09:15 May 11, 2009 

Special Thanks to you, Qudsia Ji and Samar Ji, for making this topic a lively one, and arriving at the clear picture and meaning of the expression ultimately!

05:18 May 11, 2009 

Special thanks to you, Qudsia, much much appreciated :))

01:02 May 1, 2009 

Yes, it is completely true that the translator gets informed about the topic and things related to that through reading the complete document at his hand. And it is true that the nature of instrument or sense or picture that of also emerges before the translator, even though he may not actually have the instrument in his hand. And, in this case, everything is clear now. Thanks to the lively interest and participation of Qudsia Ji and Samar Ji.
We have a cellular phone that just needs to be rotated around X, Y and Z axis until the the calibration indicator shows "Green". Calibration is already done here. Only supplementary calibration , i.e., قطب نما کی پیمائش متعیّن کریں or
قطب نما کے پیمائشی نشانوں کو زمینی مقنا طیس کے سا تھ ہم آہنگ کریں
The device is to be kept in a non-magnetic vicinity, on a table for example, and rotated from top to bottom, right to left, or rotated on the table in the clockwise or anti-clockwise direction. That is rotation on three axes, X, Y and Z axis, till the "calibration indicator" shows green signal. And that is what is calibration in this case.

00:24 May 1, 2009 

Rotate the device around all axes in a continuous movement until the calibration indicator changes its colour to green

23:29 Apr 30, 2009 

This question is for Samargawad: Do you know what the procedure for calibration is? That might help answer the question better.

23:03 Apr 30, 2009 

This compass is in a cellular phone.

17:24 Apr 30, 2009 

The reason I think the asker may be able to indicate as to the nature of the compass is because he posted the entry under the field of "telecommunications," which makes me think that the material he received would clarify the nature of the compass. I think it is important to know the nature of the word one is translating because a translation for one type of use maybe completely useless or misleading in another instance. Of course you are correct that one should not make assumptions and corrections based on conjecture, but a clarification can easily be asked for, like you did for the assignment you mentioned. I do the same thing...even if I think something is a typo, I point it out, just in case I'm wrong.

Here, if you use the translation of "marking the instrument for measurement," I believe it will be wrong. Since there is more than one type of "calibration" that is possible (even by general dictionary definition), one does need to know a little bit about what this specific instrument is, or at least offer all possibilities that can occur, so the asker can further verify.

15:49 Apr 30, 2009 

Please read as "but not as a translator or proofreader." for the first sentence of the above passage.

15:45 Apr 30, 2009 

as a translator or proofreader.
In another case, I translated two legal documents connected to a case. A sentence in one document was contradicted by another. As a translator I had only one choice: to inform the outsource of the contradiction so that he in turn would inform the client about it. It was done thus, the client corrected the document and removed the contradiction.
I think it is better to do things that way instead of resorting to uncalled for speculations.

15:39 Apr 30, 2009 

Yes, there are many types of instruments with multiple functions, e.g. a single instrument can show altitude, latitude, time in different places of the world, depth (in case you are below the ocean level) and so forth. In such instruments, you have to shift the command-mode of the instrument to the function you want to use that for at any moment of time. Calibration doesn't come into picture there.
In most of the cases the translator can't practically see the instrument that he is translating passages about. He has but one choice, and that is remain true to the actual words and their meanings. "Calibration" can't be replaced by "adjustment". Suppose "calibration" has been used in the passage by error by the author. What is the translator supposed to do in that case?
I will cite to you a few cases concerning our profession:
The author whose work I was translating for an agency had written something like, "Earning and amassing money is absolutely easy" and he meant it thus. The translation agency got that translation proofread by another person who ignored the author's view and inserted in "not" in the said sentence. As a copy-editor he could suggest the author thus

14:34 Apr 30, 2009 

I think the asker should perhaps clarify the nature of the compass in question. From what I read online, this seems to be a compass which gives digital output...like the GPS devices. Also, the instruction seems to be part of a User Manual. One would not expect a user/consumer to "mark" a measuring instrument even if the markings have been erased. That would be the job of experts and precise machines. Such an instrument, in this case would be considered damaged.

I'm not disagreeing with Ramesh Sahib's explanation, but I don't think any of that applies here.

My first thought also went to aligning the North-South needle in the right position, but the word "calibrate" seemed too strong for a simple alignment, so I looked up online and found that this is probably refering to a very different compass--electro-magnetic with digital output, and perhaps it is a part of another electronic device.

The user is simply performing a simple procedure so the intrument calibrates itself.

04:32 Apr 30, 2009 

I agree with Ramesh. Here is another input.

23:39 Apr 29, 2009 

Yes, "قطب نما کی پیمائش متعیّن کریں is right. And Qudsia Lone also is right in saying that the calibration of the instrument is generally taken care of by the manufacturer. But there are also compasses that aren't calibrated; and there also can be cases where the calibration has got erased with the passage of time. And there also can be cases when the calibrated device encloses the compass, and the two can be rotated against each other--and this is generally the case with such instruments. In those cases, an adjustment has to be done, e.g., if the Magnetic North of the Compass points in the direction of East in the outer enclosure, the outer enclosure will have to be rotated against the compass so that the Compass needle showing North points in the actual Magnetic North direction of the earth.

19:08 Apr 29, 2009 

The thing is, for this type of calibration, they (the manufacturers) have already set the criteria and standards etc. The user is required to follow some simple steps so the instrument is aligned with the preset standards, at any given place. So something like: قطب نما کو متعین معیار سے ہم آہنگ کریں/ ملائیں or قطب نما کی پیمائش متعین معیار پر لائیں etc. (Ramesh Bhatt's translation is refering to a different calibration...that part is already taken care of by the manufacturer.) But, your translation can work too I think (just don't use the words in brackets, I think). Some other possibilities are: قطب نما کی پیمائش معیار کے مطابق محرک کریں، or simpler: قطب نما معیار کے مطابق محرک کریں.

18:39 Apr 29, 2009 

Dear Friend,
thank you so much for your efforts!
I was thinking about "قطب نما کی پیمائش (کا معیار) متعیّن کریں"
Calibration= تعیّن معیار/پیمانہ بندی
which is closer to Ramesh suggestion
It is important for me to receive your comment, so please I will be very thank full if you do send me your opinions
Thank you so much!