A Closer Look At A Translator鈥檚 Job

A Closer Look At A Translator’s Job

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a closer look at a translator's job

When you send a document to be translated, whether for your personal use or听for听your company, you might think听it goes through a听fairly simple听process. You send it, it gets to a translator who translates it,听and听then the translator听sends it back.听罢丑补迟鈥檚听all, right? Well鈥μ�The听translation听part is听actually more听complex听than that,听and听there are a number of requirements听that must be met to听deliver consistently high-quality听translations听for a wide听range听of documents听and clients.听A translator will听not operate the same way听for a birth certificate听as for digital marketing material or subtitles.听So听濒别迟鈥檚 have a听closer听look at what goes into听a translator鈥檚听job.

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The Process: Who do they work with?听

You may听seek out a听translation services provider because听you听诲辞苍鈥檛听personally听know听freelance translators that could do the job directly for you, or you 诲辞苍鈥檛 know one for each language combination you need. You may not听know听who听is better suited to what task, or you may not have the time or听the听expertise to take care of all your translation needs.听Simply put, someone has to oversee the project听for you.

At听成人动漫,听we understand that a quality translation involves more than just a听translator.听A听dedicated听Project Manager听(PM)听is听always听in charge of听monitoring听your project听from start to finish.听As听the main link听between you and the various translators,听the PM听is听always听aware of the听advancement of the project and听oversees听the resources involved. The PM is here to facilitate communication, which is essential to meet your expectations and deliver听the highest standard of听translation for your materials.

But听what听exactly听is听there to oversee?听Well, your material will not be taken care of by one single translator per language. CCA has a three-step,听foolproof process to听ensure听the greatest听accuracy. This is something a听process involving only one听person听may not听guarantee. Why? Because听苍辞产辞诲测鈥檚听perfect! Translation is听a human process, and听even an excellent translator can and will sometimes make mistakes, or simply not think of听the best way听to听convey听an idea听in another language. Yes, there is always a better solution and we could spend听an听eternity agonizing over the听translation of听a user听guide, the title of a report, or a joke听from听a TV show 鈥�听but听of course, no one can afford听to do that听forever.听Yet, when it comes to quality,听experience shows听颈迟鈥檚听never a waste of time to have someone take a second look at a document听鈥撎�far from it:听it鈥檚 almost a requirement.

CCA acknowledges听this听fact, which is why听we have听three separate linguists work on your text:

The听translator does the bulk of the work by translating the document, thus providing the first draft.听They only ever translate into their听native language,听so they can provide a text that sounds natural and听is听as precise as possible when it comes to terminology.听听
Then,听an听editor听will review this draft and go over the translation and all听the听language-related issues. They check for accuracy,听style,听and, of course, grammar and syntax errors. This second pair of eyes is essential to听ensure听the overall quality of the translation.听
Finally, the听proofreader听takes听one听last look at the final document, checking for听non-language-related problems听such as听typos, formatting issues, punctuation errors,听dates, numbers, etc.听Nothing can escape our eyes.听

Translators, editors,听and proofreaders听must work within听set听deadlines and guidelines and often find themselves editing someone else鈥檚 translation to听make听it听perfect.听This whole process听is听coordinated and supervised every step of the way听by the PM, who will听communicate your wishes to them, and听also serve as听a contact to address your concerns听and needs听during the听time it takes us to complete your order.听听

In addition, if you need technical assistance with your project, a team of IT specialists, engineers,听and desktop publishers听is听available.听Contrary to what one might at first,听suppose,听this听really is a team effort听鈥� quality demands it.听

The Tools: What do they work with?听

Now,听濒别迟鈥檚听talk about translation proper. Most of the time, we think about it as a straightforward operation: someone 鈥� a translator听鈥�听reads the text in the source language and creates a document in the target language that听鈥�basically says the same thing.鈥澨�There听is听often a myriad of ways to convey the same idea. We all experience that on a daily basis听when听observing the manners of speech of people听around us,听who often express the same things differently, having their own distinct idiolect.听For example, someone will prefer to use the adjective 鈥渂eautiful鈥� instead of 鈥渉andsome鈥�.

In fact, a significant part of translating consists not in finding a way to express an idea in the target language, but in choosing among the many ways听one has听already found.听This听choice听肠补苍鈥檛听all be a matter of the translator鈥檚 personal preference听and natural inclination.听The context and the intended readership clearly inform these decisions; however, you too have your say in this.听As a client, you can address specific听details听and instructions for your translators to follow.

In addition to specialized dictionaries and translation databases听that听translators use on听a听regular听basis,听they听also听need your input. There are, in fact, two听resources听that听you听as a client can听give听your translators,听or that听they听can help you听develop听and update if needed:听glossaries and style guides.听听

Translators are at the service of a client, which makes their job听an听interesting听challenge, as they are confronted听with听the difficulties of bending the target language to their will, as well as customers鈥� expectations.听So听these tools of the trade听are useful for understanding what the client requires听in general or for a specific project.听Translators constantly听use them听to adapt their work to the听client听so the resulting translation听conforms听to guidelines听and听its intended purpose.听

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贬别谤别鈥檚听how they work:

A听glossary鈥檚 purpose is to unify the language. It听provides a single standardized translation for key terms听to make sure they are听identical from听one听document to听the next听and听regardless of the translator. It is basically a terminology database that greatly helps translators with unfamiliar words,听and how they can become aware of听specific terms听and听your听word听preferences when translating. A good glossary听helps听translators working on听your听company鈥檚 material make sure that they are all听on the same page, thereby ensuring overall consistency between your documents. Here are the items that should be included in a professional glossary:听听
- Key terms and their definition: products, services, technical terms,听but also听words, phrases, expressions, abbreviations, and acronyms. Those should听include terms that pertain to your trade, your industry, or your company in particular, such as concepts that speak to your company culture. Detailed and complete definitions are a necessary part of any glossary because knowing the听exact meaning听of a word or phrase you normally use helps translators choose the best translation for it.听听
- Preferred translations:听This is an additional tool for the translator who may be hesitating between two or more equivalent terms听鈥撎�which听happens听often.听This will ensure the target texts remain consistent听and stick closely to your company鈥檚 natural vocabulary,听whenever possible.听
- Translations that should be听avoided:听Words听that should not be used to translate a term,听even if听they seem possible. This is the opposite of the preferred听translations;听it further clarifies your terminology preferences.听
- Do-not-translates:听Words you want听us to be kept听in the source language听such as听proprietary terms, brand names,听and听trademarks, but听also听concepts and phrases that are relevant to your company and/or your international clients and should remain recognizable in the original language.听听
A听style guide鈥檚 purpose is to provide guidelines for the look and feel you expect from translated documents. It should consist of a concise set of preferences听to guide听linguists听working on听your documents. It听may听include the following items:听
- A brief description of your company: What is your company? Who is your competition? What makes you stand out? What image do you want to听give off? What are your core values, your goals, etc.? Since the translators control the words that will define your company in other languages, they should know听how your company defines itself in its native language.听
- Your听tone听preferences:听In other words, how do you want your translations to sound听to your intended audience? You听may听want them to sound formal or casual. You听may听prefer short sentences, or longer, more听stylistically sophisticated听ones. You听may听want a very matter–of–fact听voice听or a more artistic听style. For your promotional material, you can go for concise, impactful statements or more听elaborate听formulations. Do you want the translations to be more literal or would you rather have a more creative approach, that is adapted to the target language鈥檚 culture? Let us know, so we can tailor our translation to your expectations.听听
- What you 诲辞苍鈥檛 want: words,听terms, phrases,听and听slogans听you鈥檇 like translators to avoid 鈥� maybe听because听they are too closely tied to your competitors鈥櫶�public听image,听or maybe because you simply 诲辞苍鈥檛 want them associated with your brand for another reason.听You can also suggest alternative translations听your translator is welcome to听use that听better fit the context of the target language as well as your requirements.听
- How听to display听specific things in听your text: punctuation and capitalization rules, font use,听footnotes, and endnotes, etc.

Glossaries and style guides are vital听for translators, especially if they work on numerous documents听and many different clients. They can also help them deliver听a product听that is听consistent with the听work of translators听who have previously worked on your projects.听These tools for translating听should evolve over time, be periodically reviewed, altered,听and completed, so as to always represent your company鈥檚听evolving听needs. At CCA, we can help you update your glossaries and style guides. We can also assist you in creating them for听language professionals to use in the future by leveraging previously听translated content and using it to lay the groundwork听for future translation projects.听听

Contact Us

If you have any inquiries about translation or any other services we offer, or if you鈥檙e ready to start with your very own translation project, contact us online听or give us a call at +1 (877) 708-0005听and experience the platinum standard of the language industry.