| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Can a translator working on his own offer a quality control process? Thread poster: Spanish-English Translator
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It might be a good idea to create a routine, working with a pre-delivery checklist. Some suggestions (can vary depending on your language combination / specialist fields / personality etc):
- spell check (watch out with that one if you offer several varieties, e.g. both US / UK spellings)
- cleanup log check (no source text left because of damaged tags?)
- check for double spaces
- check for a mix between straight / curly quotation marks
... See more It might be a good idea to create a routine, working with a pre-delivery checklist. Some suggestions (can vary depending on your language combination / specialist fields / personality etc):
- spell check (watch out with that one if you offer several varieties, e.g. both US / UK spellings)
- cleanup log check (no source text left because of damaged tags?)
- check for double spaces
- check for a mix between straight / curly quotation marks
- check your own regular mistypings (if you know you often make the same typo, check for it)
- check for unelegant layout, add non-breaking spaces where necessary (do this during translation rather than afterwards)
- list of queries / comments for the client
- file attached to delivery e-mail
When you notice you forget something, add it to your checklist for the next job. Find a sensible order, and stick to it so that it becomes a habit. ▲ Collapse
| | | | NMR (X)
France
Local time: 19:19
French to Dutch
+ ...
| Checking more than once | Sep 22, 2009 |
I am a translator alone with a company structure; some clients think that several persons will have a look at the text, other people know that I am alone and don't bother, and others insist on confidentiality and not subcontracting, but all expect the text to be ready for print, so in all cases I am my own proofreader.
I use something like Susan's checklist, in fact a systematic workflow: documentation => translation while using all resources available (especially general bilingual ... See more I am a translator alone with a company structure; some clients think that several persons will have a look at the text, other people know that I am alone and don't bother, and others insist on confidentiality and not subcontracting, but all expect the text to be ready for print, so in all cases I am my own proofreader.
I use something like Susan's checklist, in fact a systematic workflow: documentation => translation while using all resources available (especially general bilingual dictionary and Wordfast's glossary and context search) => reworking the style on the screen => thorough check on paper (false friends, consistency) => corrections => cleaning-up and last check of the lay-out. Spellcheck and grammar problems are fixed in all stages. And sometimes, some days or some weeks later, proofreading of the PDF or a printout if the client asks for it (just got back a book for the second time, by snail mail ).
But I think that there is something more to be done in this field and that it is essential to think about it, from time to time. Quality also means good business practices such as: never accepting things that you cannot guarantee, working for reasonable prices and deadlines, having consistent procedures even in accounting, data security, etc. Don't have very clear ideas about that, though. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | What for then are we having horizontal tiling of the source and target files? | Sep 23, 2009 |
I go in for the horizontal tiling of the files. As soon as a file to be translated is saved in my hard disc, I take its save as copy in the same folder. Then open both the files and tile them one above the other, taking care to minimize all the other windows. I usually keep the copy to be translated at the top and the source file at the bottom.
I can toggle between the files. Reading the file at the bottom, I proceed with the translation of the top file. In that way there will be n... See more I go in for the horizontal tiling of the files. As soon as a file to be translated is saved in my hard disc, I take its save as copy in the same folder. Then open both the files and tile them one above the other, taking care to minimize all the other windows. I usually keep the copy to be translated at the top and the source file at the bottom.
I can toggle between the files. Reading the file at the bottom, I proceed with the translation of the top file. In that way there will be no skipping of segments.
Other points such as spell check, second and third readings are of course mandatory.
Regards,
N. Raghavan
Alp Berker wrote:
I have found working with 2 monitors helps my QA process, I can see the original and my translation at the same time. If you have access to get two monitors it may help. Also running a spellchecker and grammer checker helps. Sometimes I proofread out loud which also helps.
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