Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) tools are meant to aid human translators, not replace them, human translators will never be obsolete.
Tools like Google translation, Day translations, and Word Reference are great for providing the fundamental differences in communication, but you can’t trust them to offer language services with a human approach that will help you pass the right message in a formal setting.
The following reasons will convince you why need human translators to help you break into a foreign market and win over potential customers.
Verbatim Translation Will Ruin Everything
Word to word translation is a professional disaster that may destroy a localization project. Unfortunately, that’s all you will get from CAT tools as they can only tell the literal meaning of words without explaining their contextual meanings.
You need a human translator to tell the different meanings of a word and the perfect context to use them.
CAT Tools Are Not Culturally Sensitive
Every localization project must pay attention to the cultural difference of the target audiences. Localization projects are now beyond translation of websites, mobile apps or software to the target language.
The need to actively engage the target audience on an international level now require localization projects to appeal to the cultural and social aspects of the potential customers.
Human Translators Are Expensive but Are Worth Every Penny
The cost of hiring an expert human translator may be on the high side. Google translate and most other CAT software are free or cheaper. However, you could lose a million-dollar client by unintentionally passing the wrong message across. Pennywise, pound foolish at the end.
Humans Infuse Creativity to Your Project
It’s difficult to argue the fact that CAT tools do not add creativity to your project. CAT tools neither add any form of creativity nor make a judgment on your behalf.
Unless for rare cases of negligence, you can’t get it wrong when you work with a human translator.
Humans Translators Can Help Narrow Your Project to Your Desired Field
CAT tools can’t tell if your business majors in medical research, entertainment, product distribution, auto sales or law, but humans can. A human translator can help narrow your project to your desired field.
These experts can manage your project and review your company profile and see what you need for your project.
Final words
You can’t replace human translators with CAT tools no matter how you try. The very purpose of localization is to reach out to humans from other parts of the world, why let robots do the job?
