At AZ World, we believe exceptional translations deserve a meticulous and top-tier process. That’s why we follow a rigorous three-step approach: translation, editing, and proofreading (TEP) performed by two or three different linguists. Today, we’ll delve into the crucial roles of editing and proofreading, ensuring your translated content is of exceptional quality.
Editing and proofreading: Interchangeable terms?
It is common for confusion to arise as to whether the terms editing and proofreading have the same meaning; sometimes they are even mistakenly used as synonyms. But they are far from being interchangeable terms, in fact, they represent two distinct stages in the revision process.
What is editing and why is it a must-have step in the translation process?
Once the initial translation is complete, the bilingual review takes center stage. The editing stage consists of meticulously examining the translation against the source text, ensuring accuracy and clarity. Here’s what our editors do at this phase:
- Check grammar, style, and spelling for correctness. In other words: confirming that the sentence structure and punctuation are correct, that the tone is consistent and resonates with the target audience, and meticulously checking every word for accuracy.
- Making an overall bilingual review of the translated text against the source to ensure that the original message has been accurately conveyed.
- Verifying that the equivalents chosen for idioms, colloquialisms, regionalisms and cross-cultural references capture the intended meaning of the original text.
- If needed, identifying and replacing deceptive or potentially confusing terms with accurate alternatives.
- Confirming that any industry-specific terms, measurements (metric, imperial, etc.), and currency symbols, names, and codes are used consistently throughout the text and according to the client’s preferences.
- Double-checking that, overall, the translation has been undertaken following the client’s relevant instructions or style guide.
Proofreading: The final polish
After the thorough editing stage, the translated and edited text undergoes a final, monolingual review – proofreading. This step acts as a safety net, as it helps catch any minor errors that might have slipped through the editing process. Our proofreaders meticulously examine for:
- Typos and grammatical errors: minor mistakes, if any, are identified and corrected.
- Formatting inconsistencies: punctuation, capitalization, and spacing are standardized.
- Omissions: missing words or punctuation are detected, and the text is corrected accordingly.
- Fluency and readability: the final text is reviewed and given a last read-through to ensure it reads naturally in the target language while staying true to the source language.
Desktop Publishing (DTP): One last touch for a flawless product
Before reaching your hands, the translated document undergoes a final formatting check. Whether created within a translation tool or not, we meticulously ensure that the formatting and layout of the translated and localized document match the source text. This includes:
- Checking that font name, size, and color are maintained and used accurately against the source text.
- Optimizing line spacing and table/diagram formatting, if needed.
- Double-checking that the target file matches the source document in its overall layout.
To sum it up, the editing and proofreading stages are critical to guarantee that your translation project is free from any unnoticed errors from start to end.
Don’t get lost in translation: Bridge cultural divides with us
At AZ World, we go beyond basic translation. We deliver exceptional communication, ensuring your message reaches your target audience with clarity and impact.
If you need to bridge the language divide and connect with a wider audience, contact us today at info@a-zworld.ca or visit www.a-zworld.ca.