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Translation processes with large language models and AI – Webinar

Posted on: March 11th, 2024 by Frank Wöhrle No Comments

Large language models (LLMs) could prove to be valuable assets for linguists in the context of language processes.
But what exactly are the advantages of this technology?

Our MT expert Julian Hamm will address this and other important questions in the context of the “LLM Use Cases in Language Services” TechTalk by lingo systems and provide insights into the world of language technologies and CAT tool development.
Curious to learn more?

STAR and lingo systems invite you to a free TechTalk

Secure your free ticket today and follow the discussion on 13th March from 3.00 to 4.30 pm CET. The TechTalk will be held in English.

We would be delighted to have you join us!

 

Navigating with AI as co-pilot – large language models in focus

Posted on: February 27th, 2024 by Frank Wöhrle No Comments

Few words have characterised the year 2023 as much as “AI”.
But what does this buzzword actually mean for translation and language processes? Has the time now come for the relatively new technology of neural machine translation (NMT) to take a step back, and for large language models (LLMs) to take centre stage?

Are you still typing or are you already prompting?

How does this change the way that professional translators work?
A human at the helm, AI as the co-pilot. But what exactly could this look like in day-to-day translation?
This will be the focus of our hour-long webinar.

Opportunities and challenges of large language models

Specifically, this involves the question of how these new language technologies can be used to optimise core processes in the translation industry, including quality assurance, post-editing and terminology management. 

In addition to discovering a strategic approach to prompt engineering , you will also, through a series of practical examples, learn how CAT tools must be set up in the future in order to optimally support language experts in their work.
Prior knowledge: Basic knowledge of CAT tools and machine translation

MT expertise from STAR

The speaker, Julian Hamm, who holds a masters in translation, has been working in the language services since 2018. In his role as Machine Translation Consultant at STAR Deutschland GmbH, he coordinates the implementation of MT-based workflows and delivers expert advise, both within STAR and to external clients, on the exciting topics of MT and language technologies.

Humans at the helm, AI as the co-pilot – curious to see what the future holds? Book your place for the tekom webinar under Veranstaltungen (tekom.de) and get on board on 14th March 2024 at 4.30 p.m. (CET). Please note that this webinar will be held in German only.

See you there! – Sign up today!

 
 

 

 

The bee’s knees | vachement bien – quirky expressions from France

Posted on: January 30th, 2024 by Frank Wöhrle No Comments

You can tell how diverse a language is just by looking at the breadth of its idioms. These turns of phrase vividly describe emotions or situations, often through associations with the animal world. It’s no wonder animals feature so heavily in idioms, given that man and beast have been living side by side for thousands of years. However, the same attributes aren’t always associated with the same animals in every culture. Furthermore, the natural habitats of animals are dependent on specific aspects, such as climate, altitude, etc., meaning our different living conditions or customs have given rise to different idioms throughout history.

Idioms from the animal kingdom – literal translation is rarely the answer

In this post, we shine a light on some animal-based idioms from the French language, and explore their meaning in English. As you will see, the English equivalents often make either no reference to fauna or contain completely different animal associations.

The language of animals… let’s start with cows

  • On n’a pas gardé les vaches ensemble
    (literally: we have not herded cows together.)
    This describes when someone is overly familiar.
  • Chacun son métier et les vaches seront bien gardées
    (literally: if everyone does their job, the cows will be well tended.)
    This essentially means ‘stick to what you know’.
  • Il pleut comme vache qui pisse
    (literally: it’s raining like a cow that is urinating.)
    In English, we famously (and perhaps inexplicably) describe such a downpour as raining cats and dogs.
  • Manger de la vache enragée
    (literally: eat a mad cow)
    This describes the sense of desperation when someone has fallen on hard times.

Our canine friends also feature highly in the language too

  • Arriver comme un chien dans un jeu de quilles
    (literally: arrive like a dog at a game of skittles)
    This describes an unwelcome presence, such as a fly in the ointment
  • Entre chien et loup
    (literally: between dog and wolf)
    This expression describes the witching hour
  • Avoir du chien
    (literally: to have dog)
    In English, we turn not to animals, but to French, describing someone as having a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’.
  • Nom d’un chien !
    (literally: name of a dog!)
    This means: for heaven’s sake!

Wolf idioms

  • Être connu comme le loup blanc
    (literally: as famous as the white wolf)
    We might describe someone who commands such presence as ‘a big fish’.
  • Avoir une faim de loup
    (literally: to be as hungry as a wolf)
    In English, we also reference animals to express the size of our appetite, by exclaiming “I could eat a horse!”.
  • Se jeter dans la gueule du loup
    (literally: to plunge into the wolf’s mouth)
    In English, it’s a bit more exotic: to walk into the lion’s den
  • S’approcher à pas de loup
    (literally: to approach with wolves’ paws)
    In English, we say: to be ‘as quiet as a mouse’ on approach

Fly on the wall…

There are many French expressions that reference flies, not all of which have animal-based equivalents in English:

  • Prendre la mouche
    (literally: take the fly)
    A comparable English expression is taken from the bull-fighting arena: to see red.
  • Quelle mouche t’a piqué ?
    (literally: which fly stung you?)
    A similar English expression also comes from the insect kingdom: What’s bugging you?
  • On n’attrape pas les mouches avec du vinaigre
    (literally: you can’t catch flies with vinegar.)
    In English, we have a saying from Shakespeare: to kill them with kindness.
  • Faire mouche
    (literally: make flies)
    In English, we say someone has hit the bull’s eye – an expression borrowed from archery.

Let the cat out of the bag!

As in English, cats are proverbially popular in French – though not always translatable:

  • Il n’y a pas un chat
    (literally: there is not a cat around)
    This simply means there’s not a soul to be seen anywhere.
  • Il n’y a pas de quoi fouetter un chat
    (literally: there’s no need to whip cats over it.)
    In English, we might brush off a situation with reference to another household pet, saying let sleeping dogs lie.
  • Appeler un chat un chat
    (literally: to call a cat a cat)
    In English, we call a spade a spade.
  • Donner sa langue au chat
    (literally: to give your tongue to the cat)
    Though we have a similar-sounding phrase in ‘the cat has got your tongue’, this actually means something different – namely to give up guessing.

Who rules the roost?

The cockerel is widely considered emblematic of France, and so it comes as no surprise that their expressions also focus on this feathered friend.

  • Passer du coq à l’âne
    (literally: to go from hen to donkey)
    This means to change the subject abruptly.
  • Il devient rouge comme un coq
    (literally: he turned as red as a cockerel.)
    This describes the shade someone’s face might turn if they have egg on their face.
  • Vivre comme un coq en pâte
    (literally: to live like a cockerel in pastry)
    In English, we turn to a different creature for the expression: like the cat who got the cream.

 

Language is as diverse as the animal kingdom itself, and different imagery in idioms from different countries and cultures awaken completely different associations, as these illustrative examples clearly demonstrate. Despite our shared history, similar cultures and only a narrow stretch of water between us, French and English language are wildly different. This can result in misunderstandings, comical or even sticky situations. In our day-to-day lives, both at home and at work, our perception of the world determines whether we build bridges or burn bridges with our counterparts.

If you’re looking for perceptive translations that are targeted to your market, STAR combines high specialist expertise and intercultural awareness with many years of experience in the industry. You receive reliable quality in the language and the tone that you and your customers understand. We can help you – simply get in touch.

Process automation at Endress+Hauser – 10 years of efficiency with STAR

Posted on: December 12th, 2023 by Frank Wöhrle No Comments

Around ten years ago, Endress+Hauser took the decision to automate their translation processes – with the help of STAR CLM, the process automation solution from STAR. Taking data from the technical documentation as a starting point, more and more workflows have been added since – for more and more specific types of information.

1,000,000 language jobs processed automatically in 30 languages

In total to date, more than 1,000,000 jobs have been processed in up to 30 target languages.
“Without STAR CLM, we could not have kept up with the translation volumes in the face of the ever-growing wealth of information to be translated,” explains Thomas Ziesing, Technical Content & Translation Process Manager at Endress+Hauser.

STAR CLM covers a wide range of topics and offers MT integration

Texts being automatically processed span subject areas from knowledge-base articles using the raw MT process to software texts with length restrictions, not to mention full technical documentation and even marketing content including in-country review.

In recognition of this achievement of “10 years of process automation with STAR CLM”, we presented Mr Ziesing with a trophy at the 2023 tekom annual conference.

Read our new case study to discover how using STAR MT technology in the service department helped Endress+Hauser to overcome linguistic obstacles and produce synergy effects.

Certification and AI – STAR’s ISO 18587 certification reconfirmed

Posted on: December 7th, 2023 by Frank Wöhrle No Comments

Just a few days before the 2023 edition of the annual tekom conference, STAR Deutschland GmbH succeeded once again in earning the seal of approval of its independent certification partner LinquaCert in the surveillance audit for ISO 18587:2017 “Post-editing of machine translation output”, confirming the continued high quality and transparency of the company’s translation processes!

Man and machine working together – opportunities and risks facing language technology?

Amid the ongoing hype and discussion surrounding AI, we need to address the question of how our company positions itself on the market and how the profile of a language expert has evolved over time. Conventional translation resources, such as translation memories and terminology databases, are increasingly accompanied by neural machine translation systems. The rapid developments in the field of large language models (LLMs) also create new opportunities for the interaction between man and machine. While this brings with it the promise of better MT results and more efficient translation workflows, it also presents risks due to the system’s susceptibility to errors.

Ready for the future – with targeted resource training and software integration

As language and technology service providers, it is our duty to ensure our language experts are well supported through targeted training courses, as well as intuitive and long-term integration of cutting-edge language technologies within our software products.
We recently gave a brief outlook of the objectives and challenges of CAT tool development at the annual tekom conference. You can expect lots of exciting new developments across our product portfolio next year!

Where will this journey take us? For us, the general principle is unchanged: The human has ultimate control, technology is the co-pilot. Are you ready for the future?

Join us for the ride – with STAR behind the wheel, you’ll always arrive safely at your destination.

Do you need more information on intelligent automation with AI?
We support you – get in touch

 

CLAAS and STAR celebrate a milestone anniversary

Posted on: November 28th, 2023 by Frank Wöhrle No Comments

How time flies… the Harsewinkel-based agricultural machinery manufacturer CLAAS has been relying on the STAR Group’s translation expertise and software solutions since 2003, with STAR handling up to 37 languages for CLAAS at any one time. The anniversary was celebrated at STAR’s stand at this year’s tekom annual conference, and the official STAR trophy was presented in recognition of this excellent and long-standing business relationship.

An intimate party continued in the evening, with the six attendees enjoying a meal together at a local restaurant. Three of these attendees have been working together since the very first day of this fruitful relationship, meaning that there was 20 years’ worth of stories to share, and collective memories to recall. We look forward to many more years of excellent and successful cooperation in the future.

Find out how STAR’s team of project management experts made a significant contribution to the consistency and continuity of translation quality at CLAAS in our case study

Transit NXT Service Pack 16:
New features, improved functionality

Posted on: November 16th, 2023 by Frank Wöhrle No Comments

The new version of the translation memory system Transit NXT offers additional filters, enhanced web search services, more connections and numerous improvements in terms of usability.

Users can benefit from many enhanced functions with this latest Service Pack, including a new Office filter and an updated version of WebTransit.

Access to even more in-depth knowledge

The list of web search services has also been bolstered with the addition of ESCO, France Terme, GDT, LINGUA-PC, SCTA Semamdy and TermCAT – meaning you can have access to even more in-depth knowledge in next to no time.

Terminology management just got even more efficient

Transit/TermStar NXT now supports Microsoft SQL Server 2022 as well as Microsoft SQL Server 2022 Express, and includes with some further improvements for project management, the Transit editor, machine translation, the report manager and TM Containers.

You are looking for a work platform for all translation and localization tasks in all formats and languages.
We can help you – get in touch.

Outlooks at tekom, AMTA and AsLing 2023

Posted on: November 7th, 2023 by Frank Wöhrle No Comments

The future of AI in language technology

Now we know what you’re thinking: Not another article about ChatGPT… Social media is already full of experience reports, and words of praise as well as criticism. And the initial hype has long since died down. Is STAR not a little late to the party here? In short, the answer is no – because we’ve been partying along with everyone else the whole time! 2023 is coming to an end and over the last few months we have been taking an in-depth look at the question of what place large language models (LLMs) should have in today’s language service industry. In June 2023, we reported on the EAMT conference in Tampere and took a little look at the future of this topic.

AI – Friend or foe? The moderate and sustainable use of modern AI technology in the translation process

The most important question we are currently trying to answer is how we can integrate modern AI technology into the current translation process in moderation, intelligently and sustainably. As a result of the technologisation of translation work, the job description of language experts has also changed over the past few decades From the introduction of CAT tools to the development of MT systems, and right through to the continually growing popularity of LLMs, translators have already been able to experience a technological leap in one way or another. You can read about everything that has happened over the past 35 years in the interview with our experienced STAR translator Fabienne Chapron.

AI – with the right know-how. Contributing to the improvement processes and overall quality

As has already been asked with the advent of the technologically-related NMT systems: Have we now finally found the Holy Grail? The uncomfortable answer to this admittedly not entirely simple question is that it depends entirely on how we use the technology and what we do with it in the future. Will LLMs replace the already established NMT models entirely and make the work of language experts superfluous? It’s unlikely. But can the modular integration of these technologies in modern CAT tools contribute to the improvement of processes and overall quality? We think so, yes! In the areas of terminology extraction, keyword searches and quality assurance, we can see great potential for reducing manual workloads and increasing the granularity of QA tools.

AI – The topic of industry events in 2023

The AMTA 2023 virtual conference, the tekom annual conference in Stuttgart and the AsLing TC45 conference in Luxembourg are three key events taking place in November at which the future of AI and machine translation and their importance for language services will be a hot topic of discussion. We think this is extremely important in view of the error rates of the systems, data protection, raising awareness amongst users and ethical responsibility.

Are you just as keen to find out more about this topic as us? Then get on and book your ticket for the tekom annual conference now. You can visit the exhibition free of charge! To do so, simply drop us an e-mail and we will send you the exhibition code you need to register straight away.

Amongst other things, you can look forward to the talk by our MT expert Julian Hamm on current topics and challenges relating to CAT tool development and the use of AI technologies as part of Augmented Translation.

What might the technology look like in 10 years’ time

As an experiment, we asked ChatGPT directly for a self-assessment:

ChatGPT message

Is it all just hype? What do you think about the future of AI technologies?
We are keen to find out your experiences and we can help you – simply get in touch.

tekom annual conference 2023 in Stuttgart

Posted on: October 26th, 2023 by Frank Wöhrle No Comments

Visit us at the tekom annual conference in Stuttgart!

Find us on stand 2D38 in Hall C2 from 14th to 16th November. There, you’ll find out more about our language services, enterprise technologies and all the latest developments.

You can visit the exhibition free of charge! To do so, simply drop us an e-mail and we will send you the exhibition code you need to register straight away. If you want to meet to discuss something in particular, we are also available beforehand to book an appointment for you. As with every year, there are some fascinating presentations and workshops lined up:

So erstellen Sie technische Dokumentation in Rekordzeit
(How to produce technical documentation in record time)

Speakers:

  • Dominik Faupel (Hilti Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH)
  • Dr. Matthias Gutknecht (STAR Group)

 

Reusing content saves time, money and effort. Component Content Management solutions facilitate reuse at a topic/sentence level. STAR GRIPS also features structure assistants for the reuse of complex semantic content structures. Hilti utilises this to generate operating manuals in just one or two hours. This talk will look at their approach to content, explained with a practical example.

When? As part of Technology Days – Monday 6th November, 9.10 a.m.– 9.50 a.m.

Semantische Produktinformationen – der Schlüssel zur digitalen Prozessunterstützung
(Semantic product information – the key to digital process support)

Speaker:

  • Dr. Matthias Gutknecht (STAR Group)

 

Find out how semantic single sourcing with GRIPS opens the doors to personalised digital process support.

Where and when? Tuesday, 14th November, 2 p.m., room C10.2

Alles im Griff: Wie steuere ich Projekte in der Content Factory
(Everything under control: How do I manage projects in the Content Factory)

Speaker:

  • Dr. Matthias Gutknecht (STAR Group)

 

With GRIPS project management, you can automate routine tasks, keep an overview and save time and money. Get to grips with GRIPS using a real example.

Wednesday, 15th November, 10 a.m., room C10.2

Augmented Translation – CAT-Tool-Entwicklung in Zeiten von MT und LLMs
(Augmented Translation – CAT tool development at STAR in the age of MT and LLMs)

Speakers:

  • Julian Hamm (STAR Deutschland)
  • Judith Klein (STAR Group)

 

We will be showing what opportunities MT and LLMs present when it comes to quality assurance, terminology work and other functions across the entire translation process, as well as providing insight into the challenges of developing STAR Transit NXT in the context of Augmented Translation.

Wednesday, 15th November, 11.30 a.m., room C10.2

Customer Interaction über das Projekt hinaus: von In-Country Review bis Quality & Risk Management
(Customer Interaction beyond the project: From in-country review to quality & risk management)

Speaker:

  • Birgit Maria Hoppe (STAR Deutschland)

 

STAR CLM, the platform for Corporate Language Management, provides the best possible support for quality management through maximum customer integration. Discover how easy in-country reviews can be using CLM WebEdit alongside intuitive application of all relevant CAT features. The new Quality & Risk Management Module (QRM) also enables you to evaluate completed projects not only in communication with all stakeholders but also to define and track quality measures.

Wednesday, 15th November, 3 p.m., room C10.2

Die Content-Factory: Rezepte entwickeln für digitalen Mehrwert
(The Content Factory: Developing recipes for added digital value)

Speakers:

  • Roland Schmeling (Schmeling + Consultants GmbH)
  • Dr. Matthias Gutknecht (STAR Group)

 

Digital applications and services relating to complex products require a high standard of information quality: These need to be structured, standardised, highly granular, free of redundancies and semantically linked. For this standard to be achieved, the technical editing must have the right infrastructure and process maturity. What exactly are the requirements of data models, systems, interfaces, processes, roles and skills? Which recipes are worthwhile and when do they start overshooting? Using an application example for digitalisation, we will together derive the specific requirements of the processes and data. In turn, these requirements provide sound justification for the necessary investment.

Thursday, 16th November, 11.30 a.m.–1.15 p.m., room C9.3

 

See you there!

 

For appointment booking and/or a trade fair code, please send us a short e-mail.

The changing face of the translation profession

Posted on: October 23rd, 2023 by Frank Wöhrle

A report based on 35 years of experience

Digitalisierung, Automatisierung und Künstliche Intelligenz bestimmen immer mehr Branchen nachhaltig. In this context, and with the development of machine translation (MT), the translation profession has also changed significantly.

Let’s take a look at the past and future of the translation profession in an interview with Fabienne Chapron.

Thick specialist books, dictionaries and copious reference works

“When I started my career as a translator 35 years ago, translation and the research associated with it were tedious and time-consuming. Slow PCs, massive screens, an operating system called MS-DOS and floppy disks were part of everyday life back then.

With globalisation, the volume of translation from our international customers grew rapidly over time. The variety of topics and the complexity of the content also increased significantly. The development of the translation profession continues to be extremely dynamic. Nowadays, information is changing virtually on a daily basis, both in the source and target languages.”

Optimum interaction between man and machine

“As a translator, I have been working with technology on a daily basis for a long time now – CAT tools help us with every new job. Thanks to digitalisation and, above all, using workflow automation, workflows are becoming more transparent and far easier and quicker to manage. I can get all the numerous small administrative tasks done much quicker and concentrate on my actual work – translation. Interfaces to CMS and PIM systems, or to online portals for in-country review, all speed up the translation process: Language technology helps us to reduce both the time and effort to process a job.

At the end of my career, I am now routinely working with machine translation. Through webinars and other further training courses, I have been able to add post-editing to my areas of expertise, a skill which is increasingly important in the translation profession. Machine translation achieves good results for properly formulated texts such as press releases and marketing texts. For technical texts, customer terminology is top priority; here it’s all about populating the engines with customer terminology before automation. In these cases, machine translation is part of the translation workflow in which I always have the final say in the post-editing stage.

With SEO-optimised translations, I can help my customers to gain better visibility in the global universe of search engines. This is another skill I have acquired. When I finished my degree in 1986, I never could have imagined how dynamically my way of working would change. Not only have my own standards been raised, but also those of my customers: Many companies now provide a style guide which stipulates the use of relevant stylistic elements and is updated on a regular basis.”

Translation: Anyone can do it online, can’t they?

“Translating involves much more than a translation tool. Professional translation is not just a word-for-word rendering from one language to another. Even if technology has made huge progress, it cannot replace a human translator because only they have the skills to carry out subject-specific, specialist research and to find the right tone and style. Translators who have specialist knowledge in a specific sector have crystal clear benefits compared with machines: The more specialised the vocabulary is, the harder it is for machine translation to hit the right note.”

Picture Fabienne Fabienne Chapron
Translation Team Leader
Master of Arts in German and Romance Studies, University of Heidelberg
Translator for 35 years
Language direction: German-French
Specialisms: Automotive, machinery and plant engineering, agricultural engineering

 

Stellar service from STAR

Do you want top quality translations that are managed efficiently?
STAR combines outstanding specialist expertise and many years of experience in the industry with intelligent automation.
You receive reliable quality in the language and the tone that your customers understand.

Do you need professional specialist translation?
Our global network of native language experts specialises in your industry – working efficiently and producing top quality.
We can help you – simply get in touch.