The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
Issue link: https://thelinguist.uberflip.com/i/354134
Vol/53 No/4 2014 FEATURES We then perform a full 'page down', where the software highlights nouns and numbers, and we go through each box to double-check that the translation is consistent. If we find inconsistencies or errors, we usually flag them in the file and create a suggestion report in Excel for the territory or the translator to check. We then upload the language file on the company's internal platform and send the file, together with the suggestion report, back to the Coordinator in charge of the project, who then sends it to the territory or translator. Depending on how urgent a project is, the file may come back within 24 hours. They are then ready for the 'final checks'. We run a comparison between the file we sent and the file we receive back and make sure all changes are implemented in the final file. We then double check the main title and the translator's credit box, and make sure that no empty or OUT boxes are left in the file. We also run another 'syntax, nouns and number check', and a 'page down' to make sure that no errors have been introduced. If we have any final queries, the Coordinator sends the file to the territory again. Otherwise, we create a final file delivery email to the Account Manager in charge of the project, and the Quality Assurance process is complete. The work of a Linguistic Specialist is challenging, especially if tight deadlines have to be met. However, the different types and genres of features, trailers and series we receive make the work varied and exciting. Working with languages you do not understand is motivating, as you constantly improve your skills and abilities to spot mistakes in languages you have never worked with before, and even pick up some words along the way. required at the end of the file and whether all the Coordinators' instructions have been met. If we do find anything we have to query, we flag the subtitle so it can be confirmed with the territory or translator later on. Detective work The most important and time-consuming check is probably the 'syntax, noun and number check', which we perform last. Software supports us in finding inconsistencies between the English and target language files. It allows us to run a comparison between the two files and then flags any boxes that show a discrepancy, for example in the use of ellipses, end punctuation, speaker hyphens, numbers or italics. It also lists all the names it finds in the file, so that we can make sure the translation is consistent throughout. This is an easier task for languages that do not adjust names and nouns according to case. In English and German, for example, 'Mark' is always 'Mark', so a typo such as 'Marrk' can easily be detected. However, with a Polish file, names and nouns have different suffixes depending on syntax and grammar, so 'Mark' may appear as Mark, Marka, Markiem, Markowi or Marku. The challenge, especially if you do not speak the language, is to be able to distinguish whether a name or noun has been modified because of a case or due to a typo. The program indicates how many instances of each case/name can be found in the file, which can be invaluable to the Linguistic Specialist, as it is less likely to be an error if it occurs several times. If it occurs only once, it is important to ask a native speaker in the office for advice, check with an experienced colleague, or contact the translator or territory. TEAMWORK Alexandra at her desk ( far left); and her colleagues in Deluxe's Production Support Services department (left and below) AUGUST/SEPTEMBER The Linguist 21