Companies increasingly turn to machine or AI translation to save time an money, but humans remain a vital part of the process. Machine translation post-editing services (MTPE) use human linguists to refine your content translated by machines or AI and deliver a high-quality final result. This includes reviewing for accuracy, tone, cultural sensitivity and the correct terminology and phrasing to ensure that you authentically communicate with your target audience.
Post-editing machine translation is particularly key for content in highly specialised fields such as market research, healthcare, legal and other technical sectors.
Post-editing is the term used when the translation is created or provided by technology, such as machine translation or AI. Proofreading is when the translation has been done by humans. Both check for and correct the same elements, but post-editing usually requires more intervention, particularly to ensure consistency within and between documents, guarantee natural and fluent-sounding language and weed out hallucinations.
Machine translation can give you the gist of a text, but if you need an accurate rendition of it, you will likely need input from a professional and, above all, human linguist. As an experienced translation agency, The Language Factory can evaluate your machine translation and advise on the best course of action. It may simply need some light editing, including correcting mistranslations and reviewing fluency and grammar. However, if complete accuracy and the right style, tone, specific terminology and client-facing phrasing require more extensive post-editing, we may recommend a full retranslation by a human linguist. We will always advise on the best approach given your requirements and time or budget constraints.
Machine translation may offer speed and cost advantage, but it can come at a different price. When quality is compromised, this can affect your brand and business reputation. Post-editing a machine translation ensures accuracy in the first instance, but also cultural relevance, maintaining the tone and style, high quality and adherence to regulatory standards.
If you just want the gist of a document and won’t be making business-critical decisions based on the translation, the answer is probably no. If, however, you want reassurance that the translation is accurate, can’t afford hallucinations or you intend to publish it, human post-editing is vital. Not only will you have peace of mind that you and your brand are being portrayed accurately, but you may save yourself some potentially embarrassing conversations with clients!
At TLF, we combine a team of around 1,000 mother-tongue human translators with expert Project Managers. All our translators who perform this service have a minimum of five years of professional experience in their chosen field, hold a Diploma, BA or MA in translation and are professional members of a recognised translation body. This has earned us a 97% client satisfaction rating for translation quality.
Machine translation post-editing (MTPE) is when a professional human linguist reviews and refines content that has been translated by a machine or AI system. The linguist checks the translation against the original content for accuracy, meaning, terminology, grammar, fluency, tone and suitability for the intended audience. The level of editing depends on the purpose and quality requirements of the content.
MTPE can combine the speed of machine translation with the judgement and language expertise of a professional linguist. Human post-editing will identify errors in meaning, terminology, grammar and phrasing, while ensuring the finished translation is appropriate for its intended audience. This can be particularly important when translated content represents your brand or is used in a specialist field.
MTPE can be suitable when machine-translated content provides a useful starting point but needs professional review before it is used. Suitability depends on factors such as the subject matter, language pair, intended audience, required quality and how the translation will be used. For highly-sensitive, specialised or creative content, a full human translation may be more appropriate. A professional translation provider can assess the material and recommend the most suitable approach.
Machine translation can provide a useful starting point, but a human linguist will assess the translation and identify issues that require professional correction. Human review ensures that terminology, tone, cultural references and phrasing are appropriate for the intended audience. This is particularly important for specialist content where an inaccurate or inappropriate translation could have significant consequences.
No. AI or machine translation generates the initial translated content, whereas AI or machine translation post-editing involves a human linguist reviewing and improving that output. MTPE therefore adds a professional human quality control stage to machine-generated translation. The final level of intervention depends on the requirements of the project and the quality expected.
A professional linguist reviews the machine-translated text against the original to check accuracy, omissions, terminology, grammar, fluency, tone and consistency. They can also identify wording that may be technically correct but unnatural or unsuitable for the target audience. The precise checks will depend on the agreed level of post-editing and the purpose of the content.
Yes, but the suitability of MTPE should be assessed according to the subject matter and quality requirements. Specialist content will require linguists with relevant subject expertise and a strong understanding of the terminology used in that sector. For areas such as healthcare, legal and technical content, the consequences of an inaccurate translation can make professional human review particularly important.
It depends what you’re trying to achieve. The right approach depends on the source material, language pair, subject matter, machine translated output and required quality. If the machine translation is of a suitable quality, it may provide an efficient starting point for-post editing. If substantial rewriting is required, a professional human linguist translating from scratch may be more cost and time effective in the long run. TLF can assess the material and recommend the most suitable approach for your requirements.
Yes. If you already have content that has been translated using machine translation or AI, a professional linguist can assess the output against the original and identify whether it requires light editing, more extensive post-editing or a complete human retranslation. The most appropriate option will depend on the accuracy, terminology, tone and intended use of the content.
The main difference is how the translation was produced. Post-editing is carried out on content generated by a machine or AI translation system, whereas proofreading involves checking a translation produced by a human translator. Both processes involve checking language quality, but post-editing often requires the linguist to assess whether the machine-generated translation is suitable for its intended purpose in addition to its accuracy and fluency.
You can only know whether your machine translation is ready to use by having a professional, human linguist review it against the source, particularly if the content will be published, used for business-critical communication or contains specialist terminology. TLF can assess your existing machine translation and advise whether it requires light post-editing, more extensive editing or human retranslation.
We are proud of our long-standing association with the Market Research Society and membership of language industry bodies, ATC (Association of Translation Companies) and ITI (Institute of Translation and Interpreting), and we abide by their strict codes of conduct and demonstrating our commitment to best practice for the benefit of our clients.
Over the past three decades, we have curated a community of linguists, collectively they are:
Your dedicated and experienced Project Manager will partner with you to:
Meet our expert project management team.
If you need help with your machine translation post-editing or any other language service, click the link below to contact our expert team.
Get insights, information and offers from The Language Factory.