Engineering Terminology

Engineering Terminology Expertise

Overview

This skill provides comprehensive engineering and technical terminology knowledge for trilingual translation work (English, Japanese, Chinese Traditional). Use this when working with technical documents, software engineering materials, hardware specifications, or scientific content.

The terminology is organized into domain-specific glossaries with progressive disclosure, allowing you to access detailed terminology only when needed.

How to Use Glossaries

Available Glossaries

All glossaries are located in the glossaries/ subdirectory:

1. software-engineering.md - Core software engineering concepts, design patterns, testing, version control
2. web-development.md - Frontend/backend frameworks, web technologies, API design
3. devops-cloud.md - DevOps practices, cloud computing, containerization, infrastructure
4. data-engineering.md - Data processing, databases, analytics, data pipelines
5. ai-ml.md - Artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, LLMs
6. hardware-electronics.md - Hardware design, electronics, embedded systems

Searching Across Glossaries

When translating a technical document:

1. Identify the domain - Determine which glossary(ies) are most relevant
2. Read the glossary - Use the Read tool to access the specific glossary file
3. Search for terms - Use Grep tool if you need to search across multiple glossaries
4. Maintain consistency - Create a project-specific term list for recurring translations

Example workflow:

User: "Translate this API documentation"
→ Read web-development.md (for REST, GraphQL, endpoint)
→ Read software-engineering.md (for architecture, testing)

Transliteration vs Translation

Keep English (or transliterate):

• Widely adopted acronyms: API, SDK, GUI, REST, JSON, XML
• Product/brand names: React, Docker, Kubernetes, AWS
• Programming languages: Python, JavaScript, TypeScript
• When the English term is standard in the target language

Translate:

• Conceptual terms with established translations
• General engineering concepts
• User-facing content and documentation
• When clarity for non-technical users is important

Regional Variations

Taiwan vs Hong Kong Chinese:

• This skill uses Taiwan (台灣) conventions as the default
• Hong Kong (香港) may use different terms, especially for computing
• Examples:
  • Software: 軟體 (TW) vs 軟件 (HK)
  • Network: 網路 (TW) vs 網絡 (HK)
  • Information: 資訊 (TW) vs 信息 (HK)

Japanese Variations:

• Technical documents mix kanji, katakana, and English
• Katakana for foreign technical terms (サーバー for "server")
• Formal documents use more kanji, casual content more katakana

Core Translation Principles

Principle 1: Consistency

Technical terms should remain consistent throughout a document. Create a terminology glossary for each translation project to ensure uniformity.

Principle 2: Context Matters

The same English term may have different translations depending on context:

• "Function" in programming → JA: 関数 / ZH-TW: 函式
• "Function" in general usage → JA: 機能 / ZH-TW: 功能
• "Type" in programming → JA: 型 / ZH-TW: 型別
• "Type" as category → JA: タイプ / ZH-TW: 類型

Principle 3: Audience Awareness

Technical depth varies by audience:

• Engineers: Can use more technical jargon, keep English acronyms
• Technical managers: Balance technical terms with clarity
• End users: Prefer natural language translations, explain acronyms

Principle 4: Official Standards

For major products and standards, check official localizations:

• Microsoft terminology database
• Apple Human Interface Guidelines (localized)
• Google Developer documentation (localized)
• IEEE, ISO international standards

Quick Reference: Most Common Terms

Best Practices

1. Create Project Glossaries

For each translation project, maintain a consistent terminology list. Document decisions about:

• Which acronyms to keep in English
• Which terms to translate vs transliterate
• Domain-specific terminology choices
• Client or project-specific preferences

2. Verify Technical Accuracy

Always verify that technical translations maintain the correct meaning:

• Consult domain experts when uncertain
• Test translations with native speakers in the field
• Check that code examples remain executable
• Ensure technical procedures are still accurate

3. Handle Code and Technical Elements

When translating documents with code:

• Keep code unchanged unless explicitly localizing
• Keep variable names in English (standard practice)
• Translate comments in code blocks
• Translate string literals for user-facing text
• Keep API endpoints and technical identifiers unchanged

4. Units and Measurements

Be careful with units and measurements:

• Keep SI units (meters, kilograms) as-is
• Note regional differences (e.g., 公尺 vs 米 for meter)
• Convert units only when the target audience expects different units
• Always double-check numerical values and formulas

5. Cross-References and Citations

Maintain proper references:

• Keep citation numbers and reference IDs unchanged
• Translate citation text (author names may stay in original)
• Update hyperlinks if localized versions exist
• Maintain bibliography formatting standards

Quality Checklist

When translating engineering content:

• Technical terms are accurately translated
• Terminology is consistent throughout the document
• Acronyms are handled appropriately (keep or translate)
• Code samples remain syntactically correct
• Comments in code are translated
• Variable names and identifiers are preserved
• Mathematical formulas and symbols are unchanged
• Units and measurements are correctly handled
• Cross-references and citations are properly maintained
• Hyperlinks are updated to localized versions if available
• Technical accuracy is verified (ideally by domain expert)
• Target language feels natural to native speakers
• Formatting (markdown, LaTeX, etc.) is preserved
• Images, diagrams, and figures are referenced correctly

Additional Resources

For terms not found in the glossaries:

1. Microsoft Language Portal - Extensive terminology database
2. Google Developer Documentation - Check localized versions
3. IEEE Standards - For electrical and electronic engineering
4. ISO Standards - For international technical standards
5. Academic Papers - Check translations in published papers in the field
6. Product Documentation - Official translations from major tech companies

Contributing to Glossaries

When you encounter important terms not in the glossaries, note them for future additions. Prioritize:

• Frequently used terms in your domain
• Terms with ambiguous or multiple translations
• Newly emerging technical concepts
• Terms where regional variations are significant