Search Tools for Translators

by Marie-Pierre Lessard

Terminological research is undoubtedly the most time-consuming and least profitable task for freelance technical translators. Since most of us are paid a fixed rate per word, the faster we can find answers to our questions, the better! Search skills and specialized tools are therefore playing a crucial role in our work.

1. Major terminology databases

Quick to consult, funded by governments and professional organizations, they are often the most complete and reliable resources at hand.

 

2. Other terminological works

If your favorite term bases fail to provide an equivalent, the next fastest step is to consult smaller lexicological resources: paper and CD-ROM publications, specialized dictionaries and terms banks available on the Web, etc. Since individual consultation of each resource is almost impossible in a real work situation, we resort to a variety of computerized search tools.

2.1. It is advisable to build an authoritative library of works on your hard drive, indexable with full-text search tools like LogiTerm and dtSearch. Focus on collecting terminological documents in your areas of specialization, for instant search and retrieval during most frequent jobs.

2.2. In order to build this library, you need good leads. The following directories can be helpful.

• Eurêka
• Lexicool
• GlossPost
• GoTranslators link library
• Aquarius link library
• Logos glossary database
• Dictionarium
• Portalingua by the Latin Union
• L'inventaire des travaux terminologiques dans Internet de l'OLF

 

3. Leveraging the World Wide Web as a public corpus

If your trusted references are still leaving you at a loss, the following tools might accelerate your Web search. Not all languages are covered. However, the most computer-savvy among you might be able to create new tools, similar in concept, but even more adapted to specific techno-linguistic needs. You can also congratulate the authors for their good work and ask for a translation/customization of the interface.

• DictSearch by Foreignword
• Eurêka's Google Term Search
• TC’s dictionary search boxes
• WWW Search Interfaces for Translators

 

4. Google snippets and ranking algorithm

Thanks to Google's snippets and ranking technology, a simple keyword search often bears highly relevant results, which can be surveyed at a glance. Google snippets are often sufficiently clear and complete to provide a defining context or even a definition extracted from an online glossary.

 

5. A look into the future

The interesting thing about Google is that it gives a high ranking to listings in "authoritative" directories like the Open Directory Project. Since I began as an editor, I have noticed that my listings actually influence my own Google search results... In other words, the more we submit quality sites to widely acknowledged directories like the ODP, the more we are likely to find answers to our terminological questions in Google and probably other search engines.

As you might already know, search engines and directories do appreciate the input of information professionals like ourselves in the Web republic. High-quality link collections, blogs, and the like are instrumental to them.

While the creation of a specialized full-text search engine for linguists seems to be utopia (for financial and practical reasons), we can realistically hope that our contributions to Web directories in general, and the ODP in particular, will increase the efficiency of our work.
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About the author: Through working in various technical and semi-technical fields, this Canadian French native has learned to be a terminologist as much as a translator. She is acutely aware of the limitations of current technology and constantly looking for new ways to go further, faster.

Source: www.translatorscafe.com

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