ProZ.com Translation Forums

Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general) | I don't want to see my work again

Laura Kingdon — Mon, 25 May 2026 13:14:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general)
Poster: Laura Kingdon
Post title: I don't want to see my work again

I'm aware that opinions differ on this, of course, but personally, my ideal collaboration is that I hand the translation off to the client and never see it again, remaining blissfully ignorant of any butchering that may subsequently occur. I do have a couple of irregular clients who prefer to have things edited and then sent back to the translator to make the final judgement, and I find that most changes tend to be preferential and that I often have to spend a lot of time reverting incorrect changes the proofreader has made. This is especially a problem for jobs into British English, where it seems common for the proofreader to happily "correct" everything into American English, evidently without ever applying any level of care to checking the job description which specifically said EN-UK.

When I myself am reviewing/proofreading, I of course make my own preferential changes, but I try to avoid these if I know the translator will have to review them, because there's no point in making extra work for them. In those cases I try to ensure everything can be justified somewhat objectively. If I'm the last person to see the file, of course, I just do as I think best.

Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general) | Consensus: A Mutual Collaboration

Rosemere A da Silva — Sat, 23 May 2026 21:46:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general)
Poster: Rosemere A da Silva
Post title: Consensus: A Mutual Collaboration

In my experience reviewing Asian series, episodes are usually divided into four or five parts so that multiple translators or reviewers can work on the same episode and meet deadlines more efficiently.
To maintain consistency, I usually create a shared spreadsheet where translators and reviewers can flag terminology choices and suggest alternatives. Later, during the final editing stage, I analyze their suggestions along with the references I already have. If their solution works better than mine, I use it and standardize the terminology throughout the series.
For me, this is the moment when revision truly becomes collaboration rather than competition. Is it more work? Definitely yes. But it is also the moment when I learn the most, both as a translator and as a reviewer. And the glossary becomes the main star.

Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general) | The Relationship Between Translators and Reviewers: A Sincere Opinion

Rosemere A da Silva — Sat, 23 May 2026 21:29:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general)
Poster: Rosemere A da Silva
Post title: The Relationship Between Translators and Reviewers: A Sincere Opinion

I think the relationship between translators and reviewers should not become a battlefield. I've been through some tough times, but there's always a light at the end of the tunnel.
Some translators treat their work as untouchable, but some reviewers also misuse revision as a form of authority or personal criticism. I have read many stories from people who worked in agencies and felt constantly overridden by reviewers who always had the final word.
In my experience, revision works best when it becomes collaboration instead of competition.
A reviewer may notice that a term is technically correct but sounds too formal, too informal, or simply unnatural in the context. Suggesting alternatives does not necessarily diminish the translator’s work. On the contrary, dialogue between translator and reviewer can improve the final text.
I have had very positive experiences both as a reviewer and as someone whose work was revised. Sometimes the best version of a translation comes from the interaction between both perspectives rather than from one person working alone.

Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general) | Not good

Daniel Frisano — Fri, 22 May 2026 10:25:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general)
Poster: Daniel Frisano
Post title: Not good

1. Not understanding why I made certain choices, then not understanding the explanation either;

2. A tendency to overcorrect because the reviewer goes word-by-word while I go source-concept-target;

3. A tendency to blindly choose the most common translation for every given word instead of factoring in context, consistency and ambiguity (or avoidance thereof);

4. Total – and I mean total, utter, absolute – absence of lexical pre-analysis;

5. Inadequacy to understand the technical or scientific meaning of the text for lack of formation in those fields.

These are the first that come to mind. There may be more.

Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general) | .

Gerard Barry — Thu, 21 May 2026 19:44:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general)
Poster: Gerard Barry
Post title: .

[quote]The Shredder wrote:

[quote]Gerard Barry wrote:

I never liked having my work proofread by colleagues as I often found it insulting, patroninising and petty. Sometimes the changes made were totally unnecessary. Other times, the changes were necessary as I had genuinely made a mistake but the proofreading and evaluation felt very vindictive, like the proofreader was triying to make themselves feel important and look better than me. Looking back now, with AI replacing translators, it all seems so ridiculuous. [/quote]

I suspect you find this with everyone else you encounter in life as well.

I would agree though that checkers never improve anything. They’re all interfering wankers. How could they possibly improve on the perfection I so munificently lay before them? [/quote]

I can only imagine what a know-it-all you'd have been to work with before AI made our work utterly pointless. Even though I've never met you, your posts just ooze English condescension.

Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general) | Ridiculuous indeed

The Shredder — Thu, 21 May 2026 19:36:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general)
Poster: The Shredder
Post title: Ridiculuous indeed

[quote]Gerard Barry wrote:

I never liked having my work proofread by colleagues as I often found it insulting, patroninising and petty. Sometimes the changes made were totally unnecessary. Other times, the changes were necessary as I had genuinely made a mistake but the proofreading and evaluation felt very vindictive, like the proofreader was triying to make themselves feel important and look better than me. Looking back now, with AI replacing translators, it all seems so ridiculuous. [/quote]

I suspect you find this with everyone else you encounter in life as well.

I would agree though that checkers never improve anything. They’re all interfering wankers. How could they possibly improve on the perfection I so munificently lay before them?

Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general) | Often negative in a in-house context

Gerard Barry — Thu, 21 May 2026 19:03:00 +0000

Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general) | Good, Bad and Ugly

Cilian O'Tuama — Thu, 21 May 2026 12:28:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general)
Poster: Cilian O'Tuama
Post title: Good, Bad and Ugly

You can't really generalise.

It's best if both parties are open-minded and willing to learn from each other.

Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general) | A very British thing?

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida — Thu, 21 May 2026 12:05:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general)
Poster: Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Post title: A very British thing?

[quote]ADIE Translations wrote:

I also remembering reviewing work done by a new translator at an agency I worked in. I really tried to be neutral and only point out clear mistakes (such as wrong numbers, names, very clear misunderstandings, etc.) and also pointed out parts that were good. She couldn't take the criticism... something I've also found to be very British? [/quote]

I’m not sure it’s a very British thing! Over the years I’ve noticed that older translators are more open to justified criticism than younger ones. I'd risk saying it's an age thing (me included)...

Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general) | The whole spectrum

Christine Andersen — Thu, 21 May 2026 11:02:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general)
Poster: Christine Andersen
Post title: The whole spectrum

Impossible to generalise after 28 years of translating.
I have benefited from editors and colleagues who made constructive suggestions, and pointed out the best solutions, and where a translation was acceptable, but maybe there was room for improvement.

I have also spent time explaining to clients why my solution was researched and correct, even though it might not be what they expected, and why their suggestion was not an improvement.

I still have an agency colleague who makes the odd suggestion, and as often as not we end up with a third version - neither his nor my original suggestion, but we are both satisfied!

Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general) | Other...

Josephine Cassar — Thu, 21 May 2026 10:14:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general)
Poster: Josephine Cassar
Post title: Other...

Sometimes, a proofreader makes it better but more often than not, in Maltese, proofreaders tend to use purely Maltese words even though Maltese words derived from another language are more commonly used and they mark our words as mistakes therefore. I do believe it's best to use a Maltese word if there's a word, but to use Maltese words just because they are Maltese when we hardly use such words isn't a good idea either.

[Edited at 2026-05-22 07:54 GMT]

Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general) | Other

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida — Thu, 21 May 2026 10:04:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general)
Poster: Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Post title: Other

I haven’t had any bad experiences with editors/reviewers/proofreaders for a long time. A small number of my customers (direct clients and translation agencies) ask for a ready-to-print service, so these texts are edited in-house. For most of my customers I ignore if my work is proofread, reviewed or edited or not, with two exceptions and in these cases, I know who the proofreader/reviewer/editor is and we exchange views quite often. I must say that over the years we managed to develop a very pleasant and fruitful relationship.

Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general) | Other

neilmac — Thu, 21 May 2026 09:34:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general)
Poster: neilmac
Post title: Other

I haven't worked with agencies for yonks, but back in the day I occasionally worked with one and they sometimes got someone else to check my translations. I found having to respond to their comments or changes time-consuming, and sometimes irritating when their suggestions were merely stylistic.
Nowadays, I occasionally ask a translator colleague to review my work if I think it might improve things, but most times I just deliver my work as "good-to-go"....

Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general) | Different experiences

Luca Adie — Thu, 21 May 2026 09:27:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general)
Poster: Luca Adie
Post title: Different experiences

Sometimes the translators make it better - as it should be! - but more often than not, they bring in a whole bunch of synonyms just to change things up. I found that this was more common for those translating into English - my Catalan/Spanish colleagues didn't have this problem as much.

I also remembering reviewing work done by a new translator at an agency I worked in. I really tried to be neutral and only point out clear mistakes (such as wrong numbers, names, very clear misunderstandings, etc.) and also pointed out parts that were good. She couldn't take the criticism... something I've also found to be very British?

Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general) | It varies

Marjolein Snippe — Thu, 21 May 2026 08:42:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general)
Poster: Marjolein Snippe
Post title: It varies

Most of the revisors my clients work with are good translator, so they do not usually make things worse. Sometimes they suggest alternatives which sound like synonyms or preferential changes to me; I usually accept these as long as they do not introduce inaccuracies. And I regularly agree with a suggested change and, if possible, make a note of it for future use.

Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general) | Synonyms

Ian Keith Jones Williams — Thu, 21 May 2026 08:29:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general)
Poster: Ian Keith Jones Williams
Post title: Synonyms

More often than not, I find they tend to change the text with synonyms and to suit their personal preferences. They do come up with improvements at times, though.

Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general)

ProZ.com Staff — Thu, 21 May 2026 08:10:05 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general)
Poster: ProZ.com Staff

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What has been your experience with the revision of your work by other translators? (in general)".

This poll was originally submitted by Marzieh Izadi. View the poll results »