Best word counter/budgeting tool for translation
Thread poster: Marta Esteban
Marta Esteban
Marta Esteban  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 18:32
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English to Spanish
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Jan 13, 2021

Hi!

I would like to know your recommendations for the best word counter tool for translators and suggestions on how to apply discounts on repetitions.

Thank you very much

Marta


 
Samuel Murray
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Netherlands
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@Marta Jan 13, 2021

Marta Esteban wrote:
I would like to know your recommendations for the best word counter tool for translators and suggestions on how to apply discounts on repetitions.


Your own CAT tool is the best option for word counting. As for discounts on repetitions, you need to figure out how to load your CAT tool's analysis into Excel and then create one that contains the discount scheme that you prefer to use. Then, in future, you can just copy/paste the analysis from the CAT tool into the spreadsheet and get an instant quote.

Of course, these days, agencies will tell you both the word count and the discount scheme that they prefer, so having your own isn't really useful.

Do you have a discount scheme in mind that you like to use (i.e. do you know how much of a discount you are going to give for the various categories of matches)?


[Edited at 2021-01-13 21:04 GMT]


S Kelly
Vadim Kadyrov
Yaotl Altan
 
Marta Esteban
Marta Esteban  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 18:32
Member (2014)
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TOPIC STARTER
"Best word counter/budgeting tool for translation Jan 13, 2021

Hi Samuel

Thank you so much for your swift response.

No, I don't have a discount scheme other than for word volume, I have been working without CAT tools without that much of a problem for years. I have outsourced work to translators working with CAT tools though.

I understand that if you work with CAT tools and if the client provides an accurate TM they trust it facilitates things to offer discounts on matches but what happens when you don't and the clien
... See more
Hi Samuel

Thank you so much for your swift response.

No, I don't have a discount scheme other than for word volume, I have been working without CAT tools without that much of a problem for years. I have outsourced work to translators working with CAT tools though.

I understand that if you work with CAT tools and if the client provides an accurate TM they trust it facilitates things to offer discounts on matches but what happens when you don't and the client just provides a large volume of words to be translated, no glossary or TM and expects discounts for repeated words?

Thank you

Marta
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Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 18:32
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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@Marta Jan 13, 2021

Marta Esteban wrote:
I understand that if you work with CAT tools and if the client provides an accurate TM they trust it facilitates things to offer discounts on matches but what happens when you don't [work with CAT tools] and the client just provides a large volume of words to be translated, no glossary or TM and expects discounts for repeated words?


Well, you can still use a CAT tool for the analysis. OmegaT is free and relatively simple. However, OmegaT does not take internal fuzzy matches into account when doing the analysis. Wordfast Pro 5 can count internal fuzzy matches (and as far as I know, the free demo version's limitations won't affect these types of analyses), but it may be a little more cumber to set up at first.

You have to decide if you're going to give discounts only for exact repetitions (i.e. 100% repetitions) or also for internal fuzzy matches (which some CAT tools refer to as fuzzy repetitions). You have to decide if you (or your translators) are going to proofread exact repetitions (I suggest "yes" unless you have a client who is very eager to save money). If yes, then exact repetitions will have to be charged for, although you don't need to charge a full proofreading rate for them.

As for the discount scheme, I suggest that you don't give discounts for matches under 85%. Most CAT tools will yield statistics going down to 75% matches and some even down to 50% matches.

One possible scheme would be:

100% exact repetitions: 15% of the base rate
100% matches (if client supplies TM): 15% of the base rate
95-99% matches (whether from a client's TM or internal fuzzy): 20% of base rate
90-94% matches (whether from a client's TM or internal fuzzy): 25% of base rate
85-89% matches (whether from a client's TM or internal fuzzy): 30% of base rate
0-84% matches: 100% of base rate


 
Marta Esteban
Marta Esteban  Identity Verified
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Best word counter/budgeting tool for translation Jan 13, 2021

Wow Samuel, this is very helpful!

Thank you so much for your time and the info.

I really appreciate it!


 
Vadim Kadyrov
Vadim Kadyrov  Identity Verified
Ukraine
Local time: 19:32
English to Russian
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I once created my own counter (in 2019, I believe). Jan 14, 2021

https://t9ncounter.com - help yourself. It is absolutely free.

You can also insert there your full rate and your rate for repetitions, and then calculate total price.

[Edited at 2021-01-14 13:58 GMT]


 
Marta Esteban
Marta Esteban  Identity Verified
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Best word counter/budgeting tool for translation Jan 14, 2021

Dear Vadim, thank you so much.

I have tried it and it is very handy.

However, what I find very annoying is that no matter how many different tools you use, you tend to get different numbers on each one of them. So if I need to demonstrate to a client that my count is the right one, it becomes very difficult.

Not a match that can help you think, this should be it!

For example, on one same document..


-Office word reads 6,722
... See more
Dear Vadim, thank you so much.

I have tried it and it is very handy.

However, what I find very annoying is that no matter how many different tools you use, you tend to get different numbers on each one of them. So if I need to demonstrate to a client that my count is the right one, it becomes very difficult.

Not a match that can help you think, this should be it!

For example, on one same document..


-Office word reads 6,722 but it also counts numbers so it is sometimes not good.

-Omega T has read 6,890 and I guess it is also counting numbers and 828 repeated words

-Your tool says 6,365 and very useful, differenciates numbers, without them it is 5,523. But your account on repetitions is 3674!

So what to do!
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Vadim Kadyrov
 
Vadim Kadyrov
Vadim Kadyrov  Identity Verified
Ukraine
Local time: 19:32
English to Russian
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Yes, different tools = different numbers. Jan 14, 2021

Marta Esteban wrote:

Dear Vadim, thank you so much.

-Your tool says 6,365 and very useful, differenciates numbers, without them it is 5,523. But your account on repetitions is 3674!

So what to do!



Well, my tool can be used to get the numbers when you are away from your PC. Of course, most clients tend to use more popular tools (Trados numbers, mainly).

In other words, as you may see now, different tools do give different numbers, and this is the thing to live with.

Use the one that gives the highest number of words )))).


Jorge Payan
 
Marta Esteban
Marta Esteban  Identity Verified
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Best word counter/budgeting tool for translation Jan 18, 2021

haha, yes, I guess.

Thank you very much Vadim


 
Matthias Brombach
Matthias Brombach  Identity Verified
Germany
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Dutch to German
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Hope... Jan 18, 2021

... I didn't miss it if anybody has already mentioned this tool in one of the earlier posts above:

https://www.catcount.com/


Vadim Kadyrov
 


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