CAT tool
A CAT tool, for computer-assisted translation, is software that supports a human translator as they work. It splits text into segments, applies translation memory and termbases, and keeps formatting intact. The human does the translating; the tool handles the mechanics and enforces consistency. It is not machine translation, though modern CAT tools can feed machine output in for post-editing.
How it works
A CAT tool divides the source into segments and presents each beside an empty target field. As the translator fills them in, the tool checks each segment against the translation memory and offers matches, flags inconsistent terminology against the termbase, and preserves tags and layout so the translated file rebuilds cleanly.
The point is consistency and reuse, not automation. Everything the translator approves feeds the memory for next time.
How SourceTarget uses it
SourceTarget's translators and post-editors work in CAT tools so that translation memory, termbases and formatting are applied consistently on every job. The tool is what carries a client's terminology and past approved wording from one project to the next.
CAT tool compared with Machine translation
| CAT tool | Machine translation | |
|---|---|---|
| Who translates | A human, assisted by the tool | Software, on its own |
| Role | Memory, terminology and formatting support | Generates the translation |
| Output needs | A translator to produce it | A post-editor to check it |