Revision in the translation process
- #traduzioni tecniche
- #documentation
Based on the ISO 17100 standard, each translation must undergo a process of revision. The translated text is compared with the source text to identify any terminology/grammar/spelling/interpretation errors that the translator missed.
However, revision is an art that cannot be improvised. Each change must be pondered and justified to avoid making the text more burdensome and diminishing the work of the translator.
At times, revisers may be too quick to correct. They misunderstand the purpose of revision and take the place of the translator, imposing their style. They make stylistic and lexical changes without any clear reason.
Revision is not retranslation, but a job of improving the final text. The reviser must objectively concentrate on the terminology and correctness in terms of logic, interpretation, grammar and spelling of the text, ignoring everything subjective. In brief, revision must be a "minimax” operation, meaning the maximum return with the minimum effort.
A suitable revision saves time for the reviser, translator and project manager, is well-accepted by the translator and useful for everyone’s improvement.