The concept of proofreading

New, Proofreading11 January, 202020 May, 2020

What is proofreading?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, proofreading is the act in which “one finds and corrects mistakes in text before it is printed or put online”. If we look for it in the Oxford Dictionary we will see that to proofread is “read (printer’s proofs or other written material) and mark any errors”. Meaning that proofreading is the process in which a text is brought to a publishing standard. It is generally a fancy word for correction and often it will be interchangeably used with QA (quality/assurance).

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Poor translation: the result of not proofreading

New, Proofreading14 September, 201720 May, 2020

Have you ever read a document, be it a newspaper story, a web page description or an advertisement, and thought to yourself, “boy, this could really have done with some editing!” or worse, “wow, this is a really poor translation!”? It happens more often than you think, and most of the time, it is not so much a bad translation as the result of the writer not proof-reading their text before they publish it.

The importance of proofreading

New, Proofreading28 April, 201620 May, 2020

The ideal translator, apart from being native, should be able to proofread and spot errors easily. Editing and proofreading are concepts which inevitably go together when it comes to translating. However, the definitions of these concepts are not completely clear. Proofreading involves more than grammar and spell check.

Why translators should be specialised in proofreading?

The ideal translator, apart from being native, should be able to proofread and spot errors easily. Editing and proofreading are concepts which inevitably go together when it comes to translating. However, the definitions of these concepts are not completely clear. Proofreading involves more than grammar and spell check. Even though it might seem an easy task, it requires great dedication. In fact, this process might be more tiring and demanding than writing the text itself since the proofreader needs to be absolutely focused on spotting mistakes in order to deliver error-free content.

Why is proofreading so necessary?

During the process of translation, the original text might undergo variations when it is reworded into another language. The key point when translating is to think in the target language instead of translating word by word. However, translators may unintentionally copy structures from the source language. One of the tasks of the proofreader is to spot these structures and reword them so that they sound natural in the target language, ensuring as well that the meaning of the original text is maintained. The delivery of error-free text shows that the text has been carefully polished and reinforces the reputation of the translator.

What to take into account

When it comes to proofreading, it is necessary to take into account certain aspects in order to spot errors. It is not only about ortho-typographical errors, but about the general coherence and consistency of the text. It is therefore important to pay attention to aspects such as: the appropriate length of the sentences, the variety of vocabulary, the consistency in word usage, the adaptation of cultural aspects, etc. It is also important to keep an appropriate style throughout the text, taking into account its purpose. Proofreading also involves checking page numbering, indexing and headings. Notwithstanding, the key point of proofreading is to ensure that the essence of the text is conveyed clearly.

Proofreading – Translation Services

New, Proofreading, Translation services26 November, 201513 May, 2020

BigTranslation offers the possibility to ensure that your translations are totally accurate and error-free with our excellent proofreading service. If you opt for this service, our native proofreaders will also ensure that your content is localised for the appropriate region with the corresponding vocabulary.

BigTranslation’s proofreading service:

Proofreading is essential when translating any kind of project. In order to have an accurate and error-free document, you need expert proofreaders. Luckily, we have an experienced team on hand to take care of this!

BigTranslation offers the possibility to ensure that your translations are totally accurate and error-free with our excellent proofreading service. If you opt for this service, our native proofreaders will also ensure that your content is localised for the appropriate region with the corresponding vocabulary.

When adding the proofreading service to your order, your project will be meticulously revised by our specialised editing and proofreading team to ensure that no spelling mistakes or grammatical errors go unnoticed. Our team of professional proofreaders will also ensure that the final project reads comfortably and has the proper tone to meet the text’s requirements.

Why is proofreading important? Spelling and grammar.

Proofreading is important for any translation project. When ordering a proofreading service with BigTranslation, we will ensure that all our projects are fully checked by our proofreading staff to ensure that no spelling or grammatical errors go unnoticed. Translations are checked by hand rather than using an automated system to ensure that the final project reads comfortably and has the proper tone for the topics discussed.

Proofreading for an error free text.

To have an error-free document, you need qualified and experienced proofreaders. Order our translation service and we’ll take care of it. You can rely on your document being error-free and correct throughout. All projects are reviewed by professional proofreaders with knowledge in the subject matter to ensure that the terminology is correct and that no errors go unnoticed.

Validation Guide

BigT news, New, Proofreading, Translation services21 October, 201513 May, 2020

If you are a validator for BigTranslation, please remember to follow all the steps outlined in the following document – it’s an indispensable tool to have at your disposition to ensure that all texts are up to the highest standards.

Documentation: Validation Guide

If you have been invited to become a validator for BigTranslation, please remember to follow all the steps outlined in the following document. We invite those translators with more experience and consistenty positive feedback to become validators in their target language.

Validating on the platform

In order to help you get to grips with what is involved in the validation of the texts on the platform, we have drafted this short handbook covering the main requirements and outlining how to tackle any issues you may encounter. Validation essentially involves you taking on the role of a proofreader to revise your colleagues’ translations and validate them so that they can be published.

This guide is an indispensable tool to have at your disposition to ensure that all texts are up to the highest standards and it is good to familiarise yourself with its content before getting started, to avoid any uncertainties.

The validation guide will also help to explain and make sure that you don’t overlook any of the fundamental elements required for the validation of texts in your target language.

If validators have any questions, they can contact us directly via email (info@bigtranslation.com), telephone (+34 961155803) or by Skype call or instant message.

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