Professional machine translation post-editing

Post-editing is not a quick glance at automatically generated text. A professional compares the output with the source, corrects meaning and terminology, and brings the result to the agreed level of quality. The suitability of this workflow depends on domain, repetition, source quality and the consequences of error.

What this work involves

LinguaVox has managed large-volume Spanish-to-Basque machine translation post-editing projects for Basque public institutions. Such work needs terminology management, version control and a clear route for resolving doubtful passages. Experience does not make every text suitable for automation: creative, legally sensitive or safety-critical content may require direct translation.

Documents and decisions

Read about Basque translations and technical translation for alternative workflows. We compare post-editing with our wider translation services when scoping a project.

Defining the right service

A useful quote begins with the complete source material, the target language and the purpose of the finished text. We also ask who will read it, where it will be used, which file format you need and whether an organisation has issued formal instructions. These details affect the workflow more than a word count on its own. If a document contains tables, embedded text or handwritten marks, we need to see them before confirming the scope.

Where several documents belong to one project, we check how they relate. A product name used in a brochure may also appear in a manual or on a presentation slide. Earlier approved translations and glossaries can help, but we review them against the current context rather than applying them without question. We raise unclear terms with the client while there is still time to make a consistent decision.

People, process and review

LinguaVox has worked in language services since 2000. Its certified systems include ISO 9001, ISO 17100 for translation services and ISO 18587 for full post-editing of machine translation output. Each standard concerns a particular process; a certificate does not remove the need to assess the individual assignment. We select the relevant workflow after examining the source material and the consequences of a mistake.

For specialist content, preparation includes reference files and terminology as well as a suitable professional. Review is planned around the agreed use of the text. When a source is inconsistent or a requirement is unclear, we seek clarification instead of hiding the doubt in fluent prose. This is particularly valuable when material will be revised, reused or read by more than one team.

Preparing the final files

The first step is to agree what the recipient actually needs, beyond the number of pages. We check the file structure, language direction, intended market and any existing terminology. If several teams will use the result, we identify who can answer questions about product names or organisational preferences. Clear decisions at this stage make later review more useful.

During production, queries are recorded and resolved with the context in view. Numbers, headings, tables and cross-references deserve attention alongside continuous prose. Where formatting is part of the task, we agree the final file type before work starts. We also distinguish a new translation from an update, a sworn document or a full post-editing assignment, because each requires its own checks.

Before delivery we review the agreed output against the brief and identify any points that need the client's confirmation. If documents will be revised again, approved terms and decisions can help keep future versions consistent. This approach is useful for companies publishing successive manuals, catalogues or multilingual communications.

Working from Bizkaia

Our head office is at C. Máximo García Garrido, 12, 1.º D, 48980 Santurtzi, Bizkaia. We coordinate work for clients in Bilbao and elsewhere without suggesting that we maintain an office at every place we serve. Documents can usually be sent and discussed online; office visits by businesses are arranged in advance. The local setting matters when a project involves Basque, manufacturing or an event in the Bilbao area.

Tell us about the language pair, deadline and final user at the outset. If your project includes a meeting, include the date, venue, working hours and approximate number of participants. We will explain what can be delivered, what further information is needed and how the work will be organised before you commit.