Machine translation with post-editing: combining speed and accuracy

Machine translation has become a standard tool for businesses that need multilingual content quickly and cost-effectively. However, while machines can produce a draft in seconds, the output often lacks the nuance, tone, and precision that professional communication demands. That’s where post-editing comes in. Panalingua offers a service that combines the efficiency of machine translation with the accuracy of expert human review, delivering polished, professional results.

What post-editing means at Panalingua

For us, the post-editing process looks like this:

• A machine or AI system produces the initial translation draft.
• Professional linguists step in to correct errors, adapt terminology, and refine tone.
• The final text reads naturally while staying faithful to the original message.

This blend of technology and human expertise ensures translations that are fast, affordable, and reliable.

Why Panalingua talks about “proofreading”

In the translation industry, the recognised term for the review process after a machine translation is called “post-editing”. But we often refer to it as “proofreading” in our communication with clients. Why? Because most people outside the industry are unfamiliar with post-editing.

• Proofreading is recognisable. Everyone understands the idea of proofreading a text to remove errors and improve accuracy and style.
• It builds trust. “Proofreading” suggests polish and care, whereas “post-editing” can sound technical or abstract.
• It aligns with expectations. Clients want to hear that their text will be checked and refined by a human expert, and proofreading conveys that more clearly.

The benefits of machine translation with post-editing

Working with Panalingua gives you the best of both worlds with numerous benefits, including:

• Faster turnaround. Machine translation creates a usable draft almost instantly.
• Cost-effective solutions. Post-editing is more affordable than full human translation, while still ensuring quality and expertise.
• Accurate, natural results. Human linguists refine tone, style, and cultural nuances that machines miss.
• Consistency. Industry-specific terminology and brand messaging stay aligned across all documents.

Setting the right expectations

It’s important to understand what post-editing involves:

• It’s not a full rewrite. Instead, it builds on the machine translation draft.
• The quality of the machine output influences the scope of editing required.
• Clear guidance, such as preferred terminology or tone of voice, helps translators deliver the most effective results.

We guarantee transparency about these factors, so you know exactly what level of service you’re getting.

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If you want to expand your business and reach new markets in different languages, our machine translation with post-editing service offers speed, savings, and quality in one.

Contact us today!

When you’re using machine translation (MT) tools like DeepL, Google Translate, or ChatGPT, you’ve likely seen inconsistent results in your translations ─ different terms for the same concept, product names accidentally translated, a wording that doesn’t sound like your brand.

A custom glossary will fix this issue, providing clarity, consistency, and control to your multilingual content.

Why inconsistency occurs

MT tools work fast, but they’re not trained on your content. They don’t know which terms are non-translatable, what phrasing you prefer, or how your tone should shift across markets. Without guidance, they make assumptions, and that leads to mismatched language and confusion.

Does a custom glossary solve inconsistency?

Yes, a custom glossary provides your translation tools with the necessary information to produce accurate, on-brand content. It defines how key terms should be used based on your examples.

At Panalingua, we create glossaries from your actual content, including product descriptions, internal documents, and marketing materials. We combine AI-assisted term extraction with expert review to deliver a custom glossary that reflects your voice and terminology.

Benefits of a custom glossary

• Consistency: Use the right terminology, every time
• Accuracy: Avoid incorrect translations of products, names, or technical terms
• Efficiency: Reduce review and revision time
• Scalability: Translate more without losing control of your voice
• Professionalism: Maintain your wording and terminology across all content

Custom glossaries: the missing link in machine translation

Already using machine translation? A custom glossary makes it better. Here are a few tools into which you can integrate a custom glossary:

• DeepL: Upload your glossary for targeted translation
• Google Translate and AutoML: Use glossary imports for domain-specific control
• ChatGPT: Add terms as context or prompt instructions
• Microsoft Translator: Apply glossary rules to API-driven workflows
• LLMs: Fine-tune or prompt with glossary data

We also support popular CAT tools, such as Trados and MemoQ.

What’s included in a Panalingua custom glossary?

• 40 key terms based on your current content
• For the language pair of your choice (with the option to expand)
• Reviewed and curated by a professional linguist
• Delivered in a format that fits your MT or translation tool
• Optional: creation of a style guide to support your tone and typographical choices

Need more terms or languages? We can scale your glossary as your organisation grows.

Ready to improve your machine translation results?

If you’re seeing inconsistent output from your MT tool, a custom glossary is the missing piece in the puzzle. A well-crafted glossary will support greater consistency and clarity across your translations, regardless of the tools you use.

If you’d like to explore whether a custom glossary could be helpful for your content, get in touch with us today.