We have received many questions from potential clients: how can we guarantee the quality of translation, editing, proofreading, and what to do if errors remain in the text? To be honest, we almost never answer this question. But for a blog post, we`ll try to explain why. Any professional in any field will tell you that mistakes are inevitable. What matters is what they are and how quickly they can be corrected.
Many years of experience in the field of translations and editing shows that even the most reliable translator or editor with vast experience can make a mistake. This fact has several reasons. Here the state, fatigue and attention are important. It is also necessary to share the complexity of the text and distinguish a literary text from a scientific work. Nobody is immune from mistakes.
Therefore, we cannot give a 100% guarantee that there will be no errors. If you get such a guarantee somewhere, it means only one thing - the performer is cunning, but in practice you will have to deal with errors one way or another. Perhaps such a performer, often getting into such situations, has developed his own line of defense and it will not be easy for you to deal with him by the mistakes made.
In our bureau, translation errors happen, but it must be admitted, they are quite rare. In such cases, the editor and translator perform verification and revision of the translation in priority over other orders. Most often, errors occur when the project is urgent, the client rushes or shortens the deadline for the delivery of the translation already during the work. Little time is spent on translation and proofreading, and it has to be done with the involvement of several editors, which often leads to various shortcomings.
There is a rule that a translation or proofread text should be reviewed by at least three pairs of eyes in order to reduce the percentage of errors to 0.4-0.5% per page of text. Therefore, if you have an important project, a complex text, then take the time and money for translation and final proofreading.
In our opinion, the quality of a translation or editorial work is based on three conditions: the experience of the performer, attentiveness and the ability to work at a relaxed pace.
In every situation, if a mistake is made, we make every effort to ensure quality and try to make sure that the customer gets what he wants.
