4.3 - Terminology and SDL MultiTerm

Terminology Management
Every organization uses specific terms that cannot be found in standard dictionaries. Example: Microsoft uses the term "Favorites" in Internet Explorer. In other Web browsers this feature is called "Bookmarks". For an organization it is important to use the correct terms consistently in all forms of communication, e.g. technical manuals, support articles, knowledge bases.
When translating documentation into other languages it is equally important to use standardized translations consistently. For example, the standard Czech translation for "dialog box" is "dialogové okno". The standard French translation is "boîte de dialogue". If you fail to use the correct target terms, readers are likely to get confused, which may lead to misunderstandings, time-consuming support calls, etc.
- Research terms quickly
- Translate terms consistently through the tight integration of SDL MultiTerm termbases into your translation environment (Trados Studio Editor view)
A termbase allows you to enter additional information for each term. For example, you can have a Status field that indicates whether a term is obsolete, derogatory, not allowed/approved, preferred, etc. Also, you can use so-called descriptive fields (e.g. Definition, Note, Example, Context) to provide additional information on a term. A termbase can even contain multimedia objects, e.g. pictures or videos, as well as cross-references and hyperlinks.
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How to Add Content to a Termbase
SDL MultiTerm is not delivered with any content. Termbases need to be filled by the translator, which can happen in any of the following ways:
- Adding entries manually
- Conversion of existing word lists (e.g. Microsoft Excel glossaries): SDL MultiTerm is delivered with a supplementary tool called SDL MultiTerm Convert, which allows you to quickly convert e.g. existing Microsoft Excel glossaries into SDL MultiTerm format (see eXercise)
- Terminology extraction from existing source and/or target documents: terminology extraction can be done SDL MultiTerm Extract or PhraseFinder (unfortunately, these are both products, which require extra licenses)
- Creation of quick entries directly from your translation environment, i.e. SDL Trados Studio 2009