| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: In general, do you enjoy proofreading assignments? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "In general, do you enjoy proofreading assignments?".
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| | | | Georgia Morg (X) 
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:21
Portuguese to English
Maybe it's because I taught for years at universities, a job which inevitably involved a lot of marking and correction of grammar/spelling/sentence structure/logical connectors, but I feel that I have a very sharp eye and a feel for what would be the right register. I particularly like to revise/proofread academic papers. Because all the writers tend to make the same mistakes (as they translate in their heads from the Portuguese) it becomes quite easy to know what they mean to say and how to say... See more Maybe it's because I taught for years at universities, a job which inevitably involved a lot of marking and correction of grammar/spelling/sentence structure/logical connectors, but I feel that I have a very sharp eye and a feel for what would be the right register. I particularly like to revise/proofread academic papers. Because all the writers tend to make the same mistakes (as they translate in their heads from the Portuguese) it becomes quite easy to know what they mean to say and how to say it better.
[Edited at 2014-10-27 08:27 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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I hate reviewing other translators' work. I've reached the point where I no longer accept assignments to "proofread" translations.
I do edit and proofread texts originally written in English. I did that professionally for 13 years (while also translating) and I'm OK with it.
Still, I most like to translate from scratch. That's my favorite thing to do in the world. I love what I do.
| | | | Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 19:21
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
I do indeed enjoy proofreading (not MT), not only translations, preferably subtitles, but also scripts (book manuscripts and screenplays). This is probably due to my "gift" (or is it a curse?) of instantly spotting mistakes - except sometimes my own (blush) - in any given text.
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If I run across a translation that has been excellently crafted by a master translator, then it is a pleasure to read, and hopefully even to learn from.
As an aside, I have gotten many translation requests, but the last time I had an assignment, I was a student. Because there is an erosion in the translator-client (agency) relationship, that word may bear looking into.
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In general, I do not enjoy proofreading and I refuse most of the assignments. That being said I have an arrangement with an ex-colleague of mine (we worked together for 20 years at a European Institution) where we proofread each other. I also accept proofreading tasks from one translation agency as I know the translator and I trust her work…
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 19:21
Spanish to English
+ ...
I don't usually like going over the work of other translators, unless they happen to be collaborating with me on one of my own projects. For example, I recently farmed out a couple of more literature-type texts to a couple of colleagues, as they require more time and thought than most of the material I translate. One of them did the first draft of the translation, then the other proofread it and sent it back to her. Once they had finished this to-and-fro part of the process, they sent their "fin... See more I don't usually like going over the work of other translators, unless they happen to be collaborating with me on one of my own projects. For example, I recently farmed out a couple of more literature-type texts to a couple of colleagues, as they require more time and thought than most of the material I translate. One of them did the first draft of the translation, then the other proofread it and sent it back to her. Once they had finished this to-and-fro part of the process, they sent their "final" draft to me and I revised it again before delivering it to the client.
However, most of the revision (am loath to call it proofing) work I do consists of texts written in English by non-native authors. I do quite enjoy this work, as it is varied, although I tend to prefer revising the ones that are better written, as they are usually easier to understand. I also find it interesting how different nationalities make different (or similar) mistakes and use similar (or different) terms and phrases... ▲ Collapse
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I try to avoid proofreading work if I know in advance I am not going to enjoy it.
When I started, a text was more or less presentable as delivered from the translator, and proofreading was a question of checking small slips and giving the work a final polish. Even beginners, if they were serious, had learnt to produce acceptable work before they started putting it on the market.
As a beginner myself, I really enjoyed reading other people's translations and learning from... See more I try to avoid proofreading work if I know in advance I am not going to enjoy it.
When I started, a text was more or less presentable as delivered from the translator, and proofreading was a question of checking small slips and giving the work a final polish. Even beginners, if they were serious, had learnt to produce acceptable work before they started putting it on the market.
As a beginner myself, I really enjoyed reading other people's translations and learning from them. Subject experts taught me a lot about legal and technical language - and the art of checking, checking, and checking again... without wasting time when it was unnecesary.
If proofreading means filling out a huge form and classifying errors as critical/non critical, style, grammar, wrong terminology and what have you, I turn down the job. Errors of that kind should be very rare in professional work. Sometimes they are not actually errors, and I simply suggest an alternative.
Apart from that, I make enough mistakes myself, and have increasing problems these days with Muphry's Law
I still see a few texts that are a pleasure to proofread, but on the whole, I feel that a lot of so-called QA is nitpicking, and attempts to count and quantify things that cannot meaningfully be counted and quantified.
Quality is elusive - a totally consistent text can sound 'dead' and in fact be almost unreadable. It can never be a pleasure to squeeze a text into that kind of mould, and I refuse to do it! ▲ Collapse
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I used to love it, when I first started working in this field over 20 years ago. I feel that standards have fallen too low, in most cases, and what most agencies consider proofreading is more like editing to me.
And, along those lines, there is the question of limits... I consider proofreading to be the conscientious re-reading of somebody else's already edited work. So, how much am I "allowed" to change in a document that has supposedly already been edited, but which still has som... See more I used to love it, when I first started working in this field over 20 years ago. I feel that standards have fallen too low, in most cases, and what most agencies consider proofreading is more like editing to me.
And, along those lines, there is the question of limits... I consider proofreading to be the conscientious re-reading of somebody else's already edited work. So, how much am I "allowed" to change in a document that has supposedly already been edited, but which still has some grammatical and stylistic mistakes?
The last 2-3 proofreading assignments I got (from different agencies, mind you) ended up being big editing jobs.
No, thank you. No more proofreading assignments accepted.
[Edited at 2014-10-27 13:15 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | John Cutler
Spain
Local time: 19:21
Spanish to English
+ ...
But I always make certain that the client knows exactly what the definition of proofreading includes (spelling, punctuation, slight style changes, and little more). Entire re-writes of poorly written documents or texts simply run through machine translation fall under the category of ghost writing, not proofreading IMO, and so command a higher rate.
I also generally turn down the job when an agency or client sends me a document for "proofreading" and says, "We've included the origin... See more But I always make certain that the client knows exactly what the definition of proofreading includes (spelling, punctuation, slight style changes, and little more). Entire re-writes of poorly written documents or texts simply run through machine translation fall under the category of ghost writing, not proofreading IMO, and so command a higher rate.
I also generally turn down the job when an agency or client sends me a document for "proofreading" and says, "We've included the original text just in case there's something you don't understand."
I politely inform them that I don't accept their skanky attempt to get a translation at a proofreading rate and that if I have to look at the original even once, the whole document will be charged as a translation. Needless to say, they generally don't ask twice.
PS. I understood this question to mean proofreading in general, not just revising other translators' work. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Yes, somewhat | Oct 27, 2014 |
I usually like proofreading.
And I mean proofreading. If the question would involve editing, then my answer would be different.
| | | | | I don't offer proofreading | Oct 27, 2014 |
Because:
a) it is not what I'd like to do;
b) in a number of cases for me it is easier and faster to translate myself than to ensure the version of another translator is correct;
c) in my opinion, an editor/proofreader must have much more experience or expertise in the subject matter (or even both) than a translator; but it is valued lower for proofreading compared to translation.
d) When I translate, I am an author of my translation, but when you proofread, you are an au... See more Because:
a) it is not what I'd like to do;
b) in a number of cases for me it is easier and faster to translate myself than to ensure the version of another translator is correct;
c) in my opinion, an editor/proofreader must have much more experience or expertise in the subject matter (or even both) than a translator; but it is valued lower for proofreading compared to translation.
d) When I translate, I am an author of my translation, but when you proofread, you are an author of nothing, you just do some reviewing job and that's all. ▲ Collapse
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Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 22:51
Member (2006)
English to Hindi
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
It is not at all satisfying, neither is it paying.
I do it never the less, for bread and butter reasons.
| | | | | What Muriel said | Oct 27, 2014 |
Muriel Vasconcellos wrote:
I hate reviewing other translators' work.
Me too
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 13:21
English to Spanish
+ ...
| Proofreading, editing and MT postediting | Oct 27, 2014 |
I enjoy proofreading another colleague's translation if we're already an established team (i.e. we know each other's writing style).
I intensely dislike editing jobs assigned as proofreading jobs. This is mostly a problem of communication (and/or ethics) on the part of the project manager. When asked to proofread or edit, I let the PM know that it'll depend on the condition of the translation. If I find myself placing too many red marks on the first page, I contact the PM to offer a... See more I enjoy proofreading another colleague's translation if we're already an established team (i.e. we know each other's writing style).
I intensely dislike editing jobs assigned as proofreading jobs. This is mostly a problem of communication (and/or ethics) on the part of the project manager. When asked to proofread or edit, I let the PM know that it'll depend on the condition of the translation. If I find myself placing too many red marks on the first page, I contact the PM to offer a retranslation. If they don't take me up on that offer, I refuse the proofreading/editing job.
I enjoy doing MT postediting whenever the rules and expectations are fully discussed well in advance (no rushing me into that!). In fact, I gained a new corporate client for MTPE.
Speaking of MTPE (and I know Muriel knows a great deal about MT), don't knock it if you haven't tried it. It's a hybrid kind of proofing and editing, as well as rewriting when needed. Note that rewriting a translation does not mean (to me, at least) to write the right syntax and terms around what's been poorly written or translated. I just clear the text box and proceed with my translation. ▲ Collapse
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