Proofreaders in the Translation Process
What is a Proofreader?
A proofreader typically reads a document after it has been formatted and typeset. To many people outside the editing industry, a proofreader’s job is simple and requires a small amount of skill, but this is an inaccurate assumption.
A proofreader must be able to perform many tasks in regard to the translation they are handling. Some of the tasks they perform include correcting:
- Grammatical issues
- Spelling
- Punctuation
- Word usage or phrasing and
- Printing errors
More often than not, the proof (as it is called in the translation lingi) is compared with the copy editor’s copy.
This is to ensure corrections have been properly executed. It is also important to note that in certain cases, a proofreader will not have an editor’s copy to compare their corrections to.
Professional proofreaders are typically well read and proficient with spelling and grammar. These are not the only skills that they must possess though; the proofreading career also requires:
- Mental stamina
- Critical thinking
- Logic
- Organization and
- Concentration
What Does a Translation Proofreader Do?
A proofreader can normally check a translation at a rate of about 2000 words (approximately 8 pages) per hour. This is dependent upon on the quality of the translation.
Here are some of the things that might be on a proofreader’s checklist during the process:
- All text has been translated and no text is missing.
- The copyright and warranty pages display the proper date, version and part number of the product (in localized versions, these usually differ from the source files).
- Any sorted components (glossary appendix) are alphabetized according to target language standards.
- All special characters are functional and able to be printed correctly.
- Company names, telephone and fax numbers, street addresses, and zip codes have been changed for local standards.
- Quotation marks are used according to the target language’s standards.
- No editing or review marks are left in the final translated text.
Why Use a Proofreader?
A proofreader’s job is to read translated documents from an end-user perspective. This means that accuracy within documents is absolutely essential.
Accuracy within any kind of professional document (in any language) is vital because since it greatly reflects that company’s devotion to quality.
A significant amount of information is published today from magazines, books, newspapers, and manuals to online books, newsletters, and, of course, websites.
The English language is far too complex for a computer and spellchecker alone to proofread.
At The Translation Company, our Quality Assurance Team handles proofreading and any needed corrections that are included because we understand how the importance.
A translated document must have the eyes of a professional proofreader to find mistakes that a machine or other human might not find.