Corporate documents are full of repetition: the same heading on every page, the same warning in every section, the same article pattern in every annex. In translation these repetitions are both an opportunity and a risk. Managed properly, they provide consistency; left unmanaged, they make the document appear to contradict itself.
Source of the repetition
Header and footer information, table headings and standard warnings are repeated throughout the document. These repetitions come from the structure of the document and are deliberate. They are kept in the same form in translation as well.
The expectation of consistency
The same phrase is expected to carry the same rendering wherever it occurs. Different renderings give the reader the impression that there are two separate concepts. This impression causes problems in legal texts in particular.
Translation memory
The memory recognises sentences translated before and suggests the previous rendering when the same sentence comes up. This both shortens the turnaround and provides consistency. The tool is used as standard in corporate jobs.
Change of context
The same sentence may carry a different meaning in a different section, and the rendering in the memory may not fit. Automatic acceptance is therefore not done. Every match is assessed with its context.
Fuzzy matches
The memory also suggests sentences that are similar but not identical, and the difference between them may be overlooked. Fuzzy matches are checked separately. When the difference is small, the risk is large.
Repetitions containing numbers
In rows where the same pattern is repeated with different numbers, the rendering from the memory may carry the old number. This error is seen in tables in particular. Numbers are verified separately.
Headers and footers
Information repeated on every page is translated once and applied to all pages. A header that changes from page to page attracts attention. Consistency is checked.
Table headings
In tables that continue over pages the heading row is repeated and must carry the same rendering. A heading translated differently makes the columns look different. The check is made.
Standard warnings
Organisations have fixed warning texts, and these occur in more than one document. Their renderings are fixed at organisation level. The memory does this job across documents too.
Contract boilerplate
Standard article patterns are repeated in contracts, and their renderings are established. Reinterpreting the pattern creates unnecessary risk. The established rendering is used.
Defined terms
The terms set in the definitions section are repeated throughout the text, and a single rendering is compulsory. This is the strictest kind of repetition. The check is automated.
Repetitions that must stay different
Some similar phrases differ on purpose and must not be merged under the same rendering. In this case the suggestion of the memory is misleading. The difference is kept.
Memory maintenance
A wrong rendering in the memory is carried into all later jobs and the error multiplies. For this reason the memory is reviewed regularly. Maintenance is done according to plan.
Memory per client
The memory is kept per client because every organisation has its own language. Using a shared memory causes mixing between organisations. The separation is kept.
The confidentiality aspect
The memory stores the client's texts and is therefore covered by confidentiality. Access is restricted and it is not shared. The rule is defined in the contract.
Automated consistency scan
The completed text is scanned for places where the same source has been translated with different renderings. The scan produces a list of candidates. The list is assessed by hand.
False positives
The scan also flags phrases that have been differentiated on purpose, and these are not errors. Every finding is examined with its context. The tool does not decide.
Delivery check
Before delivery the repeated fields are scanned and the inconsistencies are removed. A single deviation makes the document appear to contradict itself. The check is not skipped.