How are translation memory tools integrated with DITA for medical documentation?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

Integration of translation memory tools with DITA for medical documentation is a crucial aspect of managing multilingual content efficiently. These tools help streamline the translation process, ensure consistency, and save time and resources when dealing with extensive medical terminology and documentation across multiple languages.

One way to integrate translation memory tools is by exporting DITA content in formats compatible with these tools. DITA content can be exported as XLIFF (XML Localization Interchange File Format), which is a standard format for exchanging translatable content. Translation memory tools can then import these XLIFF files, allowing translators to work on the content using translation memory and terminology databases. This approach helps maintain consistency by reusing previously translated content and medical terminology across different documents and languages.

Additionally, translation memory tools can be configured to recognize DITA-specific elements and attributes, such as <ph> for placeholder text and xml:lang for language tagging. This recognition enables translators to work seamlessly with DITA content and ensures that they can efficiently manage medical terminology translations. For example, when a translator encounters a medical term, the translation memory tool can suggest previously approved translations, ensuring consistency and accuracy in terminology usage.

Example:

Here’s an example of DITA content exported to XLIFF format for translation:

<xliff  version="2.1">
  <file id="medical-documentation.dita" original="medical-documentation.dita">
    <body>
      <group id="topic-1" name="Diabetes Management" resname="topic-1" restype="topic" xml_lang="en-US">
        <trans-unit id="tu-1" resname="title" restype="title" xml_lang="en-US">
          <source>Diabetes Management</source>
        </trans-unit>
        <trans-unit id="tu-2" resname="shortdesc" restype="shortdesc" xml_lang="en-US">
          <source>Guidelines for managing diabetes.</source>
        </trans-unit>
        <trans-unit id="tu-3" resname="content" restype="body" xml_lang="en-US">
          <source>Effective diabetes management includes monitoring your blood glucose levels regularly.</source>
        </trans-unit>
        <trans-unit id="tu-4" resname="content" restype="body" xml_lang="es">
          <source>Un manejo efectivo de la diabetes incluye monitorear regularmente tus niveles de glucosa en sangre.</source>
        </trans-unit>
      </group>
    </body>
  </file>
</xliff>

Integration with translation memory tools streamlines the translation process for medical content, ensuring consistency and accuracy across languages, which is particularly critical in healthcare documentation.