| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: How far do you generally read a text before you start translating it? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How far do you generally read a text before you start translating it?".
View the poll results »
| | | | | A few random paragraphs | Dec 8, 2014 |
The quantity depends on the overall length, to forestall nasty surprises, e.g. language switches, missing pages, unreadable pages, etc.
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 09:49
Spanish to English
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It depends on the client/text.
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For a new client: I always read the whole text before starting the translation and sometimes I even underline some passages or words that aren’t clear or are unknown to me.
For my regulars: I don’t! We have been working for a long time and fortunately I have never had any nasty surprises, but for a couple of problems which were easily solved on the spot.
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Marjolein Snippe 
Netherlands
Local time: 09:49
Member (2012)
English to Dutch
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I voted 'the whole text', but I don't really read it all thoroughly; rather, I usually scan through the whole text and read a few paragraphs.
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I read the whole of many medical texts - before I even accept the job.
If there is any special terminology or other issues I ask the client, or reject the job if it is more than I can cope with.
These texts are often scanned, 'dead' PDFs, and there may be handwritten sections and all sorts of surprises... which I need to allow time for.
I skim larger texts, and often read them section by section. I prefer to read the text before I translate in earnest, but ... See more I read the whole of many medical texts - before I even accept the job.
If there is any special terminology or other issues I ask the client, or reject the job if it is more than I can cope with.
These texts are often scanned, 'dead' PDFs, and there may be handwritten sections and all sorts of surprises... which I need to allow time for.
I skim larger texts, and often read them section by section. I prefer to read the text before I translate in earnest, but not necessarily all at once. I note terminology, and it helps with consistency to know how the text is structured etc. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Life's too short for route planning | Dec 8, 2014 |
I just jump in the car and drive off. I might glance at the map along the way if I really have to, but I'm not keen on asking for directions and I don't do satnav. So sometimes I get lost - and find the most unexpected things.
| | | | Julian Holmes
Japan
Local time: 16:49
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
I absolutely refuse to read all of a 600-page manual before I start to translate it. Contents and Product Description and a few pages at random is enough to get the general drift.
Besides, I prefer Magical MysteryTours! 
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I will skim part of the text before I accept the job, but once it has been assigned to me, I just plunge in. I have found that the mysteries unravel as I go along. For me, pinpointing them in advance isn't much help.
| | | | Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 08:49
Member (2010)
French to English
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| Other, it depends | Dec 8, 2014 |
Depends on length/type of text, and whether new/old client.
For new clients I quickly scan a text honing in on a few bits here and there in order to give a quote but I usually only read ahead when the current sentence/paragraph I'm working on is making no sense...
If a text is short I might scan it all.
If it's literary in nature I'll read some random paragraphs to get a sense of the tone and style
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The material should be scanned in its entirety before accepting the text.
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 04:49
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
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| Agree, Chris, | Dec 8, 2014 |
Chris S wrote:
I just jump in the car and drive off. I might glance at the map along the way if I really have to, but I'm not keen on asking for directions and I don't do satnav. So sometimes I get lost - and find the most unexpected things.
I do the same, and I never had any trouble with that.
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Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 09:49
Member (2009)
English to German
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If it's a text from a known client, then I usually start to translate right away since the document almost always follows the same terminology as the previous texts, although there are no identical or nearly identical passages, just being in the same field.
When I receive texts in other fields, I usually scan either the entire or parts of the document.
Since most of my texts are of a more creative nature, I usually just start with the translation. Only in subtitle trans... See more If it's a text from a known client, then I usually start to translate right away since the document almost always follows the same terminology as the previous texts, although there are no identical or nearly identical passages, just being in the same field.
When I receive texts in other fields, I usually scan either the entire or parts of the document.
Since most of my texts are of a more creative nature, I usually just start with the translation. Only in subtitle translations do I read the entire text (box by box only), cutting it to the appropriate length during the translation process.
[Edited at 2014-12-08 15:10 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Julian Holmes
Japan
Local time: 16:49
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
| One advantage of repeat work from clients | Dec 8, 2014 |
Thayenga wrote:
If it's a text from a known client, then I usually start to translate right away since the document almost always follows the same terminology as the previous texts ....
If you get regular work from the same client, they'll give you the right info when they make the initial inquiry, such as "A sequel to the previous stuff you did" or "A version of such-and-such manual for salesmen or repairmen."
So, no pre-read is required. Works both ways - quick OK back to the client and quick order, and quick immersion in the new job by the translator. Win-win. No mysteries, unfortunately.
| | | | Tina Vonhof (X)
Canada
Local time: 01:49
Dutch to English
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I scan the whole text quickly to see how long it is, if there any tables or graphs and such, and to make sure it's all legible.
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