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: translation3description: 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.4---5
6# Content: Translation
7
8Guides 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**.
9
10**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.
11
12## Scope
13
14- **Workflow**: Brief → translate → review
15- **Terminology**: Glossary creation and management
16- **Style guide**: Voice, tone, formatting per language
17- **Human vs MT**: When to use each; post-editing
18- **Quality**: QA, consistency, SEO
19- **Market-specific**: Terminology by region
20
21## Initial Assessment
22
23**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.
24
25Identify:
261. **Content type**: Product UI, marketing copy, blog, landing page, docs
272. **Target language(s)**: Priority locales
283. **Existing assets**: Glossary, style guide, translation memory (TM)
29
30---
31
32## 1. Translation Workflow
33
34### Brief → Translate → Review
35
36| Phase | Purpose | Output |
37|-------|---------|--------|
38| **Brief** | Context, audience, tone, glossary reference, style guide | Translator brief document |
39| **Translate** | First pass; use glossary + TM when available | Draft translation |
40| **Review** | Native speaker review; consistency, brand voice, SEO | Final translation |
41
42### Translator Brief
43
44Include in every project:
45- **Context**: What the content is for (landing page, product UI, blog)
46- **Audience**: Target market, user persona
47- **Tone**: Formal, casual, technical
48- **Glossary**: Link or attach; mandatory terms
49- **Style guide**: Reference or key rules
50- **Constraints**: Character limits (UI), SEO keywords to include naturally
51
52### Content-Type Workflow
53
54| Content Type | Approach | Notes |
55|--------------|----------|-------|
56| **Product UI** | Glossary-critical; short strings; consistency | Use TM; avoid machine translation |
57| **Marketing copy** | Brand voice; cultural adaptation | Human translation; see terminology |
58| **Blog / Article** | SEO; natural keyword placement | Re-research keywords in target language; don't translate keyword lists |
59| **Landing page** | Conversion-focused; CTA clarity | Human; test localized CTAs |
60| **Technical docs** | Precision; glossary | TM + glossary; consider MT + post-edit for high volume |
61
62---
63
64## 2. Glossary & Terminology
65
66### Glossary Purpose
67
68- **Consistency**: Same term translated the same way across all content
69- **Brand**: Product names, feature names, approved phrasing
70- **Compliance**: Safety, legal, regulated terms
71- **Cost**: Reduces rework; accelerates review
72
73### Glossary Structure
74
75| Field | Purpose |
76|-------|---------|
77| **Source term** | Original (e.g., English) |
78| **Target term** | Approved translation |
79| **Context** | Where it appears; usage note |
80| **Do not translate** | Brand names, product names (when applicable) |
81
82### Market-Specific Terminology
83
84| Term | English | Chinese | Notes |
85|------|---------|---------|------|
86| **Generative AI** | Generative AI, GenAI | AIGC (人工智能生成内容) | Use "AIGC" for China; "Generative AI" for English |
87| **Influencer** | Influencer | KOL (关键意见领袖) | "KOL" common in Chinese marketing |
88| **User** | User | 用户 | Context-dependent |
89| **Dashboard** | Dashboard | 控制台, 仪表盘 | Choose one; document in glossary |
90
91**Principle**: Don't translate terminology lists; research how target market searches and speaks. See **keyword-research** for multi-language keyword research.
92
93---
94
95## 3. Style Guide (Translation)
96
97### Elements to Define
98
99| Element | Purpose |
100|---------|---------|
101| **Voice** | Brand personality; formal vs casual |
102| **Tone** | Varies by content type (support = helpful; marketing = persuasive) |
103| **Register** | Formal (您) vs informal (你) in languages that distinguish |
104| **Punctuation** | Quotation marks, spacing (e.g., no space before colon in French) |
105| **Formatting** | Dates, numbers, units; locale-specific |
106| **Forbidden** | Terms or phrases to avoid |
107
108### Per-Language Considerations
109
110- **Chinese**: Simplified vs Traditional; measure word usage
111- **German**: Formal (Sie) vs informal (du); compound nouns
112- **Japanese**: Honorifics; keigo for formal contexts
113- **Arabic**: RTL; formal vs dialect
114
115---
116
117## 4. Human vs Machine Translation
118
119### When to Use Human Translation
120
121| Scenario | Reason |
122|----------|--------|
123| **Product UI** | Terminology, UX clarity, brand |
124| **Marketing copy** | Persuasion, cultural nuance, CTAs |
125| **Landing pages** | Conversion; tested copy |
126| **Legal, compliance** | Accuracy, liability |
127| **Brand-critical** | Taglines, campaign copy |
128
129### When Machine Translation (MT) May Be Acceptable
130
131| Scenario | Condition |
132|----------|-----------|
133| **High-volume, low-stakes** | Internal docs, user-generated content |
134| **Draft / triage** | MT + human post-edit (MTPE) |
135| **Real-time** | Chat, support; with disclaimer |
136
137### Avoid
138
139- **Raw MT for product/marketing**: Terminology errors, cultural misfires, poor SEO
140- **MT without post-edit** for customer-facing content
141- **Translating keyword lists** instead of re-researching in target language
142
143---
144
145## 5. Translation Memory (TM) & TMS
146
147### Translation Memory
148
149- **What**: Stores approved source↔target sentence pairs
150- **Benefit**: Consistency; reuse; lower cost per word; faster turnaround
151- **Best practice**: Maintain TM; clean duplicates; align with glossary
152
153### Translation Management System (TMS)
154
155- **Use for**: Centralized workflow; glossary + TM integration; vendor management
156- **When**: Multiple languages; ongoing translation; team collaboration
157
158---
159
160## 6. Quality & SEO
161
162### Quality Checklist
163
164- [ ] Glossary terms used correctly
165- [ ] Style guide followed
166- [ ] No untranslated strings
167- [ ] Numbers, dates, units localized
168- [ ] Character limits respected (UI)
169- [ ] Native speaker review completed
170
171### SEO for Translated Content
172
173- **Keywords**: Re-research in target language; don't translate from source
174- **Metadata**: Title, description translated; see **title-tag**, **meta-description**
175- **Hreflang**: Technical implementation in **localization-strategy**; translation produces the content
176- **Thin content**: Avoid publishing many low-quality translated pages at once; can trigger penalties. See **localization-strategy** Multilingual Risks.
177
178---
179
180## 7. Integration with Localization
181
182| Topic | Skill |
183|-------|-------|
184| **i18n implementation** | localization-strategy |
185| **URL structure, hreflang** | localization-strategy |
186| **Translation workflow, glossary, style** | This skill (translation) |
187| **Keyword research by market** | keyword-research; localization-strategy |
188
189When adding a new locale: create glossary, style guide, then translate. See **localization-strategy** for technical checklist (hreflang, sitemap, metadata).
190
191---
192
193## Output Format
194
195- **Translator brief** (context, audience, glossary, style)
196- **Glossary** additions or updates
197- **Style guide** notes for target language
198- **Human vs MT** recommendation
199- **Quality** checklist
200
201## Related Skills
202
203### Strategy & Technical
204
205- **localization-strategy**: i18n, hreflang, URL structure, pricing by market; translation produces content for localized pages
206- **content-strategy**: Multilingual content planning; avoid thin translations
207- **content-marketing**: Content types and formats; translation as one channel adaptation
208
209### SEO & Content
210
211- **keyword-research**: Multi-language keyword research; don't translate keyword lists
212- **page-metadata**: Hreflang implementation
213- **title-tag, meta-description**: Translate metadata per locale
214- **copywriting**: Source copy to translate; brand voice
215- **image-optimization**: Localize image filenames for translated pages
216
217### Pages
218
219- **article-page-generator**: Article structure; translate with SEO in mind
220- **landing-page-generator**: Landing page copy; human translation for conversion
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