Linguistic quality
Description
Linguistic quality ensures that translations read naturally and reflect the original message with precision and cultural fluency. It’s not only about correctness – it’s about clarity, tone and the confidence readers feel when content sounds native.
LQA combines human review and technology-driven checks to assess spelling, grammar, terminology, style and contextual accuracy. It also evaluates tone of voice, formatting and compliance with brand or regulatory guidelines. Scores and feedback are captured systematically to support continuous improvement. For organizations managing multilingual content, LQA provides a clear, measurable framework for evaluating translation quality. Metrics may follow industry models such as MQM (Multidimensional Quality Metrics) or DQF (Dynamic Quality Framework) and are often consolidated into a single score.
Example use cases
- Localization: Verify the quality and readability of translated content before delivery.
- Marketing: Ensure tone, emotion and brand voice are preserved across languages.
- Regulation: Maintain precision and compliance in technical, legal or medical materials.
- AI evaluation: Measure accuracy and naturalness in machine-generated output.
- Management: Benchmark linguist or supplier performance over time.
Key benefits
RWS perspective
At RWS, linguistic quality is the foundation of everything we deliver. Our Linguistic Quality Services framework blends expert human judgment with advanced technology to achieve measurable, repeatable quality outcomes.
We use Trados and Language Weaver to automate error detection and manage terminology, while human linguists assess style, intent and cultural accuracy. Our proprietary methodology provides data-driven insight into performance at project, supplier and program levels. This Human + Technology approach transforms linguistic quality from a subjective concept into a strategic advantage. It helps organizations improve speed and consistency without losing authenticity – ensuring that every translated message feels as genuine as the original.