Machine-translated segments are increasingly
included as fuzzy matches within the
translation-memory systems in the localisation
workflow. This study presents preliminary
results on the correlation between these two
types of segments in terms of productivity and
final quality. In order to test these variables,
we set up an experiment with a group of eight
professional translators using an on-line postediting
tool and a statistical-base machine
translation engine. The translators were asked
to translate new, machine-translated and
translation-memory segments from the 80-90
percent value using a post-editing tool without
actually knowing the origin of each segment,
and to complete a questionnaire. The findings
suggest that translators have higher
productivity and quality when using machinetranslated
output than when processing fuzzy
matches from translation memories.
Furthermore, translators’ technical experience
seems to have an impact on productivity but
not on quality. Finally, we offer an overview
of our current research.