A translation software, no matter how good, will never replace a seasoned consultant. There, I said it. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t many instances when a language translation software won’t prove to be a better choice.
Quality
Can software really match a manual translation’s quality? Heck, no. Unless the translator is terrible at his job, it’s not likely. Adding that human touch (provided that person is a qualified bilingual, of course) to any document will always turn out text that’s more readable and more conversational than any software can ever do.
However, many fields of translation can afford not having that “human hand” in the process. In documents with strict formats and fixed jargons, for instance, a language translation tool can perform the job just as capably as the next guy. Will it be as conversational? Probably not. Will it be able to properly interpret non-standard sentence structures (e.g. wrong grammar)? Most likely, no. However, it can turn out a document that’s readable and understandable in a whole other language. For many requirements, that’s all that people really need, isn’t it?
Cost
For many business, legal and medical applications, a translation software should do the job capably. This is especially true in instances where the original document is clad in a specific format, with mostly standard word usage. The cost difference, compared to hiring a full-time consultant, is immense, making a terrific case for it.
Before you call up a translator to take on your project, ask yourself if one is really necessary. For loose-format documents and critical papers, I’d recommend a full-fledged interpreter. In case you work within the parameters where a translation software can shine, though, always take that road – the cost-to-value is wildly in its favor.
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