MTPE is the service in which a professional linguist corrects machine-translated output to a predefined quality target, usually described as light or full post-editing. In localization contracts, rate cards, and workflow documentation, MTPE appears as a distinct option and pricing category, separate from translation, revision, and ordinary human editing, because the input quality and editing limits differ materially.
MTPE appears in client requests for pricing, in translation management systems where a machine translation step is enabled, and in linguistic instructions that set light or full editing expectations. It also shows up in non-disclosure and data-processing discussions because content is first sent directly to an external MT engine.
Some clients request MTPE but still expect human translation quality across creative or marketing text, which can make the service impossible to scope. Conversely, linguists may sometimes over-edit machine output, erasing the speed benefit, or under-edit due to ambiguous guidelines, leaving inconsistent terminology in the final published product.
For creative and consumer content the failure mode is flatness, not inaccuracy — and flatness passes an accuracy check. Terms here also carry technical constraints (reading speed, character budgets) that are part of the brief.
Angel Translation locks terms like this into a project terminology base before expert review begins, so the same source term resolves to the same target term across every document in a submission — and stays consistent in the next revision. See the 8-step AI + expert workflow.
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