Translation & Localization Glossary.
Clear definitions. No jargon soup. Every term explained from a practitioner's perspective.
B
BLEU Score
The BLEU Score measures machine translation accuracy by comparing word sequences against a human reference. Learn how it works, where it falls short, and what LQA does differently.
Brand Voice Translation
Brand voice translation preserves a brand's tone, formality, and personality across languages — beyond word-for-word accuracy. Learn what it covers and how translation tools enforce it.
C
CAT Tool (Computer-Assisted Translation)
A CAT Tool helps translators work faster by surfacing Translation Memory matches and enforcing glossary terms inline. Learn how it works and how it differs from a TMS.
Context-Aware Translation
Context-aware translation supplies AI models with glossaries, translation memory, brand voice rules, and domain context before generating output — for accurate, brand-compliant output from the start.
Cultural Localization
Cultural localization adapts products and campaigns to fit the visual conventions, legal requirements, and cultural norms of a target market — beyond language translation.
F
Formality Levels
Formality levels define the grammatical register a brand uses in translation — formal vs. informal address in German, French, Japanese, and more.
Fuzzy Match
A fuzzy match surfaces a similar Translation Memory segment as a starting point — with changed elements flagged for review. Learn how match tiers affect localization costs.
L
Language Service Provider (LSP)
A language service provider (LSP) is an agency that delivers professional translation and localization. Learn how LSPs work and how AI is reshaping their workflows.
LLM Routing
LLM routing directs translation tasks to different AI models based on content type, language pair, and quality threshold — not one endpoint for everything.
Localization
Localization adapts a product for a specific market — beyond translation. It covers UI layout, cultural conventions, formats, and compliance. Learn the difference.
Localization ROI
Localization ROI measures the revenue impact of translating a product for new markets against the cost. Learn the three key ROI vectors and what affects the calculation.
M
Machine Translation
Machine translation automates text conversion between languages. Learn the three generations of MT, what NMT still doesn't solve, and when post-editing is required.
MTPE
MTPE combines machine translation with human post-editing. Learn the two service levels — light and full — and how context-aware MT changes what editors receive.
T
Target Language
Target language is the language content is translated into. Learn the engineering constraints it introduces and why locale precision — not just language — matters.
Text Expansion
Text expansion is the character count increase when translating from English. Learn expansion rates by language, the UI solution, and how it affects document layouts.
TMX (Translation Memory eXchange)
TMX is the open XML standard for transferring Translation Memory between tools. Learn what it contains, why portability matters, and how it differs from XLIFF.
Total Cost of Ownership (Localization)
Localization TCO is the full cost of going multilingual — beyond per-word rates. Learn the three hidden cost layers and how to reduce them.
Transcreation
Transcreation adapts marketing content to carry the same emotional intent in a new language — not just the same words. Learn when to use it and how it differs from translation.
Translation Management System (TMS)
A TMS centralizes localization — translation memory, glossaries, workflow routing, and quality checks. Learn the core components and how they're changing with AI.
Translation Memory (TM)
Translation Memory stores approved translation pairs for reuse. Learn how it reduces localization costs, why TM hygiene matters, and how semantic retrieval improves matches.
Translation Quality Assurance (LQA)
The systemic, highly structured validation protocol—executed via both algorithmic parsing and human review—that mathematically guarantees localized files conform perfectly to strict enterprise compliance, glossary, and spatial standards.