What Is MTPE?
Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE) is a hybrid approach to translation that combines the speed of machine translation with the accuracy of human editing. You start by using a machine translation tool – like Google Translate, DeepL, or a bespoke tool – to produce a first draft. Then we step in to improve it.
Instead of translating everything from scratch, we take the machine output and refine it to make sure it’s accurate, natural-sounding, and appropriate for your audience.
How MTPE Works
– Export the translated content and send it to us for offline editing, or
– Give us access to your MT platform so we can edit directly within the system.
– Fixing grammar and syntax
– Ensuring consistent terminology
– Adjusting tone and style
– Addressing cultural and contextual details
When MTPE Makes Sense
MTPE is a good fit when you need to move quickly and keep costs down but still want a reliable result. It’s commonly used for:
E-commerce content: product descriptions, reviews, FAQs
Marketing materials: newsletters, social media, campaign copy
Legal and financial documents: reports, terms, compliance content
Healthcare and pharmaceutical texts: patient leaflets, internal docs
Benefits
– Faster turnaround than full human translation
– Lower cost for large volumes of content
– Consistent language across documents
– Scalable for ongoing or high-volume projects
Getting Started
You provide the machine-translated content – either as a file or through your platform – and we’ll take care of the editing. Whether you’re translating a website, preparing internal documentation, or adapting content for a new market, MTPE offers a flexible and efficient solution.
Let us know what you’re working on, and we’ll help you figure out the best way to move forward.
Limitations & Unsuitable Use Cases
While MTPE offers many advantages, it’s not suitable for every type of content. Some projects require the full attention of a human translator from the outset.
Why MTPE Isn’t Recommended for Highly Technical Manuals
Technical manuals rely on exact terminology – often industry-specific, standardized, and legally binding. Machine translation engines may:
– Misinterpret acronyms or abbreviations
– Substitute incorrect or vague terms
– Fail to maintain consistency across repeated phrases
Technical documentation often includes:
– Conditional instructions (“If X, then Y”)
– Embedded clauses and operational sequences
– Tables, diagrams and cross-references
MT engines often mishandle these structures, leading to confusing or incorrect instructions that compromise usability or safety.
In fields like engineering, aviation, or medical devices, a mistranslation isn’t just inconvenient – it can be dangerous. MTPE may not catch subtle errors that affect:
– Assembly procedures
– Safety warnings
– Calibration steps
For these types of content, full human translation is essential to ensure clarity, compliance, and user safety.
Ironically, the effort required to post-edit poor MT output in technical domains can rival -or exceed – the time and cost of translating manually. In such cases, MTPE loses its efficiency advantage.
Recommended Alternative
For highly technical manuals, we strongly recommend full human translation by subject-matter experts. This ensures:
– Terminology accuracy
– Functional clarity
– End-user safety
