| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Poll: Once you've finished a translation, do you wait for a while before you 'do' the final proofreading? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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| I really must try the housework thing! | Oct 8, 2008 |
Gillian Scheibelein wrote:
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Failing a good night's sleep, I find 30 mins of hoovering/washing up/ironing or cleaning the bathroom also helps my brain to mull over the text - and also brings some satisfaction of actually getting some housework done. And no, I am not a cleanness freak.
What a brilliant idea! I usually try to take a walk up the hill and back (7 - 10 minutes) or round the somewhat rural block, which takes at least 20 minutes... to get some air. Or at least out into the garden to get some parsley or vegetables for supper depending on the season!
I once did a translation of a VERY tongue-in-cheek speech to be held by the best man at a Norwegian-English wedding. In the bad old days, apparently, Norwegian brides-to-be were told to see that they got plenty of fresh air and exercise - but that washing the floor with the window open was quite as good as going for a walk!
I sleep on a translation too if I possibly can, but my deadlines are not always that long....
| | | | Parrot 
Spain
Local time: 08:56
Spanish to English
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| At least one hour | Oct 8, 2008 |
and if possible, I'll do another (short) job before I come back to the thing. (It shakes off the cobwebs).
| | | | Kalinka Hristova
Bulgaria
Local time: 09:56
Member (2007)
English to Bulgarian
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MODERATOR | No, I do it immediately after...usually :( | Oct 8, 2008 |
Rebecca Hendry wrote:
If I have time, I will leave the text overnight so that I can come back to it with "fresh eyes" in the morning. Otherwise, and if the deadline is looming, I usually have to make do with a couple of hours, or at least a tea break!
Unfortunately, depending on the deadline, I do not always have time to leave the text for a while and to "forget" what it is all about... Still, whenever possible, I prefer to have some rest before the proofreading - I need at least one coffee. Sometimes it is even life-saving!
| | | | | It depends on the situation | Oct 8, 2008 |
If a translation is very short (the work of some hours), I prefer to proofread it immedeately. If I finish very leate in the evening, I prefer to proofread the translation the following day. When I do a very long translation (one weak or many weeks), I usally try to use one day (sometimes even more) only for proofreading. This is not always possible, because clients normally want the translations as quick as possible.
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Claire Cox
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:56
French to English
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Gillian Scheibelein wrote:
Failing a good night's sleep, I find 30 mins of hoovering/washing up/ironing or cleaning the bathroom also helps my brain to mull over the text
Yes, dual satisfaction - or a walk with the dogs usually clears my head. That said, it isn't always practicable, depending on the deadline, as others have said. What I do try to do with long jobs is to proof-read all in one go if at all possible. It's so easy otherwise to miss inconsistencies, especially in a longer text where you may have decided to change something halfway through. This is a counsel of perfection, obviously and it isn't always feasible, which is why I answered "other".
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Usually I take a break between translation and proofreading my work, but sometimes I don't have that luxury, and have to do it immediatelly.
I am surprised to see that 2,2% doesn't proofread. Does it mean they have other people/staff/co-translators to do that, or translated texts are not proofread at all?
Anni
| | | | | i usually give it time to ferment | Oct 9, 2008 |
and rest my eyes. If it's a long translation, I wait a while before beginning the revision. I'll do other things to clear my head, i.e. run errands. Shorter jobs, get onto sooner. Rush jobs of course, you don't have the luxury.
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Overnight if possible, at least a couple of hours if not.
2.5% now saying they never proofread - I'd also be interested in seeing their reasons.
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| Always sleep on it | Oct 9, 2008 |
I've come to the conclusion that sleeping on it is the best way to go. In the past I noticed that when I did some other job/ watched Tv/ do housework etc. in the meantime, my brain was somewhat confused. That's why no matter what the deadline is, I plainly make sure that the day of delivery is proofreading day. If it's a big project, I simply estimate how much time it will take me to do the proofreafding and wake up earlier.
I know that the deadlines are more than rush, but quality... See more I've come to the conclusion that sleeping on it is the best way to go. In the past I noticed that when I did some other job/ watched Tv/ do housework etc. in the meantime, my brain was somewhat confused. That's why no matter what the deadline is, I plainly make sure that the day of delivery is proofreading day. If it's a big project, I simply estimate how much time it will take me to do the proofreafding and wake up earlier.
I know that the deadlines are more than rush, but quality is the main thing that makes us professionals, so I prefer to finish a translation at 3.00 at night, sleep just for 2 hours and then deliver a project.
P.S. Of course all the above does not apply when it's a very small project-say 500-1000 words.
As far as the people who do not proofread are concered, I sincerely hope they hire someone else to do it... ▲ Collapse
| | | | Xanthippe
France
Local time: 08:56
Member (2008)
Italian to French
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SITE LOCALIZER | Yes, a few hours | Oct 9, 2008 |
beacause I need to keep my mind away from the translation to be more performant during the proofreading.
The best is if I have time to sleep before starting the profreading...
| | | | Péter Jutai
Hungary
Local time: 08:56
English to Hungarian
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| I wish I had more time, and even more time and a little more time | Oct 9, 2008 |
Because I usually translate whole books, I have loose deadlines. I have found that the more time I have, the more problems can I notice and correct. So I try to translate relatively fast, and save at least a week, then spend a day or two proofreading the text. A friend of mine had a job not so long ago, that had to be done in one night. The text was 360 000 characters long. He tried to collect freelance translators. The job was done – you can imagine the quality... Sometimes the quality doesn'... See more Because I usually translate whole books, I have loose deadlines. I have found that the more time I have, the more problems can I notice and correct. So I try to translate relatively fast, and save at least a week, then spend a day or two proofreading the text. A friend of mine had a job not so long ago, that had to be done in one night. The text was 360 000 characters long. He tried to collect freelance translators. The job was done – you can imagine the quality... Sometimes the quality doesn't depend on us, but on the employer. And then you have to choose carefuly, this is almost as hard as to translate a document.
And those, who never proofread. I am not interested in seeing their reasons. I would be interested in seeing their translations
[Módosítva: 2008-10-09 12:47] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Miranda Joubioux (X)
Local time: 08:56
French to English
| It really depends on the length of the job, the subject and the deadline | Oct 9, 2008 |
I generally wait till the next day to proof read, but can't honestly say I always do, because some of my clients want their translations straight away. I work a lot on press releases and new items for websites and you can't hang about for them.
Whatever the job, I always proof read and if I can I often ask someone else to proof read too.
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Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 08:56
English to French
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After proof reading, I like starting the day by "one last reading" of the translations that need to be handed in. I fit that into my schedule and planning.
100 words emergency jobs don't necessarily wait until the next day.
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