Web Tools

Overview

Sometimes translators need to translate on web-based translation platforms (such as TransStudio Online). However, these platforms might not always offer satisfying services (such as real-time grammar/spell check) or do not support them at all. The following are several lite tools that I use a lot and highly recommend. They help improve the quality and accuracy of my deliverables.

Ready-to-use tools

1. Grammarly (free of charge)

• Client: Chrome, Windows
• Feature: checks grammar and spelling after your translation is complete.

2. LanguageTool (free of charge)

• Client: Chrome
• Feature: checks grammar and spelling in real time when you're typing in a text box.

Custom tools

Soon I realized these two tools are not enough, as they cannot detect the forbidden words (terms in the blocklist) in my translation. To tackle this problem, I found another tool and customize it. It works, though it's not very convenient.

3. Highlight This (free of charge)

• Client: Chrome

• Feature: highlights custom forbidden words.

• Instructions:

  1. Add the forbidden words to the Highlight This Chrome extension.
  2. Copy your translation to Google Docs.
  3. Find the highlighted forbidden words in Google Docs.
  4. Revise the forbidden words in your translation.

This method is not very convenient, but I havent found a better way.

You can use this method if you need to ensure that no forbidden words show up in your deliverables.

To be continued

I haven't found a way to ensure the consistency of my translation when translating on a web-based platform. Once I manage to figure out how to do that, I will add the description here.