--- title: Why honesty is the best policy when it comes to machine translation description: When it comes to machine translation, translation agencies need to lay all the cards on the table image: https://blog.meinrad.cc/hubfs/Einsatz-von-MT_Offene-Kommunikation.jpg --- - [English](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/why-honesty-is-the-best-policy-when-it-comes-to-machine-translation) - [Deutsch](https://blog.meinrad.cc/de/machine-translation-sinnvoll-einsetzen-und-das-ganz-offen-und-ehrlich) - [Deutsch](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/why-honesty-is-the-best-policy-when-it-comes-to-machine-translation?hsLang=de) - [English](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/?hsLang=en) [![Meinrad Logo hoch](https://www.meinrad.cc/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Meinrad-Logo-hoch.svg "Privacy")](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/)[![Meinrad Logo quer](https://www.meinrad.cc/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Meinrad-Logo-quer.svg "Privacy")](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/) Main Menu - [Translation & Localization](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/translation-localization/) Menu Toggle - [Translating documentation](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/translation-localization/translating-documentation/) - [Marketing translations](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/translation-localization/marketing-translations/) - [Website localization](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/translation-localization/website-localization/) - [Software localization](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/translation-localization/software-localization/) - [All-round outsourcing solutions](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/translation-localization/all-round-outsourcing-solutions/) - [Technology & Tools](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/technology-tools/) Menu Toggle - [Creative Suite](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/technology-tools/creative-suite/) - [Customer portal](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/technology-tools/customer-portal/) - [Localization tools](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/technology-tools/localization-tools/) - [Machine translation](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/technology-tools/machine-translation/) - [Authoring systems](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/technology-tools/authoring-systems/) - [Terminology tool](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/technology-tools/terminology-tool/) - [Translation memory/CAT tool](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/technology-tools/translation-memory-cat-tool/) - [Quality & Reliability](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/quality-reliability/) Menu Toggle - [Data security](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/quality-reliability/#datasecurity) - [Specialist translators](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/quality-reliability/#specialisttranslators) - [Liability immunity](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/quality-reliability/#liabilityimmunity) - [Personal contact](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/quality-reliability/#contactperson) - [Process management](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/quality-reliability/#processmanagement) - [Quality assurance](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/quality-reliability/#qualityassurance) - [Certifications](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/quality-reliability/#certifications) - [Add-ons for Customers](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/) Menu Toggle - [Process optimization](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/#prozessoptimierung) - [Terminology management](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/#terminologiemanagement) - [Tech support](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/#tech-support) - [Sharing economy](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/#sharing-economy) - [6D assessment](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/#6d-assessment) - [Interim Manager](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/#interim-manager) - [Reporting](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/#reporting) - [Training and tutorials](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/#schulungen-trainings) - [Translator transfer](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/#uebersetzer-mitnahme) - [CMS/API integration](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/#cms-api-anbindung) - [Style guides](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/#style-guides) - [SAE-J2450 revision](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/#revision-j2450) - [Full desktop publishing](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/#desktop-publishing-pro) - [Source text proofreading](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/#ausgangstext-korrektur) - [Multilingual SEO](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/#multilingual-seo) - [Multimedia localization](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/#multimedia-lokalisierung) - [Transcreation](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/#transcreation) - [Proxy solutions](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/add-ons-for-customers/#proxy-loesungen) - [Industries & Expertise](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/industries-expertise/) Menu Toggle - [Medical technology](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/industries-expertise/#medizintechnik) - [Mechanical engineering](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/industries-expertise/#maschinenbau) - [Software](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/industries-expertise/#softwaredevelopers) - [Languages](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/industries-expertise/#sprachen) - [Company & Resources](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/company-resources/) Menu Toggle - [Blog Posts](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/company-resources/#blog) - [Downloads](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/company-resources/#downloads) - [Case Studies](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/company-resources/#casestudies) - [Deutsch](https://blog.meinrad.cc/de/?hsLang=en) - [English](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/) ## [MEINRAD's Blog - Beiträge](https://blog.meinrad.cc/de/?hsLang=en) Du bist hier: [Startseite](https://www.meinrad.cc) / Why honesty is the best policy when it comes to machine translation ## [MEINRAD's Blog - Posts](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/) You are here: [Homepage](https://www.meinrad.cc) / Why honesty is the best policy when it comes to machine translation [Machine Translation](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/tag/machine-translation) # Why honesty is the best policy when it comes to machine translation **![Using-MT_Honest-communication](https://blog.meinrad.cc/hs-fs/hubfs/Einsatz-von-MT_Offene-Kommunikation.jpg?width=923&name=Einsatz-von-MT_Offene-Kommunikation.jpg)Speech is silver but silence is golden, they say. We couldn’t disagree more! When it comes to machine translation, it’s better for translation agencies to lay their cards on the table. Because although using artificial intelligence can save time and money, not all languages or all texts are suitable for it. So it’s crucial to have a partner you can trust!** Honesty, fairness and transparency are the bedrock of a positive relationship, whether in business or anywhere else. You can’t have mutual trust without honesty, and that includes discussing issues in advance without being prompted by the other partner. This makes it easier for them to weigh up the pros and cons – they don’t have to rack their brains to work out if any information might have been withheld from them. And if the subject is machine translation, honest communication is more important than ever.  ### **Google Translate & co on the march**  [Machine translation](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/machine-translation-a-revolution-years-in-the-making?hsLang=en) (MT for short) is here to stay. Almost everyone has used [services like Google Translate](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/deepl-google-translate-not-all-machine-translation-engines-are-created-equal?hsLang=en) to quickly translate a sentence into another language, and translation agencies have long since jumped on the bandwagon. But if professional, high-quality language services are required, the decisive factor is how exactly the translation agency goes about using MT.  ### **Laying the cards on the table**  Language service providers around the world are still getting to grips with using MT on a regular basis, so it’s a learning curve for everyone. There’s no magic formula in terms of how to use it, so to ensure everyone involved (client, translation agency, translator etc.) is on the same page, we believe it’s important to be clear about what using MT means. It can save time, and this should be reflected in the price: it’s fair and appropriate to offer different prices for “human translation” and [“](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/kooperation-von-mensch-und-maschine-full-post-editing-als-essentieller-teil-maschineller-uebersetzungen.html?hsLang=en)[machine translation and full post-editing](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/man-and-machine-working-together-the-importance-of-full-post-editing?hsLang=en)[”](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/kooperation-von-mensch-und-maschine-full-post-editing-als-essentieller-teil-maschineller-uebersetzungen.html?hsLang=en). And every quote and order confirmation should state which service the client is paying for.  ### **“Human translation” vs. “Machine translation and full post-editing”**  On the face of it, MT doesn’t change anything: the client is still ordering and getting a translation. But the process used to create that product differs. “Human translation” refers to a translation produced by a human translator – though [translation memories](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/what-is-a-translation-memory?hsLang=en), term bases and other tools can (and should) be used as well. “Machine translation and full post-editing” involves the text being pre-translated by an MT engine and then being carefully edited (“Full post-editing”) by a professional translator, again using translation memories and term bases to help them. The aim is to deliver a translation comparable to one produced by a human translator, and the pre-translation from the MT engine usually allows the post-editor to work faster.  ### **Quality comes first **  But it would be wrong to assume that every text is suitable for machine translation and full post-editing. You will sometimes see MT services offering translations into lots of different languages, but that doesn’t mean that they’ll produce good results – and that’s before [you take data security (or more accurately the lack of it) into account](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/free-machine-translation-engines-handy-but-not-always-secure?hsLang=en). Over the last few years, MEINRAD has invested a great deal of time and energy in testing various MT engines and establishing a [quality assurance process,](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/why-certifications-are-so-important-in-the-translation-industry?hsLang=en) and we’ll keep our finger on the pulse. We have developed standards and guidelines that we expect our post-editors to follow, and we offer training in full post-editing: even the best MT engine won’t produce a high-quality translation without a [professional human translator](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/our-specialist-translators-experts-in-their-field?hsLang=en) who knows how to finetune the machine output. Because quality comes first for professional language service providers like MEINRAD, simply switching from human translations to MT and full post-editing overnight is not a good idea. So we will only offer machine translation and full post-editing to our clients if we are confident that it will produce a high-quality end product.  ### **Sometimes it simply isn’t the right choice**  MT outputs have improved steadily over the last few years, and using machine translation is now a good option for lots of texts and language pairs – but not for all. For instance, software interface texts with limited context or creative slogans featuring vivid language remain unsuitable for MT. And if the source text contains complex syntax, the MT output will be more of a hindrance than a help for the translator. This is where [our Project Managers](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/how-a-project-manager-can-become-a-partner?hsLang=en)and specialist translators come into their own: they’re experts at assessing whether a text is suitable for machine translation with post-editing or whether a human translation is required. If it’s the latter, we’ll tell you and explain why. So you as the client don’t have to decide whether your texts are suitable for MT – we’ll do it for you. And you don’t need to worry about having the wool pulled over your eyes.  Our Number One priority is to put a smile on your face. And that means being open and honest with you in everything we do. *Main image: © MEINRAD* 13 October 2020 / [0 Kommentare](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/why-honesty-is-the-best-policy-when-it-comes-to-machine-translation?hsLang=en#comments-listing) ##### Blogbeitrag teilen Share post - [Share on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/why-honesty-is-the-best-policy-when-it-comes-to-machine-translation&t=Why%20honesty%20is%20the%20best%20policy%20when%20it%20comes%20to%20machine%20translation) Share on Facebook - [Share on Twitter](https://twitter.com/share?text=Why%20honesty%20is%20the%20best%20policy%20when%20it%20comes%20to%20machine%20translation&url=https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/why-honesty-is-the-best-policy-when-it-comes-to-machine-translation) Share on Twitter - [Share on Linkedin](http://linkedin.com/shareArticle?title=Social%20Share%20Buttons&url=https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/why-honesty-is-the-best-policy-when-it-comes-to-machine-translation) Share on Linkedin - [Share on Pinterest](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/why-honesty-is-the-best-policy-when-it-comes-to-machine-translation&description=Why%20honesty%20is%20the%20best%20policy%20when%20it%20comes%20to%20machine%20translation&media=https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2131194/Einsatz-von-MT_Offene-Kommunikation.jpg) Share on Pinterest - [Share on Reddit](http://reddit.com/submit?url=https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/why-honesty-is-the-best-policy-when-it-comes-to-machine-translation&title=Why%20honesty%20is%20the%20best%20policy%20when%20it%20comes%20to%20machine%20translation) Share on Reddit [How to avoid expensive translation problems when using MadCap Flare ![](https://blog.meinrad.cc/hs-fs/hubfs/MCC_0090_1600x900px.jpg?width=80&height=80&name=MCC_0090_1600x900px.jpg)](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/how-to-avoid-expensive-translation-problems-when-using-madcap-flare?hsLang=en) [![](https://blog.meinrad.cc/hs-fs/hubfs/MCC_0002_1600x900-1.jpg?width=80&height=80&name=MCC_0002_1600x900-1.jpg) Machine translation: a revolution years in the making](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/machine-translation-a-revolution-years-in-the-making?hsLang=en) ### Suche ### Search ### Kategorien - [Buying translations (78)](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/tag/buying-translations) - [Process optimization (30)](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/tag/process-optimization) - [Machine Translation (16)](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/tag/machine-translation) - [What matters most (9)](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/tag/what-matters-most) ### Categories - [Buying translations (78)](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/tag/buying-translations) - [Process optimization (30)](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/tag/process-optimization) - [Machine Translation (16)](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/tag/machine-translation) - [What matters most (9)](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/tag/what-matters-most) ### Latest Posts [The 5 biggest risks in the translation process – and how they can be minimized](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/the-5-biggest-risks-in-the-translation-process-and-how-they-can-be-minimized?hsLang=en) 3 October 2024 [“Let’s constantly raise the bar, with style and a smile.” - TOPPAN Digital Language tell all about the MEINRAD M&A and the future of the translation industry](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/lets-constantly-raise-the-bar-with-style-and-a-smile-toppan-digital-language-tell-all-about-the-meinrad-ma-and-the-future-of-the-translation-industry?hsLang=en) 5 September 2024 [How classifying texts can help you create the perfect translation workflow](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/how-classifying-texts-can-help-you-create-the-perfect-translation-workflow?hsLang=en) 6 August 2024 ### Related Posts [How to make your texts suitable for machine translation](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/how-to-make-your-texts-suitable-for-machine-translation?hsLang=en) 25 April 2024 [Which languages are suitable for machine translation?](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/which-languages-are-suitable-for-machine-translation?hsLang=en) 22 November 2022 [20 questions about machine translation and post-editing](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/20-questions-about-machine-translation-and-post-editing?hsLang=en) 3 October 2022 [![Meinrad.cc Logo](https://www.meinrad.cc/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Meinrad-Logo-hoch-footer.svg)](https://blog.meinrad.cc/en/?hsLang=en) **TOPPAN Digital Language GmbH** St. Michaeler Straße 2 9400 Wolfsberg, Austria - [Log in to customer portal](https://jobs.meinrad.cc/customers/#/sign-in/) - [Log in to vendor portal](https://jobs.meinrad.cc/vendors/#/sign-in) - [Company information](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/footer/company-information/) - [Privacy](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/footer/privacy/) - [About us](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/footer/about-us/) - [Careers](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/footer/careers/) - [Contact](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/company-resources/contact/) - [Certificates](https://www.meinrad.cc/en/quality-reliability/#certifications) [Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/meinrad-cc-communication-consulting-gmbh/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/meinradcc/) MEINRAD is a [Member of Tekom](https://www.tekom.de/) and [Founding member of AATC](https://www.aatc.biz/start) Copyright © 2021 MEINRAD | Powered by [Growth Ninjas GmbH](https://www.growth-ninjas.com)