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Writing for Translationin the Life Sciences

John M. Smart, PartnerSmart Communications, Inc. New York

June, 2005

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A simplified form of technical English based on 1,200 key words. A Controlled English vocabulary promotes increased readabilityand usability of English technical documentation. Any technical idea can be expressed clearly without the complexities of English spelling and grammar and complex syntax.

What is a Controlled Language?

Source - Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia - 2004

Occam’s Razor: “The simple explanation is preferred over the complex.”

English Philosopher circa 1285

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The History of Controlled Languages• 1930 BASIC English (850 terms) invented by C.K. Ogden.• 1942 Esperanto invented, but fails to gain an audience.

• 1972 Caterpillar Technical EnglishInvented for construction equipment.

• 1988 NATO adopts ASD-STE100 Simplified English towrite aircraft manuals required by NATO forces.

2005 - Life Sciences and Medical DevicesThere is no Simplified English standard for the life sciences. However, many companies have adopted the Simplified English word listas a starting point for their simplification projects.

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• Uses approximately 1% of the English language.

• Uses a controlled dictionary of one word – one meaning.

• Uses a simplified English grammar, style and syntax.

• Makes texts easier to read, understand and translate.

• Decreases the cost of global product support.

• Improves customer satisfaction for CRM.

Clear • Concise • Consistent • English

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• Uses common words to reach a wider audience.

• Improves Government agency communications to the public.

• Uses English as a second language.• Communicates legal, financial and

consumer information at the 6th to 8th

Grade reading levels.• Complies to Section 508 regulations.

Meets the objectives of eGov Plain English Initiative.

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• Enhances customer goodwill through clear instructions for product support and training documentation.

• Mitigates the risks for product liability.

• Improves the quality of translations.

• Complies to FDA standards and EU directives.

• Controls the quality and consistency of technical English.

The Language for Globalization

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Users of Controlled Languages• Technical documentation

• Web services

• Customer relationship mgmt.

• Training and eLearning

• Globalization

• Localization

• Supply chain management

• Litigation prevention

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1. Increased READABILITY of documentation2. Reduced equipment MAINTENANCE errors3. Decreased costs and time for TRANSLATION4. Enhanced KNOWLEDGE management5. Improved CUSTOMER satisfaction6. Standardized product TERMINOLOGY7. Reduced PRODUCT LIABILITY exposure

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• Run text mining software to extract terms.(SMART, IBM, SAS, Trados and others)

• Analyze the linguistic results.

• Establish a terminology committee.

• Create the translation dictionaries.

• Establish procedures to manage theEnglish and translation glossaries.

A good set of dictionaries is the key to success.

Text Mining

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Linguistic Analysispositive (adjective, core dictionary)

positive-displacement pump (technical dictionary)

possible (adjective, core dictionary)

potassium chloride (chemical dictionary)

possibly = possiblepost-run summary = summary after …potential,-ly = possible

Example of a list for translator review and approval.

PossibleSynonyms

New Terms

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Controlled English • español simplificado

electrical eléctrico

electrical cable cable eléctrico

electrical diagram diagrama eléctrico

electrical equipment equipo eléctrico

electrical system sistema eléctrico

electrically eléctricamente

electricity electricidad

Translationaccuracy

isguaranteed

All translated languages are also simplified.

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Dictionary Development

Dictionary development cycle - 30 to 60 days

Dictionaries link to translation software

English has 900,000+ words, Controlled English uses 1%.

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• Use computer software to check the word lists.

• Verify grammar, style, rules and syntax.

• Enforce ONE WORD – ONE MEANING.

• Validate all metric and English measurements.

• Use collaborative authoring across the company.

Electronic critique costs a penny a word – can save millions.

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The MAXit Checker tool at work …

• WORD2000

• FrameMaker

• Arbortext Epic Editor

• Blast Radius XMetaL

• UltraXML

• HTML/XML

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Typical localization workflow

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Writer/Author Training

Most authors become proficient in 5 to 10 days.

Instructor-led workshopsteach the writers how tomaster Controlled English.

eLearning reinforces the techniques.

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Poor English for Global Audiences

Simplified

Text is not Translatable.

Colors indicate

electronic critique

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3.4 How to change the types of mode• Touch the VENT SETUP button on the lower screen. A screen marked,

Current Vent Setup appears.

• To change the mode for the type of ventilation, touch one of the four mode buttons, then turn the knob to set the value. The type of mode appears on the screen. Press the CLEAR button to cancel the setting.

• After you select the mode and value, touch the CONTINUE button. The settings for the ventilator now appear on the lower part of the screen.

• To change a ventilator setting, touch the mode button for that setting, then turn the knob to change the value. Press the CLEAR button to cancel the change.

• After you make changes, check the values, then press the ACCEPT button to set the new values. To cancel all changes, press the PROPOSED SETUP button.

This Controlled English text is enabled for translation into 80 languages.

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Controlled English for InstrumentationQuaternary Pump

When turned on, the quaternary pump runs throughthe initialization procedure to determine the upper dead center of the first plunger. The first plunger moves slowly upwards into the mechanical stop of chamber and from there it moves back a predetermined path length. (44 words)

Controlled English reduces text size by 30%

Quaternary Pump

When the Quaternary Pump starts operation, the plunger moves inside the chamber. This movement lets the computer calculate and store a position called “Top Dead Center” (TDC).

(27 words)

Simplified

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The Cost of Customer Dissatisfaction• 30% of Product Liability claims are based on

FAILURE TO WARN.

• 2004: 98,000 medical-related deaths

• One dissatisfied customer tells 8 others.

• Companies are liable for errors in manuals,labels and package inserts. (HIPAA, FDA)

• The average claim is US$35 million.There were 11 product liability settlementsof US$75 million.

Are your manuals deadly?

Failure to WarnControlled English can not eliminate productliability claims, but can prevent them with clear, concise instructions.

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Six Sigma Quality• Six Sigma is a quality

metric of 1 failure in 3.4 million items.

• You can measure document quality on a score from 1 to 6 sigma.

• Visit www.ge.com for Six Sigma in healthcare.

Six Sigma • Siemens • Philips • GE Medical • Motorola

• Manufacturing Processes

• Technical Literature

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This chart shows the propagation of one error into allversions, media and translations.

MODEL 1ORIGINAL MODEL 2 MODEL 3 MODEL 4 MODEL 5

WEB

PRINT

CD-ROM

ENGLISH

FRENCHGERMAN

SPANISHARABIC

Six Sigma for Translation QA

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Language Translation

• Controlled English is an ideal source text.

• Machine translation is possible for full-sentence grammatical translations.

• Accuracy through predefined terminology

• The XML and format codes are retained.

• Ideal source text for translation memory

Fast • Accurate • Consistent • Low Cost

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(q) The lime must be mixed into a solution before being added to the digester because dry lime would settle to the bottom in lumps, which is not onlyineffective but the lumps take up digester capacityand are difficult to remove when cleaning the digester.

(q) Mix the lime with the water into a solution before you put the solution into the digester.

NEVER put lumps of dry lime into the digester. These lumps fall to the bottom of the digester and are difficult to remove.

Controlled English Ready for Arabic Translation

COMPLEXITY(12th Grade)

SIMPLICITY (6th Grade)

Example of an Arabic Training Manual

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(q) Mix the lime with the water into a solution before you put the solution into the digester.

NEVER put lumps of dry lime into the digester. These lumps fall to the bottom of the digester and are difficult to remove.

Controlled English for Arabic Translation

Controlled English - Source Simplified Arabic - Target

The simplification is the key to Arabic technical translations.

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Thank you ...

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Tel: +1(212) 486-1894email: info@smartny.com

www.smartny.com