| Страници во темата: [1 2] > | Poll: What do you do if you find a mistake (i.e. some incorrect data) in the source text? Лице кое објавува дискусија: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What do you do if you find a mistake (i.e. some incorrect data) in the source text?".
This poll was originally submitted by Ana Oliva. View the poll results »
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Inform the customer when delivering. If there are many mistakes, then during the translation. It all depends which program I am using..
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Several options according to the mistake
1) if it something I do not know how to change: ask the client
2) if it is obvious: I change it and inform the client when delivering
| | | | Muriel Vasconcellos (X) 
Соединети Американски Држави
Local time: 12:43
шпански на англиски
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| It depends on a lot of factors | Dec 4, 2012 |
It depends on my relationship with the client, the purpose of the text, whether or not the source and target text are expected to match, and many other factors.
I do correct minor punctuation errors and institutional names, but with serious errors I'm more likely to bring them to the client's attention than change them in the target without telling anyone. I'm always concerned that the two might get compared and the end user would be stuck with a translation that, while it might be ... See more It depends on my relationship with the client, the purpose of the text, whether or not the source and target text are expected to match, and many other factors.
I do correct minor punctuation errors and institutional names, but with serious errors I'm more likely to bring them to the client's attention than change them in the target without telling anyone. I'm always concerned that the two might get compared and the end user would be stuck with a translation that, while it might be more "correct," is no longer legally valid. ▲ Collapse
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| Often don't get a positive reception | Dec 4, 2012 |
I wouldn't change it in the translation without confirming with the client that they recogise the error - and I am always surprised to hear "oh don't worry about it, leave it as it is..."
| | | | neilmac
Шпанија
Local time: 21:43
шпански на англиски
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In my case it usually depends on the client, unless the error is glaring or terribly important. I have some clients who I know aren't really bothered if there are a few minor mistakes in their texts, and some of my translated texts are tinkered with (= edited) after I deliver them anyway, which is why I have a disclaimer stating that I am not responsible for any changes made to my translated texts after I deliver them.
For example, yesterday one client sent me an academic paper to r... See more In my case it usually depends on the client, unless the error is glaring or terribly important. I have some clients who I know aren't really bothered if there are a few minor mistakes in their texts, and some of my translated texts are tinkered with (= edited) after I deliver them anyway, which is why I have a disclaimer stating that I am not responsible for any changes made to my translated texts after I deliver them.
For example, yesterday one client sent me an academic paper to revise again - I don't remember if I had translated it originally, or just proofread/revised it for the authors before submission. The editors of the US journal where the text was to be published had suggested some additions to the Introduction, and the client told me that only the Intro had to be revised. Unable to resist, I also had a quick look at the rest of the document and was surprised to find that there were several errors and inconsistencies, including a mix of US and UK English spellings, which had definitely not been there in the first draft I'd corrected and would normally be unacceptable to the journal in question. This kind of thing can happen when the texts are created by research groups or similar who may be sharing texts on different computers and operating systems. I checked the whole thing again quickly and sent back the revised version, with a note telling the author about it. I have had no reply since and I imagine he/they will feel a bit embarrassed, but hey, that's their pigeon.
Another anecdote happened last weekend - while translating text for a direct client who recently began operating in the USA, at one point I looked up their American website to check if they had an "official" job title for one of their employees and was surprised to find the site contained a few mistakes (I usually translate their website texts in Europe). I was faced with the dilemma of deciding whether to notify the client, my normal response, or not to bother, to avoid possibly getting the person responsible into trouble. I eventually sent the client a note about it along with a revised version of the erroneous text when I delivered the current translation. I might not have done this with everyone, but this is one of my most valued clients. I suspect that they are employing bilingual Spanish speakers for their US operations, not realising that merely being bilingual doesn't mean you can download error-free texts in both languages every time. Caveat emptor. ▲ Collapse
| | | | neilmac
Шпанија
Local time: 21:43
шпански на англиски
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| Par for the course | Dec 4, 2012 |
Noni Gilbert wrote:
I wouldn't change it in the translation without confirming with the client that they recogise the error - and I am always surprised to hear "oh don't worry about it, leave it as it is..."
So true, and it's even worse when they fiddle about with your translations afterwards and spoil them. Both my Spanish colleague and I have had to remove things from our CVs after finding that somehow the silk purse translations we'd delivered turned up as sow's ears after the clients had had their way with them...
| | | | Heinrich Pesch
Финска
Local time: 22:43
Член (2003)
фински на германски
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| Other: Use common sense | Dec 4, 2012 |
No source is without error, no translation is. Last week I found a word that was quite unknown to me, and I couldn't make out what the spelling should have been. I sent an inquiry to the PM, who was out of office. Then suddenly I understood, one letter was wrong, and then the whole sentence made sense. So I sent off another mail "Found it".
But if I see a technical error I make a note or ask the PM what to do. There cannot be a single rule for this scenario.
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John Cutler
Шпанија
Local time: 21:43
шпански на англиски
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If it's an error that affects the translation, I insert a comment in the text informing the client.
If it's their own mistake that doesn't affect my understanding of the text, I ignore it. I'm in the Noni and Neil group, i.e., after informing clients about mistakes in their texts, I was told not to worry about it or have even had some people take offence!
| | | | | Tell the customer | Dec 4, 2012 |
Always earns you some Brownie points
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Depends on how I got the files. Through an agency? Them I would contact them. The customer, company or privat person? I would let it go if it was a minor mistake. But if it would make translating difficult...I should seatch for my guts and call them.....;)
| | | | Wolfgang Vogt
Германија
Local time: 21:43
англиски на германски
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| depends on the mistake | Dec 4, 2012 |
It depends on the mistake, but if there's incorrect data (contradictory instructions in manuals, for example) I usually contact the client.
Have received all kinds of replies, though. From "Nevermind, just translate what it says." to "Oh, that was wrong indeed. Here is an updated version of the whole document".
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Robert Forstag
Соединети Американски Држави
Local time: 15:43
шпански на англиски
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| Inform customer when delivering | Dec 4, 2012 |
Michael Harris wrote:
Inform the customer when delivering. If there are many mistakes, then during the translation. It all depends which program I am using..
It would have to be something pretty dramatic for me to contact a customer about mistakes prior to delivery.
If I am sure there is a mistake, I will correct the translation. If I'm not 100% sure, I won't make the correction but will make a comment.
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I agree totally.
Robert Forstag wrote:
Michael Harris wrote:
Inform the customer when delivering. If there are many mistakes, then during the translation. It all depends which program I am using..
It would have to be something pretty dramatic for me to contact a customer about mistakes prior to delivery.
If I am sure there is a mistake, I will correct the translation. If I'm not 100% sure, I won't make the correction but will make a comment.
I give customers feedback about typos, vague phraseology and worse infractions in the source text -- which happens very often in Japanese.
In fact, my customers prefer that I give frank and honest opinions about the source text because it helps their in-house reviewer see how I think and reduces the amount of "why did you translate this like that?" kind of feeback and hopefully prevent similar crap coming my way in the future. Dunh!!!
It's always wise to cover your tracks. 
| | | | Allison Wright (X)
Португалија
Local time: 20:43
| Appropriate feedback | Dec 4, 2012 |
I always give feedback appropriate to the error.
Minor typographic errors in the source text are simply stated on delivery.
Where a whole word appears to have been left out of the source text, I make a note upon delivery to the effect that I assumed a sentence ought to have read "xyz", and have translated it as such.
If the error has me completely confused (e.g. information on diagrams/graphs not matching what the narrative says), then I will query it before delivering t... See more I always give feedback appropriate to the error.
Minor typographic errors in the source text are simply stated on delivery.
Where a whole word appears to have been left out of the source text, I make a note upon delivery to the effect that I assumed a sentence ought to have read "xyz", and have translated it as such.
If the error has me completely confused (e.g. information on diagrams/graphs not matching what the narrative says), then I will query it before delivering the translation.
I normally get a "thank you for noticing" response, and confirmation of what I need to know on the more puzzling problems. ▲ Collapse
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