The Translation Process

This week, I thought I’d give you a peek behind the scenes by writing about what I do when working on a translation. While every project’s different, I’ll go through some variation of the following process when translating:

1. Read the document for understanding, and getting a feel for the style and intention of the piece; think about how it should be translated
2. Draft a translation and put in initial formatting, if required
3. Research the topic to understand specialized terminology or unusual words and find English equivalents
4. Write up the final translation and finalize any formatting, editing as I go
5. Revise to ensure accuracy of meaning, equivalence of style, and correct and appropriate use of English
6. Proofread for spelling and grammar, formatting issues and things like matching up numbers in tables, etc.

The order in which these stages are carried out and the amount of time spent on each one depends on the type of document and the client’s needs (and probably also differs from translator to translator).  Almost all my work is done at the computer, though I do have a number of trusty reference books in print that I use frequently. And for longer documents, I will print them out before proofreading – I just find it easier to pore over words on paper than on the screen.  Plus I haven’t yet figured out computer equivalents for my various squiggles and symbols!

Most of my contact with clients happens at the beginning of the project. I usually find it makes things easier (and may help my clients save money!) if I get plenty of information about the translation at the start of the project. Clear communication is really important to me, as it enables the client to feel confident in my work, and it helps me to deliver the best translation I can. I find the more we communicate, the higher the translation quality will be, and the more satisfied both parties will be at the end of the project.  I appreciate that usually people just want to send me the document and leave me to get on with things, and this way, once the project is confirmed I can leave my client in peace until the delivery date (close to the end of the project, I might check in to make sure everything’s A-OK before sending out the translation).

And that’s about it! I’d love to hear your point of view, so please leave a comment, or ask me a question below. Do you have any other questions about translation or translators? Translators, does your process differ from the one I described? Do you have any opinions on communicating with clients?

(Remember to subscribe in the sidebar if you don’t want to miss out on future posts!)

Share this: