Translation Jobs: How A Translator Works

Submitted by: Maric Vobler

When the offer made by the translator meets the work provider s needs and specifications, both can reach agreement on the nature and terms and conditions of the service to be provided. The transaction stems from the conjunction of a request for translation (made by the work provider via a call for tenders or other channels) and an offer of services by a translator, including a time schedule and an estimate. A compromise usually has to be reached between the translator s conditions of sale and his client s conditions of purchase.

Once agreement has been reached, some sort of contract is drawn up and signed. This generally includes a confidentiality agreement. The work provider sends the translator the material to be translated (which can be a text, a video for subtitling, a DVD for dubbing, documents, the contents of a Web site, code, messages, tapes, or any other kind of source material), together with a translation kit that includes anything that the translator might need.

Unless the material is certified 100% reliable, any source document, whether it be text, code, digital recordings or any other type of material, needs first of all to be checked.

In some cases, a number of specific and sometimes complex operations (such as extracting code, disassembling a software application, reconstructing all the on-line help material, keying in data, scanning a document, transferring videos, writing down the script, installing a file in a computer-assisted translation system, etc.) have to be carried out before the translation can start.

In the case of large-scale projects involving many different operators, a project manager will establish a work plan defining who does what and when, for when, and using what resources.

The process can be analysed in more detail as follows:

– the translator takes delivery of the material to be translated (any kind of material), checks it and makes it fit and ready for translation;

– the translator analyses the material to be translated;

– the translator looks for and processes any information required to help her/him get a full understanding of the material and clear up any ambiguous points (this may entail searching for the relevant documentation, studying the technical process or the product involved, being trained in how to use the product or materials involved, etc.);

– the translator assembles all the raw materials required to carry out the job (i.e. relevant terminology, phraseology, sentence structures or phrase templates, as well as previously translated material, etc.). In many cases, the raw materials come as one or more translation memories and dictionaries that may have to be upgraded prior to reuse;

– the translator sets up the version for translation/retranslation in the appropriate environment, complete with available resources;

– the translator translates the material – which, in some cases, may mean quite a lot of adapting, reorganising, and restructuring;

– the translator (or reviser) checks and revises the draft translation;

– corrections or amendments are made;

– the final version is validated;

– the translated material is formatted according to specifications, integrated or embedded into whatever product or medium is applicable (video, sound track, printed page, etc.) before being transferred to the relevant medium (disk, CD, DVD, Web site, etc.) This maybe part of the translator s job though it is usually taken care of by specialist operators;

– the final version is delivered to the translator s client.

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Source:

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