A professional translation requires a high degree of accuracy. To guarantee this commitment to quality, each translation must go through different steps to ensure that a text maintains its original form, sense and meaning. In the final step, editing and proofreading are two of the most important processes involved, and they are typically carried out together. Read on to understand why.
What are the differences between editing and proofreading?
Editing is the process of improving the quality of a text. How does it work with a fragment of translated text? It involves looking for more appropriate expressions, more accurate terms or alternatives more closely aligned with the original message.
In other words, the aim of this step is to raise the overall quality in order to improve comprehension or readability of the document. Proofreading, however, has a different purpose.
The main idea is to find and correct errors that may have gone unnoticed. This is a meticulous job that calls for careful observation on the part of the proofreader. This is what it means to have a correctly proofread text:
- Any translation errors are corrected.
- If there are any inconsistencies or repetitions, more appropriate terms for the text will be selected.
- It guarantees that the message is correctly translated, respecting its possible meanings and the author’s intention.
- It’s the last time the text is read before signing off on it. This is precisely why it’s the perfect time to detect errors that, in most cases, go unnoticed. Hence the importance of having this task performed by a professional.
- The original text and its translation are compared and checked to ensure that they refer to the same thing and share the same meaning.
Why is this last step so important?
A proofreader and editor’s tasks are essential if you want to convey a professional image. Remember that details matter a lot when it comes to guaranteeing that a text has been correctly translated. Even a small error could have unanticipated consequences. For example, it could:
- Change the meaning of a sentence.
- Lead to misunderstandings between both parties.
- Present a less professional image.
In all these cases, the image of your brand or organization might be damaged, meaning you don’t achieve your goals. For these reasons, enlisting professional help is the best way to ensure the accuracy of the final document. That’s why we encourage you to always rely on an expert team to help you achieve the results you want.
Now that you know more about these two key aspects of professional translation, don’t hesitate to contact us to learn more about these translation services. At blarlo we have experts who will help you achieve accurate results in every project you entrust to us. Don’t wait any longer. Call us!
This post is also available in: Español (Spanish) Français (French) Nederlands (Dutch) Deutsch (German)
