I need help to write a good comment to a translation
Thread poster: Manuela1983
Manuela1983
Manuela1983
Italy
May 13, 2014

Hi everybody..
I have to comment a bunch of translations from English to Italian so i was wondering if you could suggest any link or guide line in order to write good comments. To be honest I'm not too good at it, so I want to learn. Thank you in advance for your help!


 
Josephine Cassar
Josephine Cassar  Identity Verified
Malta
Local time: 10:44
Member (2012)
English to Maltese
+ ...
A link or guide May 13, 2014

I wonder why you would want a link but not use your own judgement. Read the text well, see the answers provided(the translations), then compare and say where one used a wrong term or misunderstood, point out grammar, spelling, punctuation mistakes, comment on style. A link is not much use as it would be general whereas you would have a specific topic. Use your judgement and see how you yourself would have translated it, researching terms, ambiguities. good luck

 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 10:44
French to English
a few ideas May 14, 2014

If you are to assess a whole bunch of translations then you need to do it systematically.

You might want to divide your assessment into various sections, for example

- terminology (including consistency),
- fluidity (does it flow, does it sound natural or stilted, have they made an effort to find the right
word rather than just using the one that resembles the word used in the source text),
- accuracy (including omissions, additions, whether
... See more
If you are to assess a whole bunch of translations then you need to do it systematically.

You might want to divide your assessment into various sections, for example

- terminology (including consistency),
- fluidity (does it flow, does it sound natural or stilted, have they made an effort to find the right
word rather than just using the one that resembles the word used in the source text),
- accuracy (including omissions, additions, whether the language comes across as too strong or
too wishy-washy compared to the original),
- presentation (sticking to the same format, keeping or discarding upper/lower case, italics etc.
according to original but also according to rules in the target language, is the formatting
clear enough)
- attention to detail (punctuation, spelling, spacing, have they checked that proper nouns are
spelt properly, have they used hard spacing between works which really should stay on the
same line, do they write things like dates the same way each time...)

Make sure to include positive comments, don't just home in on the mistakes, and of course remain polite at all times, in case your assessments get passed straight on without the PM checking what you wrote. Perhaps include links to pages where you find relevant information whenever you check up on a point.

HTH
Collapse


 
Andrea Diaz
Andrea Diaz
Mexico
Local time: 03:44
English to Spanish
+ ...
Check the profiles. May 14, 2014

Why don't you check linkedin and proz profiles? The most experienced translators usually have their clients' feedback in their profiles. Maybe that could give an idea of what to say. Of course, try to give an honest assessment and be polite.

You could also write a template if you need to give too many reviews and save time.


 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 10:44
Spanish to English
+ ...
Said it all May 16, 2014

Texte Style wrote:

If you are to assess a whole bunch of translations then you need to do it systematically.

You might want to divide your assessment into various sections, for example

- terminology (including consistency),
- fluidity (does it flow, does it sound natural or stilted, have they made an effort to find the right
word rather than just using the one that resembles the word used in the source text),
- accuracy (including omissions, additions, whether the language comes across as too strong or
too wishy-washy compared to the original),
- presentation (sticking to the same format, keeping or discarding upper/lower case, italics etc.
according to original but also according to rules in the target language, is the formatting
clear enough)
- attention to detail (punctuation, spelling, spacing, have they checked that proper nouns are
spelt properly, have they used hard spacing between works which really should stay on the
same line, do they write things like dates the same way each time...)

Make sure to include positive comments, don't just home in on the mistakes, and of course remain polite at all times, in case your assessments get passed straight on without the PM checking what you wrote. Perhaps include links to pages where you find relevant information whenever you check up on a point.

HTH


Nothing to add to this, really. I'd say this is pretty comprehensive advice.


 


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I need help to write a good comment to a translation







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