When managing a multilingual website, you want your translations to be fast, highly consistent, and cost-effective. To achieve this, MultiLipi provides two incredibly powerful linguistic assets: Mémoire de traduction (TM) et Glossaires .
Because both features involve saving and reusing text, they are frequently confused. However, they serve two fundamentally different purposes in your localization strategy.
In Short:
Mémoire de traduction recycles entire sentences to save you money, while a Glossaire enforces strict rules on specific words to protect your brand.
Here is a deep dive into how each feature works, when to use them, and how they complement each other inside MultiLipi.
1. What is Translation Memory (TM)?
Think of Translation Memory as a database of historical context.
Every time you (or a professional translator) manually edit and approve a translation in the MultiLipi dashboard, that exact segment is saved to your Mémoire de traduction . A "segment" is usually a complete sentence, a full paragraph, or a standalone UI element (like a Submit button or a Read More link).
How it Works:
If the MultiLipi system encounters a sentence on a new page that matches exactly what is already stored in your TM, it does not translate it from scratch. Instead, it instantly pulls the approved translation directly from your memory database.
Why You Need It:
Saves Your Word Count (and Budget)
MultiLipi bills based on your translated word limit. When a sentence is pulled from your Translation Memory, it is essentially "recycled." Because the machine didn't have to process a new translation, those repeated words may not consume additional word credits.
Ensures Structural Consistency
If you have a disclaimer at the bottom of 50 different blog posts, TM ensures that the disclaimer is translated identically across all 50 pages without you having to edit it 50 times.
💡 Key Takeaway for TM:
While you can register single words as a TM entry, TM is primarily designed for complete structural matches. If even one word or comma in the new sentence is different from the stored TM sentence, it is treated as a new string and will be translated from scratch.
2. What is a Glossary (Terminology Database)?
Think of a Glossary as a strict rulebook for your brand.
A Glossary does not care about complete sentences. Instead, it dictates exactly how specific nouns, brand names, or technical terms must be treated, no matter what new sentence they appear in.
How it Works:
When the MultiLipi machine translation engine processes a brand new sentence, it checks your Glossary first. If it spots a word that exists in your Glossary, it forces the AI to translate that specific word according to your exact rule, while translating the rest of the sentence normally.
Glossaries typically enforce two types of rules:
Always Translate As:
The English technical term "Proxy Network" must always be translated to "Réseau Proxy" in French, even if the AI thinks another term might fit better.
Never Translate:
Your brand name « MultiLipi » or a trademarked product name like "AirPods" must never be translated and should remain in English across all languages.
Why You Need It:
Brand Protection
It prevents machine translation from accidentally translating your company name or trademarked features into literal, nonsensical words.
Technical Accuracy
If you are in a highly specialized industry (medical, legal, B2B SaaS), you can force the AI to use the exact industry-standard jargon in every language.
💡 Key Takeaway for Glossaries:
A Glossary enforces rules on specific words or short phrases dynamically, allowing you to control the vocabulary inside brand new sentences that the system has never seen before.
3. Head-to-Head Comparison
To easily understand which tool to use, refer to this breakdown:
| Caractéristiques | Mémoire de traduction (TM) | Glossaire |
|---|---|---|
| Portée | Whole sentences, paragraphs, or UI blocks. | Single words, brand names, or short technical phrases. |
| But principal | Historical consistency and recycling past work. | Brand protection and vocabulary rules. |
| How it Impacts Billing | Saves money. Reused segments reduce the number of new words processed. | When the system uses your glossary rule to translate text into a new language, it counts as a brand-new translation and consumes your word credits. |
| Exemple de cas d’utilisation | A standard "Terms of Service" disclaimer or a "Add to Cart" button. | Ensuring the brand name "Apple" isn't translated to the fruit "Manzana" in Spanish. |
4. How They Work Together in MultiLipi
The real power happens when you use both features simultaneously.
Here is an example of them working together:
📝 Scenario:
Let's say you add a rule to your Glossary that the product name "HyperDrive"devoir Never Be Translated.
Tomorrow, you publish a brand new blog post with the sentence: "Discover the power of the HyperDrive."
Not in Translation Memory
Because this sentence is brand new, it is not in your Translation Memory.
Glossary Check
MultiLipi translates the sentence from scratch, but it sees "HyperDrive" in your Glossary.
Protected Translation
The machine outputs the French translation: "Découvrez la puissance du HyperDrive." (Successfully leaving your product name intact).
Saved to TM
Once you approve this new French sentence, the entire sentence is now saved to your Translation Memory.
Future Reuse
If you type "Discover the power of the HyperDrive." on another page next year, MultiLipi will instantly pull the French translation from the TM without needing to re-process it.
Ready to set up your linguistic assets?
Start maximizing translation efficiency and brand protection with Translation Memory and Glossaries in your MultiLipi dashboard today.