Multilingual text processing difficulties

Malek Boualem,  Jérôme Vinesse

CNET, France Telecom

multilingual_text_processing_FT_PIR.3.1

Introduction

Users of more and more applications now require multilingual text processing tools, including word processors, database creation and management systems, desktop publishing systems and more recently multilingual web-based applications. In the area of automatic or machine-aided translation, multilingual text editors are a basic tool for pre-editing source text and post-editing target text. Another new area where multilingual text editors could be of great use is that of internationalization and localization of software and associated documentation for use in a multi-cultural environment. These areas were born as a direct effect of the emergence of new technology and the globalization of the Information Technology market. Many organizations and projects work to one extent or another within these areas (CEC, CEN, Esprit, Eureka, Internet, JSA, Linux International, Unicode, TEI, etc.).