Content: Translation
Guides translation workflow, terminology, style, and quality for multilingual content. Covers when to use human vs machine translation, glossary and style guide creation, and SEO considerations. For i18n implementation, hreflang, and URL structure, see localization-strategy.
When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.
Scope
- Workflow: Brief → translate → review
- Terminology: Glossary creation and management
- Style guide: Voice, tone, formatting per language
- Human vs MT: When to use each; post-editing
- Quality: QA, consistency, SEO
- Market-specific: Terminology by region
Initial Assessment
Check for project context first: If .claude/project-context.md or .cursor/project-context.md exists, read it for brand voice, target markets, and product terminology.
Identify:
- Content type: Product UI, marketing copy, blog, landing page, docs
- Target language(s): Priority locales
- Existing assets: Glossary, style guide, translation memory (TM)
1. Translation Workflow
Brief → Translate → Review
| Phase |
Purpose |
Output |
| Brief |
Context, audience, tone, glossary reference, style guide |
Translator brief document |
| Translate |
First pass; use glossary + TM when available |
Draft translation |
| Review |
Native speaker review; consistency, brand voice, SEO |
Final translation |
Translator Brief
Include in every project:
- Context: What the content is for (landing page, product UI, blog)
- Audience: Target market, user persona
- Tone: Formal, casual, technical
- Glossary: Link or attach; mandatory terms
- Style guide: Reference or key rules
- Constraints: Character limits (UI), SEO keywords to include naturally
Content-Type Workflow
| Content Type |
Approach |
Notes |
| Product UI |
Glossary-critical; short strings; consistency |
Use TM; avoid machine translation |
| Marketing copy |
Brand voice; cultural adaptation |
Human translation; see terminology |
| Blog / Article |
SEO; natural keyword placement |
Re-research keywords in target language; don't translate keyword lists |
| Landing page |
Conversion-focused; CTA clarity |
Human; test localized CTAs |
| Technical docs |
Precision; glossary |
TM + glossary; consider MT + post-edit for high volume |
2. Glossary & Terminology
Glossary Purpose
- Consistency: Same term translated the same way across all content
- Brand: Product names, feature names, approved phrasing
- Compliance: Safety, legal, regulated terms
- Cost: Reduces rework; accelerates review
Glossary Structure
| Field |
Purpose |
| Source term |
Original (e.g., English) |
| Target term |
Approved translation |
| Context |
Where it appears; usage note |
| Do not translate |
Brand names, product names (when applicable) |
Market-Specific Terminology
| Term |
English |
Chinese |
Notes |
| Generative AI |
Generative AI, GenAI |
AIGC (人工智能生成内容) |
Use "AIGC" for China; "Generative AI" for English |
| Influencer |
Influencer |
KOL (关键意见领袖) |
"KOL" common in Chinese marketing |
| User |
User |
用户 |
Context-dependent |
| Dashboard |
Dashboard |
控制台, 仪表盘 |
Choose one; document in glossary |
Principle: Don't translate terminology lists; research how target market searches and speaks. See keyword-research for multi-language keyword research.
3. Style Guide (Translation)
Elements to Define
| Element |
Purpose |
| Voice |
Brand personality; formal vs casual |
| Tone |
Varies by content type (support = helpful; marketing = persuasive) |
| Register |
Formal (您) vs informal (你) in languages that distinguish |
| Punctuation |
Quotation marks, spacing (e.g., no space before colon in French) |
| Formatting |
Dates, numbers, units; locale-specific |
| Forbidden |
Terms or phrases to avoid |
Per-Language Considerations
- Chinese: Simplified vs Traditional; measure word usage
- German: Formal (Sie) vs informal (du); compound nouns
- Japanese: Honorifics; keigo for formal contexts
- Arabic: RTL; formal vs dialect
4. Human vs Machine Translation
When to Use Human Translation
| Scenario |
Reason |
| Product UI |
Terminology, UX clarity, brand |
| Marketing copy |
Persuasion, cultural nuance, CTAs |
| Landing pages |
Conversion; tested copy |
| Legal, compliance |
Accuracy, liability |
| Brand-critical |
Taglines, campaign copy |
When Machine Translation (MT) May Be Acceptable
| Scenario |
Condition |
| High-volume, low-stakes |
Internal docs, user-generated content |
| Draft / triage |
MT + human post-edit (MTPE) |
| Real-time |
Chat, support; with disclaimer |
Avoid
- Raw MT for product/marketing: Terminology errors, cultural misfires, poor SEO
- MT without post-edit for customer-facing content
- Translating keyword lists instead of re-researching in target language
5. Translation Memory (TM) & TMS
Translation Memory
- What: Stores approved source↔target sentence pairs
- Benefit: Consistency; reuse; lower cost per word; faster turnaround
- Best practice: Maintain TM; clean duplicates; align with glossary
Translation Management System (TMS)
- Use for: Centralized workflow; glossary + TM integration; vendor management
- When: Multiple languages; ongoing translation; team collaboration
6. Quality & SEO
Quality Checklist
SEO for Translated Content
- Keywords: Re-research in target language; don't translate from source
- Metadata: Title, description translated; see title-tag, meta-description
- Hreflang: Technical implementation in localization-strategy; translation produces the content
- Thin content: Avoid publishing many low-quality translated pages at once; can trigger penalties. See localization-strategy Multilingual Risks.
7. Integration with Localization
| Topic |
Skill |
| i18n implementation |
localization-strategy |
| URL structure, hreflang |
localization-strategy |
| Translation workflow, glossary, style |
This skill (translation) |
| Keyword research by market |
keyword-research; localization-strategy |
When adding a new locale: create glossary, style guide, then translate. See localization-strategy for technical checklist (hreflang, sitemap, metadata).
Output Format
- Translator brief (context, audience, glossary, style)
- Glossary additions or updates
- Style guide notes for target language
- Human vs MT recommendation
- Quality checklist
Related Skills
Strategy & Technical
- localization-strategy: i18n, hreflang, URL structure, pricing by market; translation produces content for localized pages
- content-strategy: Multilingual content planning; avoid thin translations
- content-marketing: Content types and formats; translation as one channel adaptation
SEO & Content
- keyword-research: Multi-language keyword research; don't translate keyword lists
- page-metadata: Hreflang implementation
- title-tag, meta-description: Translate metadata per locale
- copywriting: Source copy to translate; brand voice
- image-optimization: Localize image filenames for translated pages
Pages
- article-page-generator: Article structure; translate with SEO in mind
- landing-page-generator: Landing page copy; human translation for conversion
1---
2name: translation
3description: When the user wants to translate content, create translation workflows, manage terminology, or optimize translation quality. Also use when the user mentions "translate," "translation," "localization copy," "glossary," "terminology," "style guide translation," "machine translation," "human translation," "TMS," or "multilingual content." For strategy, use localization-strategy.
4metadata:
5 version: 1.0.1
6---
7
8# Content: Translation
9
10Guides translation workflow, terminology, style, and quality for multilingual content. Covers when to use human vs machine translation, glossary and style guide creation, and SEO considerations. For i18n implementation, hreflang, and URL structure, see **localization-strategy**.
11
12**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.
13
14## Scope
15
16- **Workflow**: Brief → translate → review
17- **Terminology**: Glossary creation and management
18- **Style guide**: Voice, tone, formatting per language
19- **Human vs MT**: When to use each; post-editing
20- **Quality**: QA, consistency, SEO
21- **Market-specific**: Terminology by region
22
23## Initial Assessment
24
25**Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read it for brand voice, target markets, and product terminology.
26
27Identify:
281. **Content type**: Product UI, marketing copy, blog, landing page, docs
292. **Target language(s)**: Priority locales
303. **Existing assets**: Glossary, style guide, translation memory (TM)
31
32---
33
34## 1. Translation Workflow
35
36### Brief → Translate → Review
37
38| Phase | Purpose | Output |
39|-------|---------|--------|
40| **Brief** | Context, audience, tone, glossary reference, style guide | Translator brief document |
41| **Translate** | First pass; use glossary + TM when available | Draft translation |
42| **Review** | Native speaker review; consistency, brand voice, SEO | Final translation |
43
44### Translator Brief
45
46Include in every project:
47- **Context**: What the content is for (landing page, product UI, blog)
48- **Audience**: Target market, user persona
49- **Tone**: Formal, casual, technical
50- **Glossary**: Link or attach; mandatory terms
51- **Style guide**: Reference or key rules
52- **Constraints**: Character limits (UI), SEO keywords to include naturally
53
54### Content-Type Workflow
55
56| Content Type | Approach | Notes |
57|--------------|----------|-------|
58| **Product UI** | Glossary-critical; short strings; consistency | Use TM; avoid machine translation |
59| **Marketing copy** | Brand voice; cultural adaptation | Human translation; see terminology |
60| **Blog / Article** | SEO; natural keyword placement | Re-research keywords in target language; don't translate keyword lists |
61| **Landing page** | Conversion-focused; CTA clarity | Human; test localized CTAs |
62| **Technical docs** | Precision; glossary | TM + glossary; consider MT + post-edit for high volume |
63
64---
65
66## 2. Glossary & Terminology
67
68### Glossary Purpose
69
70- **Consistency**: Same term translated the same way across all content
71- **Brand**: Product names, feature names, approved phrasing
72- **Compliance**: Safety, legal, regulated terms
73- **Cost**: Reduces rework; accelerates review
74
75### Glossary Structure
76
77| Field | Purpose |
78|-------|---------|
79| **Source term** | Original (e.g., English) |
80| **Target term** | Approved translation |
81| **Context** | Where it appears; usage note |
82| **Do not translate** | Brand names, product names (when applicable) |
83
84### Market-Specific Terminology
85
86| Term | English | Chinese | Notes |
87|------|---------|---------|------|
88| **Generative AI** | Generative AI, GenAI | AIGC (人工智能生成内容) | Use "AIGC" for China; "Generative AI" for English |
89| **Influencer** | Influencer | KOL (关键意见领袖) | "KOL" common in Chinese marketing |
90| **User** | User | 用户 | Context-dependent |
91| **Dashboard** | Dashboard | 控制台, 仪表盘 | Choose one; document in glossary |
92
93**Principle**: Don't translate terminology lists; research how target market searches and speaks. See **keyword-research** for multi-language keyword research.
94
95---
96
97## 3. Style Guide (Translation)
98
99### Elements to Define
100
101| Element | Purpose |
102|---------|---------|
103| **Voice** | Brand personality; formal vs casual |
104| **Tone** | Varies by content type (support = helpful; marketing = persuasive) |
105| **Register** | Formal (您) vs informal (你) in languages that distinguish |
106| **Punctuation** | Quotation marks, spacing (e.g., no space before colon in French) |
107| **Formatting** | Dates, numbers, units; locale-specific |
108| **Forbidden** | Terms or phrases to avoid |
109
110### Per-Language Considerations
111
112- **Chinese**: Simplified vs Traditional; measure word usage
113- **German**: Formal (Sie) vs informal (du); compound nouns
114- **Japanese**: Honorifics; keigo for formal contexts
115- **Arabic**: RTL; formal vs dialect
116
117---
118
119## 4. Human vs Machine Translation
120
121### When to Use Human Translation
122
123| Scenario | Reason |
124|----------|--------|
125| **Product UI** | Terminology, UX clarity, brand |
126| **Marketing copy** | Persuasion, cultural nuance, CTAs |
127| **Landing pages** | Conversion; tested copy |
128| **Legal, compliance** | Accuracy, liability |
129| **Brand-critical** | Taglines, campaign copy |
130
131### When Machine Translation (MT) May Be Acceptable
132
133| Scenario | Condition |
134|----------|-----------|
135| **High-volume, low-stakes** | Internal docs, user-generated content |
136| **Draft / triage** | MT + human post-edit (MTPE) |
137| **Real-time** | Chat, support; with disclaimer |
138
139### Avoid
140
141- **Raw MT for product/marketing**: Terminology errors, cultural misfires, poor SEO
142- **MT without post-edit** for customer-facing content
143- **Translating keyword lists** instead of re-researching in target language
144
145---
146
147## 5. Translation Memory (TM) & TMS
148
149### Translation Memory
150
151- **What**: Stores approved source↔target sentence pairs
152- **Benefit**: Consistency; reuse; lower cost per word; faster turnaround
153- **Best practice**: Maintain TM; clean duplicates; align with glossary
154
155### Translation Management System (TMS)
156
157- **Use for**: Centralized workflow; glossary + TM integration; vendor management
158- **When**: Multiple languages; ongoing translation; team collaboration
159
160---
161
162## 6. Quality & SEO
163
164### Quality Checklist
165
166- [ ] Glossary terms used correctly
167- [ ] Style guide followed
168- [ ] No untranslated strings
169- [ ] Numbers, dates, units localized
170- [ ] Character limits respected (UI)
171- [ ] Native speaker review completed
172
173### SEO for Translated Content
174
175- **Keywords**: Re-research in target language; don't translate from source
176- **Metadata**: Title, description translated; see **title-tag**, **meta-description**
177- **Hreflang**: Technical implementation in **localization-strategy**; translation produces the content
178- **Thin content**: Avoid publishing many low-quality translated pages at once; can trigger penalties. See **localization-strategy** Multilingual Risks.
179
180---
181
182## 7. Integration with Localization
183
184| Topic | Skill |
185|-------|-------|
186| **i18n implementation** | localization-strategy |
187| **URL structure, hreflang** | localization-strategy |
188| **Translation workflow, glossary, style** | This skill (translation) |
189| **Keyword research by market** | keyword-research; localization-strategy |
190
191When adding a new locale: create glossary, style guide, then translate. See **localization-strategy** for technical checklist (hreflang, sitemap, metadata).
192
193---
194
195## Output Format
196
197- **Translator brief** (context, audience, glossary, style)
198- **Glossary** additions or updates
199- **Style guide** notes for target language
200- **Human vs MT** recommendation
201- **Quality** checklist
202
203## Related Skills
204
205### Strategy & Technical
206
207- **localization-strategy**: i18n, hreflang, URL structure, pricing by market; translation produces content for localized pages
208- **content-strategy**: Multilingual content planning; avoid thin translations
209- **content-marketing**: Content types and formats; translation as one channel adaptation
210
211### SEO & Content
212
213- **keyword-research**: Multi-language keyword research; don't translate keyword lists
214- **page-metadata**: Hreflang implementation
215- **title-tag, meta-description**: Translate metadata per locale
216- **copywriting**: Source copy to translate; brand voice
217- **image-optimization**: Localize image filenames for translated pages
218
219### Pages
220
221- **article-page-generator**: Article structure; translate with SEO in mind
222- **landing-page-generator**: Landing page copy; human translation for conversion
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