RE: Note about resolving conref.

Hi Bruce,

Unfortunately, translation memory can't handle this 
problem. The conref'ed words are generally stored in a separate collection topic 
which just has a list of words. The words are translated separately from the 
topics. Then, when the output is run through the OT, the words are embedded in 
the text. However, since the words are translated separately, they will often be 
in the wrong case in the translated text (subject, object, and so on). That 
means the resulting text is clearly ungrammatical, especially in heavily 
inflected languages. That's what the best practice document 
says.

 

By the way, the same happens in EN when the noun changes 
from an initial consonant to an initial vowel or if it changes from singular to 
plural. 

 

Translation memory does nothing to alleviate the grammar 
problems that can occur when single words are conref'ed into various grammatical 
structures.

 

JoAnn

 

JoAnn T. Hackos, PhD
President
Comtech Services, 
Inc.
710 Kipling 
Street, Suite 400
Denver CO 80215
303-232-7586


 

 

From:  
[mailto:] On Behalf Of Bruce Esrig
Sent: 
Sunday, June 29, 2008 10:46 PM
To: JoAnn Hackos
Cc: 
; Bryan Schnabel; ; 
; ; ; Howard.Schwartz; 
; ; ; 
; Michael Priestley
Subject: Re: Note about 
resolving conref.

Aha ... the repetition that results from conref can be handled by 
translation memory software. Distributing translation jobs to multiple 
translators would also work as long as you're using a hosted, instantly 
updated translation memory database that is shared across translators.

 

But if the job is to be distributed and the translation memory won't be 
shared in real time, then the translation team might benefit from getting a 
separate copy of the material-to-be-conrefed so that the 
material-to-be-conrefed can be translated once. The common material will 
then be in the translation memory database when the 
material-after-conrefs-are-resolved is distributed for 
translation.
 

Best wishes,

 

Bruce Esrig
 

On 6/29/08, JoAnn 
Hackos <> 
wrote: 

  

  
Here is an idea about resolving conrefs 
  that I received from Michael Priestly. Please consider it for our committee 
  meeting tomorrow. I am looking for a process that we can recommend in an 
  amendment to the conref best practices document.

  
 

  
___

  
It would require custom XSLT. 
  Probably not much, using one of the existing conref XSLTs as a base. Prior to 
  sending files to translation, the author would run a packaging process that 
  runs the XSLT against each of the files they intend to send. The packaging 
  process would require some custom batch files to run the XSLT, probably 
  ant-based if they're using the DITA open toolkit since they could borrow from 
  existing processes again. 
  

  
___

  
 

  

  
JoAnn T. 
  Hackos, PhD
President
Comtech Services, 
  Inc.
710 Kipling 
  Street, Suite 400
Denver CO 80215
303-232-7586