Guidelines for Proofreading a Translation

Translation is a funny thing. You need to translate something into another language, but you don’t speak that language, so you hire a professional.

Now you have your translation, and you want to proofread it to make sure it’s accurate.

Except - how do you proofread something written in a language you don’t speak?

Internal Review

While all translations we provide are proofread by our professionals, some clients want to perform an internal review as well. An internal review is when the client has somebody—an employee, distributor, or colleague, for example—review the translated materials.

We encourage this and will work with your reviewer to make sure you are satisfied with the translation. But it can be a little tricky, depending on the skills of the person reviewing the materials.

Guidelines

To help our clients, we’ve come up with some guidelines for an internal review of a professional translation. When asking someone to review your translated materials, keep the following considerations in mind:

• The proofreader should be fully bilingual. You need someone who has enough understanding of the source and target languages to accurately compare the two documents. The goal is to confirm that the meaning is the same in the translation as in the source document.
• You need to provide the proofreader with both the source and target documents. Do not ask the proofreader to review only the target (translated) materials; the objective is to compare the source against the target, to make sure the same message is conveyed.
• The proofreader needs to be informed of the objective, which is to keep the message consistent from one language to the next. Let the proofreader know not to change the message.
• Make sure the proofreader has time to proofread the translation and is comfortable with performing this task. If the proofreader doesn’t have the time or interest in proofreading, your project could be delayed.
• Once you’ve determined who is going to proofread the translations, ask the proofreader to track changes. By tracking changes, it records the edits so we can send them back to the original translator.

Next Steps

The translator will review the suggested edits and either accept them (like stylistic changes) or explain why they believe the edits should not be made (for example, they might change the meaning).

We will communicate the feedback to you and let you know if we stand behind the original translation or if we recommend finalizing the changes suggested.

Do I Need an Internal Review?

If you're using a translation from an agency that focuses on quality, you don't need an internal review.

But if you decide you do want the extra review, it's always a good step. Why? We support clients performing internal reviews because translation is like writing – the more people reviewing it, the better the end result.

Rapport International specializes in multilingual communications, providing language translation and interpretation services that are accurate and culturally appropriate. We use the right voice and the correct terminology to avoid liability, customize services to your needs, and deliver on time and within your budget. With our 100% satisfaction guarantee, you can trust that it’s done right. Contact us today if you would like more information or to get a free quote.