Is Proofreading part of a translators job?

Very often, the proofreading part is not discussed with the translators. The clients may assume it is the duty of the translator to deliver a proofread job. The translator may think the client will arrange for a proofreader, because they are an agency. As is already told, Translation as a process which constitutes of the following steps- glossary making, translation, typesetting, editing and proofreading. And as a general rule, the translator is supposed to deliver a final product that is error free. If it is something which you think should be paid for, better negotiate with the client at the begining. It does not matter whether your client is an agency or a direct client. THis is more so when they (clients) specifically mention that they need proofreading by a third party. Again negotiate before hand for third part charges and include in your translation rate. Some people say that if you work with an agency they are usually responsible for quality assurance. So you dont need to prooread your files. To me it seems not fair. As a translator we should take responsibility for our job and can not expect some body else will do it for me. If the client still arranges a third party proofreader it is good for them. When you work with a direct client then you need to negotiate all the steps involved in the translation process and ask for a suitable rate. In any case translators should take responsibility for their own jobs. Proofreading is part of a translators job.

5 Tips to Avoid Proofreading Bad Translations

Photo Credit Eduardo Amorim 5 Tips to Avoid Proofreading Bad Translations Many of you would have had the experience of landing up with poor translations while proofreading causing you to perform drastic corrections. This would have cost a lot in terms of precious time and money since the amount paid to proofread is generally much lower than what is paid out for translation. In order to avoid falling prey to such costly mistakes, it is advisable to follow a few pointers while accepting work for proofreading. 1. Try and check if the person who has handled the translation is well-versed with the language of translation and has had sufficient experience in the field. 2. Tell the client that you need to preview the translation before accepting the job. Do not take up the work if they do not agree to this condition. Tell them you need to do this to access the quality of the translation. 3. Try to charge an hourly rate rather than a per word rate. This will limit losses if you are to handle a poor translation. 4. If the client does not agree to an hourly rate, try to negotiate different rates based on what needs to be done. Tell what it will cost them if the translation needs to be just proofread and what it would be if it needs to be edited. 5. If during the preview you find the work to be very poor such that it will need more time to edit rather than just retranslate, inform them and tell you will handle the work at translation rates only. If you do not want to do a retranslation, then flatly refuse the work or outsource it to somebody who will be willing to do so. The important thing is not to be taken for a ride or for granted. If the situation calls for putting your foot down, it is necessary to take action as long as what you are asking for is justified. If the agency refuses to abide by your conditions, it is time to take a call for accepting work from them in future.