CatScribe Docs

#How Translation Works

CatScribe is an offline-first translation workspace for long documents. It is not only a text box that sends content to a translator. It helps you move a project through repeatable stages: prepare the file, split it into workable chunks, translate, review, refine, and export.

#The High-Level Flow

Import -> Chunk -> Translate -> Review -> Refine -> Export

#1. Import

Start by choosing the source file or project you want to translate. For best results, begin with a clean source file:

  • Remove duplicate drafts or unused front matter.
  • Confirm the source language and target language.
  • Keep a backup of the original file outside the project.
  • For books, work by chapter when possible.

#2. Chunk

Long documents are divided into smaller chunks so they can be translated and reviewed reliably. A chunk is a manageable unit of text, not necessarily a full chapter or page.

Good chunks preserve enough context for the translation engine while keeping each request small enough to process smoothly. Smaller chunks are easier to retry and review. Larger chunks can preserve more context but may be slower on local hardware.

#3. Translate

Choose Auto Mode for a guided setup or manual controls when you want to tune the engine, chunk size, and refinement steps yourself.

Use the first translation pass as a draft. Even strong output should be reviewed for meaning, terminology, formatting, and tone before you export.

#4. Review

Review happens in the CAT Editor. Compare source and target text, fix weak segments, mark uncertain passages, and update glossary terms as you discover recurring decisions.

For long projects, review in passes:

  • Meaning pass: confirm the translation says the same thing as the source.
  • Terminology pass: stabilize names, places, product terms, and repeated phrases.
  • Style pass: improve tone, dialogue, flow, and target-language naturalness.

#5. Refine

Use AI refinement when a translated segment is correct but awkward, literal, inconsistent, or too rough for publication. Keep human approval as the final step, especially for sensitive, creative, legal, or technical material.

Refinement works best after glossary terms are in place. If terminology is still changing, fix that first so the refinement pass does not polish inconsistent wording.

#6. Export

Export only after a final review pass. Open the exported file and check structure, styles, headings, tables, links, and any format-specific elements before sharing it.

#CatScribe Compared With Simple Translation Tools

Tools like web translators are useful for quick text snippets. CatScribe is designed for projects where the translation must remain consistent across many pages, chapters, files, or subtitle lines.

Use CatScribe when you need:

  • A repeatable workflow instead of one-off translation.
  • Glossary control for names and terminology.
  • Segment-level review and correction.
  • Local or offline-first processing.
  • Safer handling of large books and documents.