CONCEPT Cited by 1 source
Translation context assembly¶
Translation context assembly is the construction of a bounded, per-string context package for a machine translator. It joins string-specific context about what a message means with reference context that controls consistent rendering across the product and locale. The goal is not to give an LLM more text indiscriminately. It is to supply the facts required to resolve terminology, UI role, variables, pluralization, and house style. (Source: sources/2026-08-06-atlassian-scaling-localization-at-atlassian-keeping-translation-at-the-pace-of-ai-era-development)
Context package¶
| Context type | Examples | Failure avoided |
|---|---|---|
| String-specific | developer note, UI location, value meaning, object being counted | generic or semantically wrong nouns |
| Translation memory | similar strings translated previously | inconsistent repeated phrasing |
| Terminology | approved glossary terms | product-name and domain-term drift |
| Locale policy | style rules for a target language | inconsistent tone or formatting |
Atlassian calls this combination the approach that produced vendor-beating drafts in its blind quality trial. Its example separates “Selected count” from a description that specifies a toolbar label, a work-item list, and the meaning of {count}. The latter context lets the translator apply the glossary and plural grammar correctly. (Source: sources/2026-08-06-atlassian-scaling-localization-at-atlassian-keeping-translation-at-the-pace-of-ai-era-development)
Relationship to context engineering¶
This is a specialized instance of context engineering. It has a smaller scope than an agent context window: translation requests should be reproducible, auditable, and near-stationary rather than filled with arbitrary history. It also extends glossary-constrained translation: a glossary constrains terminology, while a context package explains which meaning and grammatical role should receive that terminology.
Risks¶
- Incorrect notes can anchor the model and reviewer to the wrong interpretation.
- Stale translation memory can perpetuate retired terminology.
- Locale guides require ownership and versioning, neither of which the source specifies.
- Context must avoid exposing customer or production data that is unnecessary to translate the string.
Seen in¶
- sources/2026-08-06-atlassian-scaling-localization-at-atlassian-keeping-translation-at-the-pace-of-ai-era-development — internal AI translator receives developer notes, similar translations, glossary terms, and locale style rules.