Definition
Light MTPE aims to make machine‑translated text understandable and usable, without polishing for publication. Editing is kept to the minimum necessary to ensure correct meaning and basic readability. It is suited to internal use cases and “gisting,” where style and nuance are not critical.
Typical tasks in Light MTPE
- Correct serious mistranslations that affect meaning.
- Fix grammar or syntax errors that obstruct comprehension.
- Remove nonsense or unusable phrasing so the text reads clearly enough.
- Keep terminology roughly consistent, especially when a client glossary is provided.
- Limit re‑writing to what is necessary for accurate meaning.
Scope focuses on accuracy and basic clarity — not style or tone.
What is not included in Light MTPE
- No systematic polishing for naturalness or fluency.
- No adjustments for tone, brand voice, or detailed style guide compliance.
- No extensive re‑phrasing or re‑structuring unless the original is wrong or unclear.
- No cultural adaptation or marketing copy refinement.
Full MTPE (for contrast)
Full MTPE targets human‑translation quality, often indistinguishable from a translation done from scratch. It includes re‑styling, polishing, idiomatic phrasing, and rigorous consistency, suitable for publication or customer‑facing content.
Analogy
If Light MTPE is like making a rough note legible so a team can “get the message,” then Full MTPE is preparing the text so it could be printed — as if it were originally written in the target language.