Interoperability Between Translation Memories and Localization Tools by Using the MultiLingual Information Framework

Interoperability between translation memories and localization tools by using the MultiLingual Information Framework Samuel Cruz-Lara, Nadia Bellalem, Julien Ducret, Isabelle Kramer LORIA / INRIA Lorraine Campus Scientifique - BP 239 54506 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France {Samuel.Cruz-Lara, Nadia.Bellalem, Julien.Ducret, Isabelle.Kramer}@loria.fr Abstract. The scope of research and development in the localization and translation memory process development is huge. Several formats have been developed witch are of specific interest for localization and translation, such as XLIFF and TMX. The associated software industry has thus developed several well-known tools committed to these formats: TRADOS, SDLX, DEJAVU, etc. When we closely examine these formats, we find that they have many overlapping features. They work well in the specific field they are designed for, but they lack the synergy that would make them interoperable when using one type of information in a slightly different context. The Multi Lingual Information Framework (MLIF) is being designed with the objective of providing a common conceptual model and a platform allowing interoperability among several translation and localization formats, and by extension, their committed tools. MLIF does not aim to substitute or compete with existing standards: MLIF should be considered as a common abstract high-level framework in which the overlapping features of several existing formats may be handled independently and separately. MLIF would save time and energy for different translation and localization groups and would provide synergy to work in collaboration. Moreover, MLIF is a way of opening the field of localization and translation at other communities (the multimedia community, for example) and, a way of finding there new outlets , actors or sources of innovation. 1. Introduction Standards make an enormous contribution to most aspects of our lives. People are usually unaware of the role played by standards in raising levels of quality, safety, reliability, efficiency and interoperability - as well as in providing such benefits at an economical cost. The scope of research and development in localization and translation memory (TM) process development is very large, many industrial standards and their associated software industry have been developed, for example, SDLX for XLIFF [1] and, TRADOS and Déjà Vu for TMX [2]. The current versions of translation tools on the market work quite well, but previous versions sometimes created their own “flavor” of XLIFF or TMX which could not readily be imported by other tools, so exported files had to be changed before an import. Of course, these standards were developed to make possible the exchange of data between tools. The question is, how well can the data that has been exchanged be used. Modeling corresponds to the need to describe and compare existing interchange formats in terms of their informational coverage and the conditions of interoperability between these formats, and hence the source data generated in them. One of the issues here is to develop a uniform way of documenting such databases considering the heterogeneity of both, their formats and their descriptors. We also seek to answer the demand for more flexibility in the definition of interchange formats without any change …

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