Glossary

Segment

A segment is a discrete unit of text – typically a sentence, phrase or heading – used in translation and localization workflows. Segments are the basic building blocks of translation memory (TM) systems, allowing content to be stored, matched and reused efficiently across projects.

Description

When content is imported into computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools such as Trados, it is divided into segments based on punctuation, formatting and structural rules. Each segment is stored with its corresponding translation, creating a reusable pair known as a translation unit.

Segment-level translation allows linguists to maintain accuracy and consistency while maximizing automation. Repetitions and previously translated segments can be matched automatically, reducing time and cost. However, effective segmentation depends on correct file preparation – poorly defined rules can break sentences unnaturally or disrupt context. RWS uses advanced segmentation logic and Linguistic quality checks to ensure each segment aligns with grammatical and cultural expectations in the target language.