Quality Assessment of Translations

There are three steps involved in the translation process: translation, editing, and proofreading.

Generally, there are three steps involved in the translation process, and these are translation, editing, and proofreading processes. We say generally, because it’s often wise with high word volume translation projects to add an additional step just to ensure that the final product is of the highest quality. This final step is known in the translation industry as QA or Quality Assessment.

Explaining the Quality Assessment Process

In the Quality Assessment step, computer tools are used to detect inconsistencies, to ensure that the correct terms have been used, to check spelling and punctuation, and to check for multiple spaces, formatting errors, and repeated words. The majority of inconsistencies occur when more than one linguist is involved in a large translation project which includes segments that have been repeated throughout the text. As we know, one single word (and of course a whole sentence) can have several different translations, so when you’ve got two editors working together on a project, it’s highly likely that each editor will use a different version.

Quality Assessment –The Final Step!

The person responsible for Quality Assessment will be the person who decides on the option that’s most accurate when it comes to that particular text: it’s this person who’s responsible for ensuring consistency throughout all segments of the project. This final step of the translation process will ensure that the end client receives a consistent final product.

Staying True to the Term Base

Vitally important, also, is ensuring that the correct terminology has been used, and this is usually done utilising Quality Assessment tools. These tools assist in verifying that the terms as according to the term base of the project were properly used. It’s true that translators have easy access to the term base while working on a translation, but there’s always the possibility that, while attempting to determine the complexities of the text, they could well overlook some terms. So, during the Quality Assessment process, a final inspection is made to ensure that there’s been proper usage of the term base.

Completing a Spelling and Grammar Check

Obviously, a vitally important part of the quality assessment process of any project is to perform a spelling and grammar check. Possibly the easiest way to perform this check is to open the text in an MS Word file and run the grammar and spelling check there. This check is almost unnecessary because the text has already been reviewed and passed through various linguistic steps; however, it’s imperative that the final translated document be 100% accurate when delivered to the end client.

Producing High-Quality, Accurate Translations

Performing a Quality Assessment of the translated document ensures that the final product is consistent, coherent, and that there are no formatting or spelling areas. Any text that’s passed all these rigid tests will be easy to read and understand, and isn’t that ultimately what we’re all striving for with our translated documents? Consistent, accurate, translated documents ultimately means happy, loyal end-clients!

Thoughts for Translation Clients

What’s the best way to find a foreign-language expert?

As a translation client, you employ the services of a translator to appropriately and accurately communicate your message into the local language. In this way, you’re able to maintain business expectations, the same expectations you have when dealing with the native language-speaking population. The question for translation clients is this: ‘What’s the best way to find a foreign-language expert?’ And once you find a professional translator, what should you expect from them? Are there specific questions you need to ask, and what information should you have available to provide your translator?

Don’t Try to Save Money on Translations

Like everything else in life, you get what you pay for. Many translation clients try to avoid paying for professional work by choosing the cheapest quotation; perhaps they even use a free translation website or use someone they know personally who speaks the language. None of these are ideal options, simply because translation is a craft: the translator must be fluent in two languages, must have excellent grammatical and writing skills, must have a solid knowledge of the subject matter, have access to the right translation tools, and of course they need to be talented as a translator. Good, professional translators are paid according to their skills, which, in effect, means there are no bargain translations.

Machine Translations Have Their Place

Certainly, machine text translations can provide a general idea of the subject matter, but they often produce incorrect text and improper sentence structure. If you’re looking for a top-quality professional translation, then you need to use a professional translator who has industry-specific experience and the relevant academic knowledge. That being said, machine translations serve a great purpose when people are trying to obtain a general idea of what’s being said.

It’s All about the Words!

The words we use are so very important! The first item to consider when pricing a translation project is the number of words to be translated, and the reason for this is straightforward – the more words there are, the longer the translation will take. Therefore, as the client, it’s up to you to do what you can to be succinct. Before translation, edit your copy. Many clients also create modules of text that can be translated once, then stored for later use.

Some Content Takes Longer to Translate

It’s a simple fact that some content is more difficult to translate than others. Translating a standard business letter is one thing, but translating a technical manual for your expensive item of machinery is a different thing altogether. Particularly challenging for translators are display messages in control systems and parts lists. Creative and advertising text require concentration and extensive editing because what works in one culture may not work at all in another. Translating 1000 words in a non-editable PDF file or 20 PowerPoint slides is not the same as translating the same 1000 words in a Word file: you must expect to pay more for this kind of translation.