What are the most effective ways to learn translation with CAT tools?

With the rapid expand of AI, there are new players in the CAT tool field that offer exciting features. If I was somebody who was starting in the translation / localization industry now, I would choose a CAT tool that would incorporate advanced AI enhancing features; like Quality Estimation. But before you decide, take time to do your research properly, and even before that, make sure you understand what your offer is going to be. Are you going to specialise in games localization, multimedia, life sciences...? Because there might be different interesting offerings depending on what the answer to that question is. In any case, best of luck in the future!

Preach! The idea of expecting artists and writers to donate their work to train AI feels iffy at best. Now, as for your "tool" inquiry, don't reach for a scalpel or a power drill just yet! While those are fantastic for their intended purposes, translation requires a different kind of toolkit. Check out online services like a hammer or scalpel – they'll do the trick. Happy (metaphorical) building, Gemini the Wordsmith (but also Champion of Creator Rights)

Research all tools - eg. Nimdzi made a list called "technology map" for the language industry, you can find all CAT tools there, check them out, request demos, compare functionality... You can also connect with users to exchange experience - there are many groups on popular social networks

If you are a student or beginner, You may try using OmegaT - a free and opensource software which has all standard functionalities of a CAT TOOL! Then, there are options like: Trados Studio (desktop & cloud versions), MemoQ, Wordfast pro, Cafetran espresso. As a French Translator with almost 20 years of experience, I would always recommend a desktop-based offline CAT TOOL for Translators. Online CAT TOOLS have their advantages, but remember that they are backed by machine translation with AI and it is not advisable a big risk in case of confidential projects!

Fully agree. If you are opportuned to access online or onsite practical lessons on the CAT tool you are interested in, it will be of great added value. Nonetheless, practising regularly, applying the trial and error method will help you quickly grasp the functionalities of a CAT tool, thus boosting your performance

Like any tool, CAT tools have their strengths and weaknesses. Mastering one will provide a deeper understanding of how to produce high-quality translations within the tool's constraints. Additionally, CAT tools help ensure consistency and quality, catching potential issues that might be missed during busy periods. While understanding one tool aids in utilizing its features, familiarity with one typically translates to easier learning of others. Throughout a translator's career, they will likely need to learn and utilize several different CAT tools.

Tutorials and Webinars: Utilize tutorials, online courses, and webinars provided by the tool developers. These resources are designed to help you understand the core functionalities and shortcuts. Documentation: Read the tool’s documentation and user manuals thoroughly. This can provide insights into advanced features you might not discover on your own.

You can't excel in something you know nothing about. That's why you should learn the basics before using any CAT tools. Some of them have similar features so once you learn and master one CAT tool, other tools will become easier.

E sempre aconselhavel recorrer a ajuda quando nao temos nossao do assunto, o naos saber nao é mau, mas o nao querer aprender e chato sim.

It is not "one size fits all" for learning the CAT TOOL basics: (1) Learning via videos, ebooks, tutorials, Youtube and more (2) Learning and experimenting through trial and error and gaining deeper knowledge (I learnt this way) (3) Taking a suitable training from institutions or subject experts. Finally, the decision depends on individual's capacity and tech skills! (2)

Start Small: Begin with small, non-critical projects to build your confidence. This could be translating blog posts, short articles, or any content relevant to your expertise. Feedback: Seek feedback from more experienced peers. Constructive criticism is invaluable for improvement.

1. Start with Training Resources Most CAT tools come with their own set of tutorials, user manuals, and training modules. Before diving into real projects, spend some time exploring these resources. 2. Use Online Courses and Webinars Look for online courses and webinars that focus specifically on learning CAT tools. These resources can range from beginner to advanced levels and often include practical exercises. 3. Join Translation Forums and Communities Participate in forums and online communities where translators share their experiences and advice on using CAT tools. Websites like ProZ.com, TranslatorsCafé, and LinkedIn groups are great places to ask questions, exchange tips.

First choose a CAT tool that feels easy to use for beginners and that you are comfortable with; read its manuals and tutorials. Then practice, practice and practice! Find some content you like and start translating for fun and for free, just to exercise your skills. And at the same time start building your translation memories and glossaries.

Wanna practice with a cat tool? Try Matecat! Easy! You can get books, magazines, among other documents, upload them to the tool and start training.

Working from your local CAT cafe is a great way of joining a community. Not only will the CATs provide much needed comfort, you'll be able to meet like-minded CAT people to chat and vent with about the trials and tribulations of translation.

Forums and Social Media: Join forums, LinkedIn groups, or social media communities dedicated to CAT tools. These platforms are great for sharing experiences, solutions to common issues, and networking. Meetups and Conferences: Attend meetups, conferences, or online webinars. Interacting with other professionals can provide new insights and tips.

Networking, networking, networking. Well, maybe now Chat GPT can make awesome summaries of the content we use to get with participation in forums and trade fairs. Still, nothing compares to the advice of a 75 year old respected colleague when talking about translation tools. Más sabe el diablo por viejo, que por diablo.

Continuous Learning: The technology behind CAT tools evolves rapidly. Stay informed about updates and new features of your chosen tool through newsletters, official blogs, and community discussions. Explore New Tools: Be open to exploring new tools and technologies that could further enhance your translation efficiency.

Remaining up-to-date with CAT tools is indispensable for keeping pace with the dynamic translation market, enabling us, as professionals, to capitalize on innovations and confront emerging challenges effectively. Therefore, given the continual evolution of these tools, users must stay current to leverage new features and enhancements optimally. That is crucial for enhancing efficiency and efficacy in translation work. The emergence of trends and challenges in the translation market underscores the significance of adapting to these changes. Consequently, the CAT tool's ongoing updating empowers professionals to be well-prepared for new challenges and responsive to market demands.

About SDL Trados, new features linked to the cloud capabilities are released with new major versions. If you don't use those features, basically you can skip some major versions updates.

My advice is to pay Chat GPT plus and ask it to tell you the latest news about TAO tools, until the moment when Chat GPT advice you to get a subscription of Gemini. At that moment you cancel the Chat GPT subscription and go to Gemini.

Continuous Learning: The technology behind CAT tools evolves rapidly. Stay informed about updates and new features of your chosen tool through newsletters, official blogs, and community discussions. Explore New Tools: Be open to exploring new tools and technologies that could further enhance your translation efficiency.

One of the most effective ways to learn translation with CAT tools is to prepare an artificial document comprising various content types, formats, numbers, patterns, images, repetitions, identical fragments, and similar passages. By doing so, you can navigate through different scenarios while practicing translation on such texts. Afterward, it's all about practice. If access to real assignments is limited, you can open various types of documents in CAT tools and practice. Set up multiterms, play with term bases, and explore how the CAT tool handles different text structures and formatting. This hands-on experience will help you understand how to effectively utilize CAT tools in translation tasks

Something crucial is knowing how to translate the word into something that makes sense in the target language. You can help optimize the tool, as you save the meaning of the expression/word in the tool's memory and the CAT tool only gets better and better.

This article asks "What are the most effective ways to learn translation with CAT tools?" Eye roll. An educated guess by a translator with 20 years' experience using CAT tools is that the question ought to have read "How do you learn how to use CAT tools efficiently to assist your translation workflow?" Quite simply you do not learn translation by learning how a CAT tool works. In the words of Shania Twain: that don't impress me much.

Well, as I have no time to write an essay for each and every category, I put a very short statement here: Learning a CAT tool is not that complicated as many users pretend this to be. What is the biggest problem is not the CAT, but the knowledge about computer and the management of files and folders. When you are good in that, the self-learning of a CAT by doing won't be then so complicated. And why learn? A tool is there to help you. If instead of translating you are spending time on dealing with the tool, this is a sign something is wrong. In this case not the tool is helping you, but you are a slave of the tool. So better limit yourself to one or two tools and master them perfectly. Everything else will be waste of time.

If your source text is plain text, you can keep it simple. Go for any open source CAT tool. If your source text is rich in formatting or if it contains images, opt for a CAT tool with good file filters. If the project is complex, don't only look at a CAT, look at a TMS instead. If you are a young translator, opt for a CAT with good technical support and a low maintenance fee. If you're not very technical and you need good MT, AND your customer doesn't mind you use a Translation Hub from one of the MT builders. Last but not least: if your customer has a term list, check the CAT supports this.

Specialization: Consider specializing in a particular field of translation. Knowledge of specific terminology can make you more efficient and sought-after. Mentorship: Finding a mentor can accelerate your learning curve. A seasoned translator can offer invaluable advice, shortcuts, and insights into the industry.