| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Client paid only for translation, without the proofreading step and discovered mistakes afterwards Thread poster: Anna A. K.
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jyuan_us 
United States
Local time: 14:30
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
I think different types of proofreading are discussed here, and they should have been clearly distinguished. Your proofreading of your own work before you deliver it, and the proofreading of your work by a third party, are totally different, and would have different outcomes.
[Edited at 2023-07-09 07:34 GMT]
| | | | jyuan_us
United States
Local time: 14:30
Member (2005)
English to Chinese
+ ...
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL wrote: Stepan Konev wrote:
Why not? Isn't it your work to proofread your own translation and remove all typos and other issues? proofreading my own translation is something I do anyway, together with spellchecking and QA. So, I have already done it. If the agency wants another round of "official" proofreading without having found any fault in my translation, they will have to pay for my time.
Your point makes a lot of sense to me.
| | | | | Why proofreading as an extra service? | Jul 10, 2023 |
I think I would be extremely reluctant to work for an agency who treats "proofreading" as an optional service.
A lot comes down to the individual translator. When I work for an agency, I work as if I am working for a direct client. I do not assume the proofreader will catch any errors or omissions, while presuming that my text will be proofread to catch any errors that do slip through.
What kind of message does proofreading as an optional send to the client? The messag... See more I think I would be extremely reluctant to work for an agency who treats "proofreading" as an optional service.
A lot comes down to the individual translator. When I work for an agency, I work as if I am working for a direct client. I do not assume the proofreader will catch any errors or omissions, while presuming that my text will be proofread to catch any errors that do slip through.
What kind of message does proofreading as an optional send to the client? The message I get is that the agency values profit over quality.
My own QA process consists of my own careful translation, final proofreading, spellcheck in Trados/MS, then I run a check using PerfectIt.
I would therefore explain what my own QA process consisted of. And I would demand to be paid extra, since you were asked only to translate and proofread your own work (not that of someone else, which I understand is what the agency is asking you to do). ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Translation vs translation + SPEC | Jul 10, 2023 |
I always offer my clients the option of translation only (which anyway includes two or three rounds of revisions by me, the last one reading aloud), or translation plus SPEC (second pair of eyes check). I have an arrangement with a trusted colleague where we proofread/review each other's work. Quality-wise, it's the BEST decision I've ever made...
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| Moreover.... | Jul 10, 2023 |
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL wrote:
If the agency wants another round of "official" proofreading without having found any fault in my translation, they will have to pay for my time.
... if you did a reasonable review/proof of your work before you delivered it, in my experience, you're unlikely to find much wrong with it.
If I review a translation a few days later (as I try to do when I'm given a generous deadline), I can often tweak the phrasing and make general minor improvements, but it's pretty rare that I'll uncover any typos or mistranslations as per the request the OP was talking about - I'm still too familiar with what I've done, and I'll see what I expect to see.
Whereas someone else reviewing it might find something, naturally.
| | | | IrinaN
United States
Local time: 13:30
English to Russian
+ ...
| Another good deed that may not go unpunished | Jul 11, 2023 |
Stepan Konev wrote:
Actually, it is your work to proofread your own translation. Why your client should pay for that?
If you are totally sure that your translation is free from typos or other issues, then just send the same translation again without doing anything. But I am pretty sure there are things you may want to change now to make your original translation even better. It often happens after you click 'Send' in your mailbox.
[Edited at 2023-07-07 17:03 GMT]
Stepan, I agreed with the statement in general; however, about the second part of it - the client may not recognize the difference and any red-lined terms or sentences improved exclusively for a greater good could be interpreted as discovered mistakes and then...
I can hear that dialog:
"So you had in wrong?" - "No, I just made it better (add any amount of adjectives screaming of perfection)" - "So it wasn't good enough in the first place?" - "No, oh no, it was good but now..." - "Look, did it, or did it not have to be changed to be correct?" - "No, not if you put it like this, just to..." - "What the heck? There have been no actual need to change anything but now we must send the updated file to the client who will see nothing but corrected errors and typos and suspect that we sent him a bunch of cr* the first time?????"
And on, and on... Unless it's a relationship between two long-standing professional partners who trust each other and know both what they are doing and what improvement of translation means, I'd abstain from any unnecessary emendations. If it's not broken, don't fix it.
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