kielityö

Kielityö, literally meaning "language work" in Finnish, refers to the set of activities that ensure high-quality linguistic output across languages. It encompasses translation, editing, proofreading, localization, terminology management, and related language services applied in domains such as public administration, business, software, media, and education.

Core activities include translation (kääntäminen), where content is rendered from a source language into a target language; editing or language editing (kielenhuolto) to improve style and coherence; proofreading (oikoluku) to correct typos and grammar; localization (lokalisointi) adapting content to target culture and market; terminology management creating and maintaining glossaries; and quality assurance. The field also involves post-editing of machine translation (kielen työ MT) as technology increasingly complements human work.

Process and tools typically begin with a brief and the development of a glossary, followed by translation, revision by a second linguist, proofreading, and quality assurance checks. Practitioners commonly use computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools and terminology management systems, and work within established standards such as ISO 17100 for translation services and ISO 18587 for MT post-editing. Data privacy and confidentiality are important considerations in many assignments.

Roles within kielityö include kääntäjä (translator), kielenhuoltaja or kielentarkastaja (editor/proofer), oikolukija (proofreader), terminologi (terminologist), and projektipäällikkö (project manager). The practice supports a wide range of sectors, including government, business, software development, media, and education, and continues to evolve with advances in language technology and localization requirements.