Post-editing (MTPE)
Post-editing, formally known as Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE), is the process where a human translator reviews and corrects the output of a machine translation engine to bring it to publication quality.
There are two levels of post-editing: light post-editing (LPE) and full post-editing (FPE). Light post-editing focuses on fixing critical errors — mistranslations, omissions, and factual errors — without polishing style. Full post-editing aims for output that is indistinguishable from human translation, requiring attention to fluency, register, and style.
Post-editing rates are generally lower per word than full human translation, but require translators to resist over-editing — the temptation to rewrite machine-translated sentences that are technically correct but stylistically imperfect. Agencies typically establish PE guidelines that define the required level and what constitutes an acceptable change.
Key concepts
- Light MTPE: fix errors only — mistranslations, omissions, critical fluency issues
- Full MTPE: bring output to publication quality, including style and register
- Post-editors are paid per word; rates sit between raw MT and full human translation
How Vernacia uses this
Vernacia uses a Standard translation tier (Starter/Pro) and a Precision tier (Enterprise). For high-stakes documents, download the Vernacia output and apply human post-editing before publication.
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