Professional proofreaders and their role
We have noticed the fact that there are many misconceptions, because translators do not fully value the purpose and the service of professional proofreaders. They do this before clarifying anything. There are many contradictory opinions concerning the role of a proofreader in a translation project. (Observation: the words “proofreader” and “editor” are used to convey the same meaning in the article.)
For some, professional proofreaders are more specialized than translators. They should be able to correct their mistakes and notice any imperfection. Some people disagree and think that editors could be beginning translators. However, those should have a formed eye for the slightest mistakes. There is the third category of people, who treat them like equals and think that they counterbalance each other. What is your opinion concerning this subject? What is the role of a proofreader when it comes to a translation project?
Something that is debatable is the mother tongue of the professional proofreaders. We have talked to different translators and some think that proofreaders should have the source language as their mother tongue, whilst the translators should be native speakers of the target language. This is because they can spot any mistakes in the target text much easier. When signing agreements with more than one translation agency, they can include proofreading and Translation Services. They mention the fact that the proofreading services should be provided by someone whose native language is the target one.
In conclusion, there are many different points of views concerning this aspect. Bear in mind that we am talking about regular services. If we go deeper into the matter, we will find many more issues. Translation editors compare the source text with the target text, when monolingual proofreaders check the mistakes in the target. Quality assurance editors verify the format of the target text, numbers, file requirements etc. Technical reviewers pay attention to the jargon and the style of the target text and final copy-editors ready-for-press translations.
As far as we are concerned, we did everything mentioned above. Perhaps it is best if one takes into consideration the client’s needs. It is also a decision made on an individual basis; therefore, the requirements of the project need to be considered. However, we noticed that large translation companies and even translators could not afford to act on an individual basis due to the lack of time and resources. Therefore, they are obligated to have a typical process. This will allow them to get profit from their work.
NordicTrans provides quality translation services, all translation jobs are checked by professional proofreaders to ensure translated content has the same meaning as the original text.
Professional Proofreaders
Proofreading is the process of analyzing the text and looking for spelling, syntax, grammar and punctuation errors, typos and other unintended mistakes. The context, terminology, and facts are entirely irrelevant here, as the job concentrates on the correctness of the text.
Though professional proofreaders may make comments and suggest corrections that refer to the content as well or may have questions related to the content. Proofreaders do not apply any such changes but instead return the document to the editor along with their suggestions and issues.
Proofreading is essential when translating any project. To have a correct and error-free translation, you need qualified proofreaders. When adding the proofreading service to the translation, professional proofreaders will also ensure that the ultimate project reads easily and has the proper tone to meet the text’s requirements. Professional editing and proofreading services combined ensure the quality of the translation output for the end users.
