Translation: technical considerations for vetting the network

Our Quality Control team uses the following premises to review any deliverable submitted to the system:

Technical Requirements:

• Font Formatting is correct: Times New Roman or Arial, 12pt, 1.5 lines
• The entire text should be translated.
• The translation should present the same ideas as the original without introducing other concepts
• An oblique translation is allowed on the detection of nuance (humor, sarcasm) and idiomatic expressions.
• Proper spelling and punctuation in the target language should be applied. This includes the correct use of orthographic signs and punctuation marks (i.e., Spanish uses parentheses where English prefers hyphens).
• The text should replicate the “tone” and rhythm, deviations can be syntactic.
• It is normal for non-technical translations to present a 15-20% margin of gain or loss in the resulting word count. Anything longer or shorter could be a sign of omissions or unnecessary additions. The translation should also aim to preserve the original structure of the texts, without line breaks or additional paragraphs.

Project Requirements:

Formatting

We ask our translators to use the template we've created for translation projects. You should have access to it, and be able to make a copy. The format is built as follows:

Font: Times New Roman 12pt or Arial 12pt.

Spacing: 1.5 lines

Paragraphs: Should be numbered and separated in different rows.

Omissions

With regards to the omission of a passage or idea, separating a complex idea and rearranging its parts is allowed. However, deleting it is unacceptable.

• Is the entire text translated?

• Is every sentence of the original included in the translation?

Avoid “Polishing” the original text with additional wording, or introducing ideas not present originally. Unnecessary additions should be put under explanations or footnotes.

• Does the translation present the same ideas as the original without introducing other concepts?

An oblique translation is allowed on the detection of nuance (humor, sarcasm) and idiomatic expressions.

• Did the translator ‘get’ all the quirks?

• Did they use appropriate equivalences?

• Did they use false friends?

Proper spelling and punctuation in the target language should be applied. This includes the correct use of orthographic signs and punctuation marks (i.e., Spanish uses parentheses where English prefers hyphens).

• Is the translation well written from a technical point?

• Are the grammar and punctuation correct?

In replicating the “tone” and rhythm, deviations can be syntactic (i.e., combining short, sharp sentences to form longer, windier ones) or semantic (i.e., replacing slang with formal speech).

• Does the translation “feel” the same as the original?

• Does the style of the original author still shine through?

It is normal for non-technical translations to present a 15-20% margin of gain or loss in the resulting word count. Anything longer or shorter could be a sign of omissions or unnecessary additions. The translation should also aim to preserve the original structure of the texts, without line breaks or additional paragraphs.

• Is the translation too long?

• Do the text blocks look similar, or have they changed?