A word standing on its own can usually be more than one thing: is it the name of a button, a heading, a command? Context answers this question. In translation the highest error rate is found in short expressions translated without their context being seen.
Definition
Context is the surroundings that determine the meaning of an expression. It may be inside the text or outside it. The meaning comes from it.
Context inside the text
The sentences before and after determine the meaning. Looking at a single sentence is not enough. The section is read.
Context outside the text
The purpose of the document, its reader and the place where it is used are also part of the context. This information comes from the client. The question is asked.
The risk in short expressions
Single-word expressions are the most ambiguous ones. The error rate is highest here. Attention is concentrated.
Interface texts
The name of a button can be a verb or a noun. A decision cannot be taken without seeing the screen. Access is requested.
Table cells
A single word in a cell gains its meaning from the column heading. It is not translated without the heading being seen. The structure is preserved.
Headings
The same heading may carry a different meaning in different sections. The content of the section is read. The decision is taken with the context.
Requesting screenshots
On software jobs, screenshots are requested. This provides the visual context. The request is made at the start of the job.
Visibility of context in tools
Good tools show the section in which the segment sits. Working without context raises the risk. Visibility is looked for.
Context in memory suggestions
The equivalent in the translation memory may have come from a different context. The suggestion is assessed with its context. It is not accepted automatically.
Context match
Matches in which the neighbouring segments are the same too are more reliable. The tool flags this. The level of trust rises.
Carrying context information in the file
In localisation files a comment can be added to every text. This field supports the translator directly. Setting it up is recommended.
Contact with the developer
Context information is usually held by the developer. A channel for queries is set up. The answer speeds things up.
The cost of working without context
A translation made without context is corrected afterwards. The cost of correcting is higher than that of asking at the outset. The calculation is plain.
Flagging the assumption
If the context cannot be found, the assumption that was made is flagged. This draws attention at review. The uncertainty is not hidden.
The multiple meaning warning
Expressions with more than one reading are put on the query list. They are asked in bulk. The answer is recorded.
Cultural context
Some expressions rest on a cultural framework. There may be no equivalent in the target culture. Adaptation comes onto the agenda.
Visual context
If the text is used together with an image, the image is context too. The image is requested. The link is preserved.
Recording the context
The context queries that have been resolved are noted in the terminology list, and the same question is not asked on later jobs. Over time this record reduces the number of queries markedly. The accumulation gains value.
What it is confused with
Context is often taken to be only the surrounding sentences. Yet the purpose of the document, its reader and where the text appears on the screen are context as well; without this information short expressions cannot be translated correctly.