Terminology database for each PRODOC customer
Every customer of PRODOC is provided with their own terminology database – free of charge!
Other translation service providers only work with general technical terminology.
The development of customer-specific terminology is a fee-based additional service for these service providers – not so at PRODOC!
We create customer-specific terminology databases and fill them with frequently used terms during the translation process. In this way, we promote consistent translations that are nevertheless customer-specific.
And we create the terminological basis for customers who do not yet have their own company terminology.
Of course, we also incorporate terminology lists provided by customers into separate terminology databases.
This creates the basis for systematic terminology work.
PRODOC creates a terminology database for us and fills it with frequently used terms during the translation process. This provides us with consistent translations that reflect our company-specific language.
Do you want to advance your company terminology?
We are happy to help you with words and deeds!
Request a quotation now!
Dipl.-Ing. Stefan Weimar
Managing Director
Uniform company terminology
Terminology management enables the monitored development and distribution of consistent corporate terminology.
The aim of terminology management is to use the same terms for the same things / facts / tasks in all written corporate statements
- Uniform terminology in the source language
- Uniform translations in all required target languages
In order to accomplish this goal, all parties involved in the creation and translation of texts must use tools which facilitate the search for correct terms.
A 2015 tekom study shows that although 74% of respondents are concerned with terminology, only 25% use a terminology management system.
Reasons for this are often time and costs for training and systems. Instead, they accept costs caused by inconsistent terminology and unnecessary translations.
Don’t be satisfied with that:
PRODOC makes terminology management easy for its customers.
Terminology management - made easy for PRODOC customers
PRODOC offers its customers a terminology management tool as a web service: with QTerm, they can create and manage customer-specific terminology via a web-based interface.
PRODOC customers can thus save several thousand Euros for the installation and operation of their own terminology server!
In addition to one-off costs for initial setup and training, only a fairly calculated usage fee is charged.
The PRODOC memoQ web portal
QTerm for central terminology management
The terminology management tool QTerm which is available on the PRODOC memoQ web portal, offers PRODOC customers the possibility to easily access their centrally stored corporate terminology via a web browser.
A clearly structured workflow to maintain and continuously develop corporate terminology can be built up using QTerm.
Information about the PRODOC memoQ web portal
PRODOC offers the use of the PRODOC memoQ web portal to all of its clients.
- Basic use (monthly billing)
Basic usage includes: use of company terminology via web browser, proofreading of translations via web browser - Additional services (invoicing based on time and effort)
We offer the additional fee-based service of active terminology management, i.e. correcting, adding and deleting terms on request and in close collaboration with the client. We therefore develop a workflow which is uniquely tailored to costumer’s needs.
Additional support services include consulting, creation of filters for customer-specific file formats, troubleshooting, data recovery, and creation of additional terminology databases.
These support services are charged monthly and on a time and material basis.
Terminology management
Terminology creation
Terminology maintenance
Terminology is alive: Within the terminology management process, terms are modified, added and, if necessary, deleted.
Criteria for changing existing terms
- Is the current term wrong and needs to be changed?
- Is a change required in order to achieve uniform corporate terminology?
- Is the term already in use in translations of documents / software interfaces?
- How much post-editing of existing translations is to be made?
Criteria for adding new terms
- Is the term of central significance to the client’s technology?
- Does a different translation of the term cause misinterpretation of the meaning?
In QTerm, different rights are assigned for an efficient terminology maintenance:
- Write access
for the terminology manager only - Read-only access
for all other users
Consistency check for translations
Integration of terminology database and translation environment
A further advantage of the QTerm terminology database is the ability to check whether the defined terminology has been used in technical translations. This is the only way to ensure a consistent translation.
This leads to a certain amount of additional work when creating and translating texts. The effort increases disproportionately with the number of terms to be checked – see box “Wrong errors” further down on this page.
Definition of terms to be checked
In the terminology database, the number of entries to be checked should be limited. For this purpose, the relevance of individual terms should be evaluated:
- Check only important terms
Language is alive – and there are synonyms in every language: Whether to use screwdriver or turnscrew is not really important – only terms that are important for the company should become unified - Mark important “check” terms
By dividing terminology into “check” and “no-check”, the benefits of lower costs, less maintenance cycles and higher acceptance for necessary maintenance work can be achieved
Split the approved terminology into “check” and “no-check”
Using this approach, the number of terms whose use is checked in a translation is reduced to a sensible size.
“check” terminology
The size of the “check” terminology is limited to the core terms significant to a company:
- Should be as complete as possible for all standard languages
- Is subject to a maintenance and release cycle
- Must be used with new translations
- Its use will be checked:
- With new translations
- When reusing existing translations
“no-check” terminology
The size of the “no-check” terminology is not subject to any limitations and varies in development for each language:
- Its use is not checked
- It is usually used by translators within the scope of their work
- Translators can depart from said terminology if necessary and use other terms – see “Wrong errors”
“Wrong errors” during terminology checks
The screenshots displays all terms highlighted in blue for which there are entries in the terminology database.
“Non-observance” was stored for “Nichteinhaltung”.
An automated terminology check will mark the translation of “non-compliance” as wrong, although it is sensible in form and content to use two different expressions in the translation.
Standards for terminology
There are a number of standards that support terminology work. Here is a small selection of what we consider to be the most important standards for terminology creation and maintenance:
DIN 2330 defines concepts for the creation of terms and their definitions. Ultimately, the application of this standard leads to the use of uniform terminology in the writing of texts. This forms the basis for cost savings in all translation activities.
Die DIN 2340 als Ergänzung zur DIN 2330 definiert, wie Abkürzungen gebildet werden sollten. This also contributes to uniform texts and thus to savings in translation activities, as fewer queries are required.
This standard defines basic terms for terminology research and terminology work. The aim is to define the classification and use of terms in the field of terminology work, including its computer applications.
ISO 30042 sets the rules for the the exchange of terminology data and thus also defines the TBX standard. With TBX = TermBase eXchange, terminology data can be exchanged between different CAT tools and other systems.
You want a terminology database?
An overview of the functionality and possibilities of terminology management hosted by PRODOC can be found on the QTerm page.
For more advanced requirements, we can program an API interface for direct access from our customers’ IT systems to the terminology stored in QTerm.
Get in touch with us – we will be happy to show you how to use QTerm live!
Request infoDipl.-Ing. Stefan Weimar
Managing Director