Why is terminology control the hero of every translation agency?

Think of terminology management like a car’s steering wheel that directs the translation through a city’s network of roads. Every company has industry-specific and organisation-specific words that they use, and a glossary acts as guardrails to ensure consistency across documents.

Would this be a nightmare to manage manually in an Excel spreadsheet? Yes, it would be. That’s where a translation agency’s software, tools and internal processes come in to ensure quality control.

No glossary? No problemo!

If our clients don’t supply us with a glossary, then we just build our own term base. Most professional translators use software like memoQ, which allows you to add new terms as you go, so every translator on the project sees them.

A term base or glossary is a database containing single words or expressions related to a specific subject. Terms in term bases are often bilingual or even multilingual.

This is especially important when several translators work on a big document together (or across many language combinations), as consistency then becomes even more critical. So, if Bob translates “xxx” as “yyy”, then Sue and Thandi must too. Terminology control means that the same agreed-upon term is used across 100s or 1000s of pages of the project.

Terminology is meaningless without context (yes, things can get messy)

When terminology isn’t controlled or understood in its context, then things can get chaotic. As an example, when Amazon launched its Swedish site, users found many mistakes on product listings. Russian infantry figurines were mistranslated as “Russian toddlers” and there were other amusing mistakes that we can’t really mention (but you can read here).

Of course, this isn’t just the result of not working with a client’s glossary or a self-generated terminology list - it probably had a lot to do with using machine translation. When you see these glitches together, you get a clearer picture of what happens when terminology, context and language controls aren’t aligned and the car steers off course.

A term is shorthand for years of research & knowledge

It is easy to think of terminology as advanced vocabulary, but in reality a technical term often carries years of research, regulatory requirements or industry practice.

Take the medical term “myocardial infarction”. In a clinical environment it does not simply mean a “heart problem”; it refers to a very specific event with diagnostic criteria, treatment protocols, and sometimes legal implications attached to its use. Replacing it with a loose or simplified phrase does not make the message easier, it changes the meaning entirely, and that difference matters.

The same principle applies across engineering, pharmaceuticals, law, finance and other highly specialised fields where terminology is not decorative language but functional language.

Every company also has its own “language”

We mentioned this briefly in the intro, but many companies develop their own internal language over time. It can be shaped by the CEO’s like or dislike of certain words, the company culture and, more broadly, the politics within an industry.

In the travel industry, for example, there’s often sensitivity around the use of certain words. Some companies avoid describing safari accommodation as “colonial”, while others avoid overusing the word “luxury” and instead prefer a term like “bespoke”. These choices are not random; they are part of how a brand positions itself within its industry.

Language can also reflect broader cultural awareness. For example, with increasing sensitivity around greenwashing, companies that genuinely contribute to communities need to be careful about how they describe their impact. Words like “feeding people” or overly simplistic descriptions of poverty can feel inappropriate (or dare I say reductive) if not handled carefully.

We have a responsibility in how we use terms.

What happens when a term doesn’t exist?

Unfortunately, not all concepts exist in another language, and in those cases the meaning of the word or phrase has to be described. For example, the Danish and Norwegian word hygge is often explained in English as “a feeling of cosiness”. There is no single word that is the equivalent, so the idea has to be expressed through a phrase, which has to remain consistent across the translation.

Terminology management = sounds boring but brings calm

A good terminology management system has a positive impact on business operations. It reduces the need for repeated clarification between translators and editors, client and agency, or translator A and translator B. This cuts down on the dreaded back-and-forth and thousands of review cycles.

A well-maintained system removes ambiguity before translation even begins. Translators can work efficiently, editors can focus on quality rather than correcting wording inconsistencies, and internal teams spend less time debating how specific concepts should be phrased.

The result is faster delivery, lower project costs and, ultimately, a happy client.

Why terminology matters more now

The rise of AI-powered translation tools has made terminology control even more important in translation agencies, not less.

While these systems are fast and often produce fluent-sounding text, speed does not guarantee consistency. Without structured terminology guidance, an AI tool may translate the same term differently across documents or simply use less precise wording that doesn’t match industry standards or company-approved language.

What does a terminology glossary actually contain?

A professional terminology glossary isn’t just a list of words that have been printed out. No, it’s integrated into the software that the translator is using (there are a few popular ones!), and it highlights the word everywhere it can be found in the documents. It then displays the approved translation on screen (for example, if another translator has already worked on it), and the current translator can also add a word to the glossary.

It typically includes source terms, validated translations for each target language, spelling variants (for example UK and US English), clear definitions, grammatical notes, and guidance on what should not be translated, such as trademarks or product names. In more advanced systems, it may also include contextual notes that explain when different translations should be used depending on audience, document type, or industry context.

This is what allows consistency to scale across teams, languages, and even AI systems.

Our in-house side kick

At Translations Koll, we’ve built our own internal software, called TPM-Q, with the help of a team of developers. This helps us organise documents and streamline processes, and it gives our project managers real-time oversight of a large number of projects while also supporting our translators with clear instructions and supplementary documents. It also makes the collaboration between in-house and freelance translators smoother.

Our ISO 17100 certification, which recognises industry quality standards for translation services providers, reinforces the importance of controlled processes and consistent terminology in professional translation workflows.

The human expert

At the end of the day, professional translation has always required a human touch, i.e. human judgement. As AI continues to reshape the industry, terminology control remains one of the few elements that doesn’t become less important with automation. It becomes more important because of it. Reach out to us if you'd like a quote for your translation!