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Functional Specifications WordForge Off-line Translation Editor
Translation
In this part we define the set of functionalities required for operations performed by translators. They go from very basic translation functions to very advanced computer-aided localisation based on intelligent use of glossaries and Translation Memory and even preview of translation for certain original file formats in which this is possible.
Basic Translation
The basic funcitonality of the editor is to permit translation of messages in a source language to another target language, saving the translations in the same file that was used for input.
Facilitating easy translation
Maintaining context (several messages seen at the same time, before and after message being translated).
Permitting translation only of part of source marked as translatable.
Selection of only messages that fulfill certain conditions (untranslated, fuzzy).
Glossary and TM information must be very handy
Checking on quality of translation (based on parameters set by user or set in XLIFF file) should be automatic as soon as translation is finished (on demand or when changing to another message).
Use of glossaries
What glossaries
How
Automatic identification of glossary words in both source and target
Visual indication of glossary words in source and target display
Display of identified glossary words (and their translation) for present source string
Managment of glossary terms or expressions for which no translation has yet been identified (but it is known that the English term is considered a glossary term)
Identifying possible glossary changes in information received from Translation Memory
Use of Translation Memory (TM)
What Translation Memory
Basic Managment of Translation Memory
Creating a TM from a file or set of files.
Export TM in TMX format
Parametrization of use of TM
Import of TM in TMX and other formats
Review
Approval
Process Managment
Parametrization and customization
Parametrization refers to specific conditions for translating the given file Customization refers to changes that make the editor easier to use by the translator
Parametrization
Parametrization might happen throught he user interface or might be embedded in the input XLIFF file
Through XLIFF files
In this case the XLIFF file might specify
Customization
Allows defining the profile of the user (translator, reviewer, approver).
Entrace and selection of user data (to be used in the files and in process)
Settings that help the translator do a better job
Adjustment to a specific language, scipt, font, etc.
Specify how TM should be used (i.e. above which match percentage it should be put directly in the <target> field and marked as fuzzy).
Acepted input/output formats
XLIFF
Include Glossary informations
Include Translation Memory information
Include process information.
Include parametrization information
PO
General funcitonality
Permitting translation to all languages used in computers
Unicode and other traditional encodings
Including right-to-left languages, South Asia and South East Asia scripts, and CJK scripts.
Excluding languages that are not presently handled by computers, such as ancient Mongolian script, which written from top to bottom
Permitting preview of some translated documents for certain formats
String managment
It is necessary to be able to perform easily some functions that affect several string, such as replacing a term by a another one in an application. This cannot be done automatically in many cases. An adequate tool for computer-asssited change must be included.
Concepts in the Editor
Work with files, projects, catalogs
Design issues
Seamless internationalisation. If possible xml:tm
Python for integration of parts of Translate toolkit
Use same classes than Pootle or tools.
Must allow plug-ins.-