What is translation quality?
Translation quality is a fluid concept – each customer has their own definition. Determining whether a complaint is warranted or not is therefore sometimes difficult.
Here is an excerpt from a 2014 article called “Defining Translation Quality”:
A quality translation demonstrates accuracy and fluency required for the audience and purpose and complies with all other specifications negotiated between the requester and provider, taking into account end-user needs.[1]
When we understand the challenges and possibilities of the customer’s trade, and they understand ours, we can create the quality processes that are right for them. Dialogue is, of course, essential to complaints management.
Translation quality boosters
Term lists and style guides help ensure translation quality. Website articles or manuals that the customer is proud of and happy with are useful reference points. Customer-specific workflows can also help enhance customer smoothness and satisfaction. As customer contact persons, circumstances, wishes, and demands change, Semantix’ sales representatives know to check in with them from time to time.
Your linguistic expertise
The customer must provide examples of words of phrases that they feel need attention. Then, we need your linguistic expertise to help decipher what kinds of changes they are looking for.
Sometimes, the customer sends a Word file with tracked changes, a PDF with sticky notes, or a PPT with edits in a different colour. If so, we ask you to pick 5-10 changed terms or phrases that you find interesting and telling, and to add your comments in a simple table. Here are two examples:
Source text |
Target text |
Customer’s change/comment |
Semantix commentary |
Spara genom att trycka på OK-knappen |
Save by pressing OK |
Pressing the OK button will save your settings |
Stylistic change + |
Underavdelning |
Subdivision |
subsection |
Terminology |
Categorising specific examples into style or terminology is a good start. Pointing out where information has been added or removed from the source text helps the customer understand how we work as translators. Providing online dictionary references to back up your word choice is often much appreciated. Write mistranslation if you have made a mistake. Make your comments in English, so that everyone can understand them.
If you notice anything else that is useful to know, please add that too. For example, the customer could benefit from knowing the connotations carried locally by a particular phrase or term.
While you pick and comment on examples among the customer’s changes, the project manager and sales representative examine the customer profile and the project’s order specifications. Soon, we will have a better understanding of the complaint’s root cause, and good ideas for ways going forward.