Below is a brief summary of the work tools I use on a daily basis.
dictionaries
I mainly use Van Dale online dictionaries and online terminology databases.
cat tools
Computer-assisted translation tools or translation software. These programs work with translation memories; i.e. databases that store segments of a source text along with their translation. This allows translators to reuse already-translated texts or to see how a particular term was translated previously. Translation memories help maintain consistency when more than one translator is working on the same text or for the same client. Some of the most commonly-used CAT tools are Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast, Catalyst and DéjàVu.
automatic translation
Automatic translation is producing increasingly better results. There are some generic automatic translation tools that are free to use (Google Translate, DeepL), but there are also customised tools that are ‘trained’ for a specific client. More and more translators are using automatic translation as a tool for increasing their productivity.
IATE (Interactive Terminology for Europe): IATE combines all the EU’s translation service terminology databases into a single, highly interactive and accessible inter-institutional database.
1.
Linguee: a search engine that allows you to consult existing translations of multilingual content on the Internet.
2.
Microsoft Language Portal: Microsoft’s terminology database containing all its terms in English translated to dozens of other languages.
3.
VRT Taalnet: the language service of the Flemish Radio and Television Broadcasting Organisation (VRT)..
4.
EUR-Lex: a database in 24 languages that contains more than 3 million EU documents. Documents can be viewed in three different languages simultaneously and you can also carry out searches.
5.
Synoniemen.net: a website of synonyms in Dutch that allows you to find ‘the right word’. Very useful for enriching your text.
6.
Woordenlijst.org: the official glossary of the Dutch language, with the official spelling of the Dutch Language Union.
7.
Taaldatabank van GentVertaalt: : a database that identifies the differences between the Dutch of Belgium (Flemish) and the Dutch of the Netherlands (Dutch)..
8.
Taaladvies.net: the language advice website of the Dutch Language Union, with answers to an infinite number of specific questions about Dutch language and spelling.
9.
My Memory: in its own words, “the biggest translation memory in the world”. This website uses a combination of existing ‘human’ translations and automatic translations.
10.
Taaltelefoon: the language service of the Flemish Government.
11.
Genootschap Onze Taal: : this organisation defines itself as an “association for lovers of the language”, and has its own magazine and language advice service.
12.