MOT" i.e. My Own Translations as compared to MT. So now I'm quite eager to (finally) start working with Wordfast. Thanks to all for their imput, much much appreciated.
Now I can rename my pet word "Wordslow" to "Wordfast"
Sandra, a relieved beginner (Till the next hick-up!) ▲ Collapse
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lien
Netherlands
Local time: 21:29
English to French
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| Another question | Oct 4, 2004 |
I see we are starting from the very beginning, I would like to ask : if you have already several translated texts, can you put them in wordfast and make a TM before or can you do it only when you translate a text ?
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dieter haake
Austria
Local time: 21:29
Italian to German
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| another question - another answer | Oct 4, 2004 |
lien wrote:
I see we are starting from the very beginning, I would like to ask : if you have already several translated texts, can you put them in wordfast and make a TM before or can you do it only when you translate a text ?
try "align" from the wf "plus tools".
this tool allows you to create tms
from texts already translated.
ciao
didi
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You can try the function in Wordfast known as "link to MT". It should work with PowerTranslator I have heard, and might save you some time if you can make it work. Then your targets should be filled with "translated" text, even if you do not have any matches in your TM. In theory it sounds fantastic...
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Jeff Allen
France
Local time: 21:29
Multiplelanguages
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For some translator-focused human understandable overview descriptions of Machine Translation (MT) compared to Translation Memory (TM), see my discussion thread postings and articles at:
http://www.geocities.com/jeffallenpubs/puboutlets.htm
To understanding this topic better, read them in this order:
* First, all of those under the Lantra-List subheadi... See more For some translator-focused human understandable overview descriptions of Machine Translation (MT) compared to Translation Memory (TM), see my discussion thread postings and articles at:
http://www.geocities.com/jeffallenpubs/puboutlets.htm
To understanding this topic better, read them in this order:
* First, all of those under the Lantra-List subheading
* Secondly, read the last 3 under the MT-List subheading (NOTE: the first of last 3 seems to have bad link which should be: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/msg00089.html) I'll fix that link on the web site during next day.
* Read my coauthored paper (on Example-based MT) with Chris Hogan for the LREC98 conference
* Then read the ones in MultiLingual Computing & Technology
* Then read the IJLD entries
* and so on
regards,
Jeff Allen
http://www.geocities.com/jeffallenpubs
http://www.geocities.com/mtpostediting/
Bilingualduo wrote:
On the WF group, somebody did point out that Wordfast is not an MT (Machine Translation) programme and that therefore, any translation WF proposes for you must originate from translations you yourself have created/input - either in the past and therefore over time you build up a TM (Translation memory) or, if you're just starting out, you have to build it up from scratch as it were.
HTH,
Bambi
[Edited at 2004-10-12 12:34]
[Edited at 2004-12-29 13:27] ▲ Collapse
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Jeff Allen
France
Local time: 21:29
Multiplelanguages
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| MT user case study (and combining with TM) | Oct 9, 2004 |
Sandra Kick wrote:
I am an avid believer in "MOT" i.e. My Own Translations as compared to MT. So now I'm quite eager to (finally) start working with Wordfast. Thanks to all for their imput, much much appreciated.
Read the following MT user case study paper which in a few pages documents clear proof that with a good tool, and excellent mastery of the tool in human-computer interactive mode, it is possible to achieve significant productivity gains with MT software, and with focus of creating high-quality translated texts.
http://www.geocities.com/mtpostediting/Jeff-Allen-AMTA2004-paper_v1.01.pdf
My usual approach is to build up the parallel database with an MT system, and then use a TM tool to piggy-back off the parallel texts, still using the MT software to translate all newly untranslated texts.
Jeff
Jeff Allen
http://www.geocities.com/jeffallenpubs/
http://www.geocities.com/mtpostediting/
[Edited at 2004-10-12 12:33]
[Edited at 2004-12-29 13:26]
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| Another beginner appreciates your help! | Feb 16, 2005 |
Magda Dziadosz wrote: wordplay wrote:
In the manual on p.9 an instruction to "Type in your translation" appears. Now where is this translation hiding? Am I supposed to type in my own brainstorms or am I just overtired.
No good news to you, I'm afraid - yes, you are supposed to type your own brainstorm AND probably be overtired all the time . Even if if you manage to build a huge TM, you probably will see empty target box most of the time and will be forced to use your brain...welcome to the world of translation! Magda
[Edited at 2005-02-16 17:03]
[Edited at 2005-02-16 17:04]
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| I'm starting out too...no problems so far! | May 2, 2005 |
Hi Sandra,
I have just started using Wordfast too, though I have used TRADOS before. Maybe we could keep up with each other and swap ideas etc.? As they say, two brains are better than one!
After I installed Wf, I simply followed the beginner instructions doc. (later the more advanced) and set up Test Memories and Glossaries. Then once I had a basic idea of how to use it - similar to TRADOS - I took a sample text from a newspaper and began to work. No problems so far.... See more Hi Sandra,
I have just started using Wordfast too, though I have used TRADOS before. Maybe we could keep up with each other and swap ideas etc.? As they say, two brains are better than one!
After I installed Wf, I simply followed the beginner instructions doc. (later the more advanced) and set up Test Memories and Glossaries. Then once I had a basic idea of how to use it - similar to TRADOS - I took a sample text from a newspaper and began to work. No problems so far.
The target box will be empty at the beginning because your TM is probably empty. Once you have translated a few texts, even sample texts, you should run the original text through Wf again and then you will see suggestions in the target box because the TM recognises previously translated TUs (translation units) and glossary terminology.
Hope this helps and feel free to mail back.
regards
David ▲ Collapse
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Irene Peet
United States
Local time: 14:29
English to Swedish
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| Need help with WordFast!!! | Aug 15, 2008 |
Hi,
I have just purchased WordFast and need immediate help with why all these delimiters keep changing place and messing up my translation. I try to do exactly what the error messages say, but nothing helps... I have Word 2003...is that a problem? Who are willing to help me fix my file or help me figure out what is wrong?
I would highly apreciate it since I have a hug job to complete...and I'm stuck!
Sincerely,
Irene
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