Text that does not need translating within segments Thread poster: Massimo Gilardenghi
|
|---|
I am sometimes asked to translate Word documents that are dotted with text that does not need translating (usually IT programmer's notes). This may come as one or more consecutive sentences, or as a number of words within sentences that need to be translated. Here is an example (the non-translatable text is in capital letters in square brackets]:
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. [IIIDDDMM, GGEEEDD, DFEWWDDDV]. Proin cursus metus eget justo blandit, sit amet t... See more I am sometimes asked to translate Word documents that are dotted with text that does not need translating (usually IT programmer's notes). This may come as one or more consecutive sentences, or as a number of words within sentences that need to be translated. Here is an example (the non-translatable text is in capital letters in square brackets]:
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. [IIIDDDMM, GGEEEDD, DFEWWDDDV]. Proin cursus metus eget justo blandit, sit amet tristique enim auctor. Curabitur non mi non lorem auctor [XXUUEE, DDLEJEMM] iaculis vehicula ut quam. Sed in lacus sem. Ut et blandit quam, nec suscipit sapien. Nulla id blandit ante. Nam maximus sodales erat [CCMMMMDD], in ultricies erat accumsan non.
My question is: how do I deal with this non-translatable text?
First, I need to get an accurate analysis for payment purposes. Then, I do not want to save untranslated segments (or untranslated text) in my TM.
Is there a way that WF can deal with this text that does not need translating?
I am using WFP 3.4.9
Thanks! ▲ Collapse
| | | | B D Finch 
France
Local time: 12:24
French to English
+ ...
| Hide it before processing | Nov 30, 2016 |
Just convert it to hidden text format before processing the file in Wordfast and it won't be counted and won't feature in your TM.
| | | | Massimo Gilardenghi
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:24
Member
English to Italian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | How do you "hide" text? | Nov 30, 2016 |
B D Finch wrote:
Just convert it to hidden text format before processing the file in Wordfast and it won't be counted and won't feature in your TM.
Thank you for your reply, B D. However, I am not sure what you mean by "convert it to hidden text format"? Is it something you can do in WordFast (how?) or do you have to do it in the Word doc, before you open it with WordFast?
| | | | Oscar Martin
Spain
Local time: 12:24
English to Spanish
+ ...
Just hide text in Word files. Most CAT tools exclude hidden text in Word from importing.
| | |
|
|
|
Massimo Gilardenghi
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:24
Member
English to Italian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Was looking for a quicker solution | Dec 2, 2016 |
Oscar Martin wrote:
Just hide text in Word files. Most CAT tools exclude hidden text in Word from importing.
I realise now that that's the only way. It is not ideal when the document is very long, and a lot of untranslatable text comes within translatable sentences. It can be very time-consuming. Thank you anyway!
| | | | Julie Dion (X)
Canada
Local time: 06:24
English to French
| Let them do it | Dec 2, 2016 |
Hi,
I believe it is the client's responsibility to hide anything that does not need to be translated. By doing it yourself (hiding text), you are in fact spending hours on a task that will actually reduce your income. It does not make sense any which way you look at it.
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 12:24
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Massimo Gilardenghi wrote:
Here is an example (the non-translatable text is in capital letters in square brackets]:
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. [IIIDDDMM, GGEEEDD, DFEWWDDDV]. Proin cursus metus eget justo blandit, sit amet tristique enim auctor. Curabitur non mi non lorem auctor [XXUUEE, DDLEJEMM] iaculis vehicula ut quam. Sed in lacus sem. Ut et blandit quam, nec suscipit sapien. Nulla id blandit ante. Nam maximus sodales erat [CCMMMMDD], in ultricies erat accumsan non.
Are these portions of non-translatable text always in square brackets? And are they the only things that are in square brackets?
| | | | Massimo Gilardenghi
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:24
Member
English to Italian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Client's responsibility | Dec 5, 2016 |
Julie Dion wrote:
Hi,
I believe it is the client's responsibility to hide anything that does not need to be translated. By doing it yourself (hiding text), you are in fact spending hours on a task that will actually reduce your income. It does not make sense any which way you look at it.
I totally agree, Julie. I decided to ask this particular question because I have recently translated a very long document where the untranslatables made some 30% of the text and it took me around 2 hours to delete these sections before translation and reinstate them afterwards (the alternative would have been to get a messy TM!).
I have talked to my client about agreeing a different rate for this sort of document, but it is falling on deaf ears.
| | |
|
|
|
Massimo Gilardenghi
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:24
Member
English to Italian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Untranslatables highlighted in grey, in square brackets | Dec 5, 2016 |
Samuel Murray wrote: Massimo Gilardenghi wrote:
Here is an example (the non-translatable text is in capital letters in square brackets]:
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. [IIIDDDMM, GGEEEDD, DFEWWDDDV]. Proin cursus metus eget justo blandit, sit amet tristique enim auctor. Curabitur non mi non lorem auctor [XXUUEE, DDLEJEMM] iaculis vehicula ut quam. Sed in lacus sem. Ut et blandit quam, nec suscipit sapien. Nulla id blandit ante. Nam maximus sodales erat [CCMMMMDD], in ultricies erat accumsan non. Are these portions of non-translatable text always in square brackets? And are they the only things that are in square brackets?
Yes, Samuel, they are usually highlighted in grey and included in square brackets. I wish there was a way to tell Word to hide these portions of text, but I don't know whether it is possible or not.
| | | |
If everything you need to hide is always inside square brackets, then you could have a look at Regex, use Replace in Word and hide every result found.
http://www.regular-expressions.info/
Some people here are Regex wizards and could help you.
| | | | uytteb
Belgium
Local time: 12:24
French to Dutch
+ ...
| Find & replace | Dec 7, 2016 |
That Regex tip might be something. If you can delete the text without adding it back, you should be able to do it within Word. You can do a Find & Replace for "" and replace it by nothing, or a space. Someone may need to manually add the deleted text afterwards of course.
| | | | Massimo Gilardenghi
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:24
Member
English to Italian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Find and replace | Dec 7, 2016 |
uytteb wrote:
...If you can delete the text without adding it back...
I know I could do that, but thank you anyway uytteb. Unfortunately, that is not an option. 
| | |
|
|
|
Massimo Gilardenghi
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:24
Member
English to Italian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | @ Christophe Delaunay | Dec 7, 2016 |
Thanks for letting me know about Regex, Christophe. It is something that certainly is worth learning more about, but it does not really solve my immediate problem of not wanting to do any more work than I am paid for.
| | | | Julie Dion (X)
Canada
Local time: 06:24
English to French
| Regex search in TM instead | Dec 8, 2016 |
Maybe just translate the file as is with the stuff in brackets, then edit your "messy" TM with a regex capable editor to remove the unwanted text.
Something like...
Export to TMX
Edit in a regex editor
Import back into your TM format of choice
Or maybe your CAT tool lets you edit TMs directly using regex.
As for word count... maybe just charge a bit less and include the non-translatables. If you can't count the words accurately, the... See more Maybe just translate the file as is with the stuff in brackets, then edit your "messy" TM with a regex capable editor to remove the unwanted text.
Something like...
Export to TMX
Edit in a regex editor
Import back into your TM format of choice
Or maybe your CAT tool lets you edit TMs directly using regex.
As for word count... maybe just charge a bit less and include the non-translatables. If you can't count the words accurately, they probably can't either!
Good luck.
[Edited at 2016-12-08 03:46 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Text that does not need translating within segments | TM-Town | Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business
Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.
More info » |
| | Protemos translation business management system | Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!
The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
Translation news related to Wordfast
