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Resources > Mini Glossary
 
Term Explanation
A-Language Native Language. See B-Language.
Accent Pronunciation common to a certain group of people
Accredited Translator Translator who has received accreditation from a professional institute
Ad Hoc Interpreting Oral translation in informal conversation. Also called consecutive interpreting or liaison interpreting.
Ad Lib A spontaneous spoken addition or alteration to a written script
Adaptation Rewrite of a piece of text to be used for a different purpose or market
ADR Automated Dialogue Replacement
Affidavit Statement witnessed and sealed by official (e.g. notary public). See notarisation.
Alignment Part of the procedure to create a translation memory by aligning segments in a table so that each unit has got a corresponding segment in the cell next to it
Ambiguity Point in the source text that is not clear and can be interpreted at least in two ways
Amplitude Level of audio signal
Announcer Non-character role
Apostille Certification. An official stamp on a document to make it legal. This is only valid for countries that have signed the 1961 Hague Convention abolishing the legal requirement for foreign public documents.
Attributes Stylistic properties of an object including size, boldness, colours etc.
Automated Translation Computer-assisted translation
B-Language Second language of the translator or interpreter. See A-Language.
Back Translation Translation back into the original source language. Back translations are used to check and validate translations.
Balloon Circle or bubble with words
Base Line Line which characters rest on
Bed Sound effect behind announcers voice
Bidule Portable equipment used for simultaneous interpreting when a booth is not available
Bilingual Native or native-like fluency in two languages
Bleed An area that extends over the edges of the paper
Bleed Noise picked up by the microphone
Body Text The main text in a document excluding titles and captions.
Boom Overhead microphone stand
Booth Cubicle with audio equipment where conference interpreters work.
Braille System of raised dots used as an alphabet for the visually impaired. Braille varies from language to language and isn’t standard.
Camera-Ready Print ready, final file
Caption Text describing an illustration or picture
Cast Off To calculate the amount of space that a given amount of text will occupy when set.
CAT See computer-aided translation
Certified Translation Translation that has been certified by a certified translator or translation company to be true translation. See notarisation and apostille.
Character A symbol used in a writing system
Character Count Number of characters – used for counting volume of text
CJKV Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese
Cold Read Addition where no time is given to rehearse the script
Colour Subtle speech nuances
Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) Translation with the aid of computer programs. Normally either Translation memory or Machine Translation.
Concordance Concordancing is searching a database of sentences to see how a term has been used in context
Consecutive Interpreting Oral translation between two languages. Interpreter waits for the speaker to finish before starting to interpret. This style is normally used in small meetings and negotiations.
Consistency Use of the same terms or text translated in the same way.
Console Audio engineer’s desk used for monitoring, recording and editing
Controlled Language Language based on strict rules to standardise and restrict terminology. Used often to facilitate machine translations.
Copy Hard copy
Copywriting Writing sales and marketing related materials to a specific brief
Court Interpreter Interpreter providing interpretation during legal proceedings. Court interpreters often have specialist qualifications or experience.
Crop Cutting edges of a graphic
Cue Start signal given to an artist
Daisy Digital Accessible Information System. Standard for digital talking books
DAT Digital Audiotape
Decibel A unit for measuring the intensity of sound.
Desktop Publishing Creating and producing material on a pc or mac for publication
Dingbat Typographic symbol e.g. bullet point
Distortion A disturbance in the sound quality of a recording.
Drop Off Not ending forcefully at the end of a word or phrase.
DTP See desktop publishing
Dubbing Replacing dialogue in another language
EFX Effects
EPS Encapsulated postscript. File format used to transfer graphic images between compatible applications. Normally associated with Adobe Illustrator.
Fade To increase or decrease the volume in sound engineering
FIGS French, Italian, German and Spanish
Flop Changing the orientation of an image to its mirror image
Free Translation Translation of the meaning and not the exact wording. See literal translation.
Front Bed Announcement at the beginning of a jingle
Fuzzy Matching In computer aided translation, this means segment that it nearly similar to another segment. The level of similarity is expressed as %.
Gisting Rough translation to give an idea of the context
Globalisation Preparing software, a website or a product for use in any language and cultural environment. Same as internationalisation.
Glossary Glossary is a specialised, single-language dictionary.
Gutter The space between columns of text on a page.
Harmonizer Device changing the pitch of the voice
Hook First word spoken on high note and followed by lower note
Human Translation Translation carried by a person, as opposed to machine translation
Imprint Printing new copy on a previously printed sheet
Indent Distance of text in from the margin
Infrared Receiver Normally a headset receiving an interpreted message via an infrared transmitter.
Inter-Line Spacing Space between lines
Internationalisation Preparing software, a website or a product for use in any language and cultural environment. Same as globalisation.
Interpretation Oral translation
Interpreter An oral translator. A very different skill to translation, which is written.
Interpreter Console Audio control center for interpreting
Jingle A musical commercial
Kerning Space between characters.
Kicker Secondary headline placed above a primary headline to lead into the primary headline.
Language Combination Source and target language being interpreted
Language Of Habitual Use Language that linguist uses habitually, not necessarily mother tongue but often the language of the area where they live.
Large Print Large print is when a document uses a large font size to enhance readability for visually impaired users
Leading The distance between lines of text
Leverage In computer aided translation, this means to recycle previous translations
Liaison Interpreter See consecutive interpreting
Literal Translation Translation of exact wording thus making it sound unnatural. See back translation.
Localisation Adapt text, website or software to the local market. This can include measures, currencies, local laws etc.
Machine Translation Machine translation is translation carried by a computer using a software package. See free translation.
Manuscript Original written text
Mark Up Copy with instructions for typesetter
Marking Copy Prepare script with marking emphasis etc. on the script
Master Original recording
Master Page Template for the document that will be used as master page for the document
Moon Embossed written system for the visually impaired using a series of lines and curves
Mother-Tongue Native language. See language of habitual use.
Mouth Noise The sounds such as “click” on microphone caused by dry mouth
Natural Languages Natural languages are spoken languages
Notarisation Certification by a notary public that a person signing a document has been properly identified
OCR Optical Character Recognition. Software that recognizes text in images to convert them into word processing files.
Offset Printing Printing technique that transfers ink from plate to paper via a rubber blanket. Allows a consistently high image quality and quick and easy production of printing plates.
Orphan The first line of a paragraph appearing on its own as last line of the page
Outbound Text Text intended for publication outside the organisation
Pace Reading speed
Pagination Defining where page breaks will occur
PDF Portable Document Format. Preserves the layout regardless of the platform it is viewed with.
Per Diem Subsistence allowance per day
Per Noctem Subsistence allowance per day.
Pitch The musical level at which a person speaks.
Pivot Interpreter whose work is used for relay. See relay.
Pixel The smallest unit of an image on a computer screen
Point Size Measurement of size of font
Post-Production Work done after the initial recording
Pre-Translation Preparing documents for translation especially when computer assisted translation software is used.
Proof Hardcopy usually for checking and correcting
Proofreading Checking a proof before it goes to print to ensure that no mistakes have been left in the text. See revision and editing.
Punch Reading with more intensity.
Real-Time Closed Captioning Conversion of spoken message into closed captions to be projected on a screen
Relay Interpreting Interpreting from text that has just been interpreted i.e. interpreter B interprets from German into English after the English has been interpreted from French by interpreter A (the pivot).
Repetition In computer assisted translation, this means repetition of segments within a piece of text or set of files. See leverage.
Retour Interpreting from A language to B language instead of normal B to A language.
Review Monolingual review to assess the suitability of the translation for the agreed purpose
Revising Examination that the translation is fit for its purpose to include comparison of source and target texts to check for consistency, register and style
Rhubarb The sound of many voices talking at once on background. Normally referred to as “walla” in the US.
Roman Type Can refer to either a font family name (Garamond, times new roman and Bodoni are all Roman fonts) or a font where the type is “normal” i.e. not italic or oblique.
Saddle Stitch Staple binding at the spine
SFX Sound effects
Sign Language Language of hand shapes, facial expressions and movements used as a form of communication
Simultaneous Interpreting Oral translation into another language while (or nearly at the same time as) the speaker is speaking. Usually in booths.
Slate To call out the details of a take
Source Language Language in which the text to be translated is written. See target language.
Source Text The text to be translated
Specialised Terminology Highly specific vocabulary within a given field
Spot A commercial
Spread Two pages that face each other
Standard Line Used to calculate volume of text. Number of keystrokes per line varies from country to country
Standard Page Used to calculate volume of text. Number of keystrokes varies from country to country
Stet Editing symbol to cancel a previous correction
Style Sheet Document specifying requirements for style for the text to be translated. Includes details such as style, target readership, company terminology etc.
Subsistence Allowance Allowance for expenses.
Sworn Statement Statement certifying that the translation is a true translation
Tabletop Booths Dividers between interpreters on desk.
Tag Information placed at the end of a commercial containing e.g. date and time
Take Recording
Target Audience Group of people who the interpreter is interpreting for.
Target Language Language which the text is to be translated into. See source language
Target Readership Group of people who the translation is aimed at
Tempo Speed
Terminology Software Data processing tool for creation and editing of dictionaries and glossaries
Text Expansion Increase in the length or space the translation takes up
Text Function Purpose for which the translation will be used
Text Reduction Reduction in the length or space the translation takes up
Text Type Class of text e.g. report, press release etc.
TM See translation memory
TMX Translation memory exchange format
Tone A sound or the pitch of a specific sound
Tourguide System A small portable interpreting system allowing high mobility.
Trailer Commercial promoting a film release.
Transcription Conversion of spoken text into written format
Translation Rendering written text from one language into another
Translation Memory In computer assisted translation, this means a database where equivalent segments of source and target languages are stored side by side
Translation Unit In computer assisted translation, this means the combined source segment and the corresponding target segment
Translator A person who renders written text from one language into another
Transliteration Conversion of text from one script to another system of writing
Transmitter Receives a signal and sends it to delegate headsets.
Travel Costs Actual travel costs
Travel Time Charge made for time spent travelling
Typo Typographical error
Voice Print The unique fingerprint created by a voice.
Voice-Over Audio commentary on DVD, film, television programme etc.
Walla The sound of many voices talking at once on background. Normally referred to as “rhubarb” in the UK.
WF Editing mark to indicate wrong font
Whispering Interpreting Simultaneous interpreting where interpreter sits close to the listener and whispers the translation
Word Count A standard to measure volume of a text. In the UK they are based on a cost per 1000 words

 
 
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