Translation is a process of converting information in one language into information in another language on the principle of accuracy, smoothness, and elegance. There may still be errors in the finished translation. The most intolerable errors include failure to comply with requirements notified beforehand, critical information errors, and low-level errors. |
Critical information includes: numbers, units, product/component names, version numbers, commands, parameter names, company names, person names, positive/negative errors, country/region names, menus/paths, dates, abbreviations and full names, missing translations, etc. Low-level errors include: spelling, cross-reference, failure to update directory, Chinese characters left in English documents, hidden characters, etc.
This article introduces some methods to help reduce these three types of errors.
To prevent the first type of errors, you must carefully read instructions provided by the customer before you start translation. For example, the instructions may include General Style Guide, Special Instructions, Project Notes, Non-Translatable Terms, etc. If the customer finds that the translation does not comply with the requirements listed in these files during acceptance, for example, names that do not need to be translated have been translated, or some special requirements have not been complied with, the customer feels very disgusted because these requirements are listed systematically by the customer by spending much time to maintain the overall consistency of the project, and the translation team has been pre-notified that these problems should not occur in translation.
To prevent the second type of errors, first, you must have a general sense of which information is critical. You must be very careful when translating these parts. Second, for parts that do not need to be translated, such as some numbers, command names, parameter names, company names, menus/paths, and abbreviations, you must develop a habit of copying and pasting from the original text rather than typing with a keyboard by yourself. Some errors, such as mismatched numbers, double spaces, and duplicate words, can be checked by running Xbench.
In translation, we should have a problem-oriented attitude and adopt a problem-resolving solution, so that we can prevent, check, and eliminate errors. In a word, the world of translation is so great that you can learn everywhere.