| Страниц в теме: < [1 2 3] > | When the proofreader does a bad job... Автор темы: Anna A. K.
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| Bad proofreader | Mar 3, 2022 |
I once received an "edited" and "proofed" version of a Japanese patent I translated. The corrections started out with "Japanese Patent Agency". An obvious blooper. The bloopers continued non-stop. My corrections of the corrections were a sea of red ink and I handed my corrections in. The agency never sent me an "edited" patent again.
| | | | Anna A. K. 
Германия
Local time: 09:13
Член ProZ.com c 2020
английский => немецкий
Автор темы | @Andreas Baranowski | Mar 3, 2022 |
Andreas Baranowski wrote:
Each time I deliver a translation, I close my mail to the PM with the following friendly request (mostly in Japanese, in my case). Works like a charm.
“Please convey the following message to the proofreader.
Dear Proofreader:
Thank you for your efforts.
Your time is valuable, as is mine. Please let us agree on the following points.
- Please do not “edit.” Only proofread.
- Please flag only genuine mistranslations and omissions.
- Please use the comments function to substantiate any changes made or proposed.
Thank you for your cooperation.”
I suspect that many proofreaders may even appreciate the clear guidance.
That's a fantastic idea! I think I am going to use that, too. Thanks, Andreas
| | | | Baran Keki
Турция
Local time: 11:13
Член ProZ.com
английский => турецкий
| The problem is | Mar 3, 2022 |
There are no such people called 'proofreaders'. What you call (or whoever has referred to) 'the proofreader' throughout this thread is a 'translator' who has been assigned a 'proofreading job'.
I've never come across a person who claims to be proofreader (by trade) in this business other than a certain American guy who leaves BB reviews, saying 'Perfect in every way'.
In my opinion, a translator will never make a conscientious proofreader. They will always succumb to the urge to im... See more There are no such people called 'proofreaders'. What you call (or whoever has referred to) 'the proofreader' throughout this thread is a 'translator' who has been assigned a 'proofreading job'.
I've never come across a person who claims to be proofreader (by trade) in this business other than a certain American guy who leaves BB reviews, saying 'Perfect in every way'.
In my opinion, a translator will never make a conscientious proofreader. They will always succumb to the urge to impose/reflect their style in some way by making unnecessary/preferential changes.
I sincerely believe that some (if not most) translators in my language pair make such changes just to show to the client that they have done their job, because, in their minds, returning a translation without any changes will give the impression that they haven't done their job properly.
And, of course, congratulating a translator in the absence of any typos, mistranslations, punctuation errors is bad form, it should be avoided at all costs. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | No “corrections of corrections” | Mar 3, 2022 |
Most of us have neither the time nor the inclination to fix messes.
The overzealous type which Baran describes (and Michael apparently knows first-hand) can cost you hours if the document is long enough. Totally wasted time. This is why I believe in an up-front description of what I expect of the proofreading function, and maybe more important, what I don’t expect. My experience has been positive throughout because the PM knows the proofreader isn’t cutting corners if the document doe... See more Most of us have neither the time nor the inclination to fix messes.
The overzealous type which Baran describes (and Michael apparently knows first-hand) can cost you hours if the document is long enough. Totally wasted time. This is why I believe in an up-front description of what I expect of the proofreading function, and maybe more important, what I don’t expect. My experience has been positive throughout because the PM knows the proofreader isn’t cutting corners if the document doesn’t come back bathed in red ink and the proofreader knows they can focus on their true function, which is finding mistakes before the client does. ▲ Collapse
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Kay Denney
Франция
Local time: 09:13
французский => английский
Michael Newton wrote:
The agency never sent me an "edited" patent again.
Is that because they stopped "editing" your patents, or because they decided to just "edit" and send to the client direct?
| | | | Lingua 5B
Босния и Герцеговина
Local time: 09:13
Член ProZ.com c 2009
английский => хорватский
+ ...
| Random proofreaders picked wherever | Mar 3, 2022 |
I avoid agencies that use random proofreaders who quoted the lowest amount on their proofreading job ad. Never a good idea to work with them.
| | | | Tony Keily
Local time: 09:13
итальянский => английский
+ ...
| Anna A. K.
Германия
Local time: 09:13
Член ProZ.com c 2020
английский => немецкий
Автор темы
Look at what we have here, a holier-than-thou nitpicker.
If you knew how ridiculous your comment is you wouldn't have said it.
[Bearbeitet am 2022-03-04 11:03 GMT]
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Tom in London
Великобритания
Local time: 08:13
Член ProZ.com c 2008
итальянский => английский
Anna1307 wrote:
If you knew how ******rediculous******* your comment is you wouldn't have said it.
No comment.
| | | | Mihai Badea (X)
Люксембург
Local time: 09:13
английский => румынский
+ ...
| Proofreading vs revision, review | Mar 4, 2022 |
Tom in London wrote:
No comment.
Tom, are you implying that terminology does not matter?
Proof, proofreading are typographical terms, but even general dictionaries would let you know (correctly) what their meaning is. They don't have other meanings. They cannot be confused with other terms.
Proofreading is not revision or review. It has a rather specific meaning. A final reading of the target text only, before printing/publishing.
If one compares source text with target text, that is not proofreading.
| | | | Anna A. K.
Германия
Local time: 09:13
Член ProZ.com c 2020
английский => немецкий
Автор темы
Tom in London wrote:
Anna1307 wrote:
If you knew how ******rediculous******* your comment is you wouldn't have said it.
No comment.
Yeah Tom, it's better you keep it shut for now. Thanks!
| | | | Mihai Badea (X)
Люксембург
Local time: 09:13
английский => румынский
+ ...
Baran Keki wrote:
And, of course, congratulating a translator in the absence of any typos, mistranslations, punctuation errors is bad form, it should be avoided at all costs.
Any translation can be improved. Why take it personally?
Did you know screaming "Jog on" is impolite? Perhaps that is why it was changed to "I'm dumb. I don't understand".
No need to become upset, really. "'Cause I practice mindfulness, right?".
Let the water flow to people who need it!
P.S. I know from Diplomatie, in case you wonder.
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Daryo
Великобритания
Local time: 08:13
сербский => английский
+ ...
| If my memory serves me well ... | Mar 6, 2022 |
Anna1307 wrote:
Look at what we have here, a holier-than-thou nitpicker.
If you knew how ridiculous your comment is you wouldn't have said it. [Bearbeitet am 2022-03-04 11:03 GMT]
If my memory serves me well claiming to be "holier-than-thou" is about morality.
Describing a job by its accurate name is simply about being professional - especially for someone whose job **is** manipulating words ...
Don't mind me ...Just another (unholy) nit-picker who's never done "verbal translation", only "interpreting".
| | | | Anna A. K.
Германия
Local time: 09:13
Член ProZ.com c 2020
английский => немецкий
Автор темы
Daryo wrote:
Describing a job by its accurate name is simply about being professional - especially for someone whose job **is** manipulating words ...
But I meant what I wrote: PROOFREADING, I didn't mean REVISION, so what is this useless nit-picking all about?
| | | | Daryo
Великобритания
Local time: 08:13
сербский => английский
+ ...
Anna1307 wrote:
Daryo wrote:
Describing a job by its accurate name is simply about being professional - especially for someone whose job **is** manipulating words ...
But I meant what I wrote: PROOFREADING, I didn't mean REVISION, so what is this useless nit-picking all about?
"Proofreading" involves ONLY one language. You don't need a translator for that.
Comparing a translation to the source text is NOT "proofreading", whatever loose terminology is used by agencies who should know better.
I've done real/proper "proofreading" - checking "proofs" send by a printing shop using lead fonts (as in: made of lead) for typos before approving them for printing (on paper) - yes I'm that old.
I had my translations "revised" by other people, and later I was the one doing the "revising".
I did notice some differences between the two types of tasks.
It happened occasionally to me that the "reviser" was out of their depth, but the problem was solvable.
BTW if you let agencies call revising a translation "proofreading", don't be surprised if they start looking at translating as no more than a glorified "re-typing", the "secondary detail" being that the retyping just happens to be done in another language.
Same as you are magistrally shooting yourself in the foot if you accept to call a machine produced output a "translation" ...
[Edited at 2022-03-08 23:42 GMT]
[Edited at 2022-03-08 23:52 GMT]
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