targettext

Targettext refers to the intended output text produced after transforming a source text. In linguistics and information processing, the targettext is the result that a process aims to generate, such as a translated fragment, a localized user interface string, or a piece of generated content. The term contrasts with the source text, which is the original input being transformed.

Applications include translation and localization workflows, where the targettext is the translated sentence or paragraph that corresponds to a given source segment. In translation memory systems, the targettext is stored as a canonical rendering for reuse. In machine translation, the targettext is the system’s produced translation that may be post-edited to meet quality or style guidelines.

In templating and content generation, targettext is produced by rules, templates, or language models to create text that conforms to a requested language, locale, tone, and terminology. Metadata such as language code, domain, edition, and version are often associated with a targettext to track context and quality requirements.

Challenges in managing targettext include preserving meaning, ensuring consistency with glossaries, handling ambiguity, and aligning with style and cultural norms. The concept supports workflow documentation and auditing by clarifying what the intended output is for each source input.

See also: source text, translation memory, machine translation, localization, post-editing, natural language generation.