Retrieval method for translation memories containing highly structured documents

A translation method comprising:

• identifying a structural position of a new source language translation unit within a source language document from which the new source language translation unit was derived;
• comparing the new source language translation unit with source language translation units of source language-target language translation unit pairs stored in a translation memory, the comparing including (i) comparing text of the new source language translation unit with texts of the stored source language translation units and (ii) comparing the identified structural position of the new source language translation unit with structural information pertaining to structural positions of the stored source language translation units in documents from which the stored source language translation units were obtained, said structural information also being contained in the translation memory;
• and
• based on the comparing, selecting at least one of the target language translation units from the translation memory as a proposed target language translation of the new source language translation unit.

A storage medium storing instructions which when executed on an associated processor perform a translation method comprising:

• identifying a structural position of a new source language translation unit within a source language document from which the new source language translation unit was derived;
• computing a similarity parameter indicative of similarity between the new source language translation unit and a source language translation unit of a source language-target language translation unit pair stored in an associated translation memory, the similarity parameter including (i) a textual similarity component indicative of textual similarity between the new source language translation unit and the stored source language translation unit and (ii) a structural similarity component indicative of similarity between the identified structural position of the new source language translation unit and stored structural information pertaining to structural position of the stored source language translation unit also stored in the associated translation memory;
• repeating the computing to determine similarity parameters for a plurality of source language-target language translation unit pairs stored in the associated translation memory;
• and
• selecting at least one of the target language translation units stored in the associated translation memory as a proposed target language translation of the new source language translation unit based on the computed similarity parameters.