Milestones for meeting a deadline without compromising on quality
Gengo translation jobs can be challenging in terms of time. As soon as you hit the start button, the timer begins counting down, increasing the pressure on you to accomplish the assignment. At the same time, the countdown timer can help with time management.
Each task can be divided into two phases – translation and editing.
It’s basically a 60-10-30 formula. That is, 60% of the time will be devoted to translation, 10% to a break, and 30% to editing. If you have two hours to complete a task, you will translate for 72 minutes, take a 12-minute break, and edit for 36 minutes. You can use the countdown timer in the workbench or, if it’s a file job, set a timer to count the time.
The two phases are provided below as a checklist. Please read over it to ensure that nothing has been missed.
Phase 1 – Translation | ||
Before you begin | ||
Remove any potential distractions | Smartphone | |
Social media | ||
Notifications | ||
Start translating | ||
1. Check the source text | The source text is challenging, and you are not confident that you will be able to complete the translation successfully. In this case, decline it ASAP. | |
Read the source text at least once to obtain a general overview (rather than reading inaccurate machine translation instead and being misled.) | ||
2. Double-check the customer instructions | Is there anything that is unclear or ambiguous? If yes, contact the customer ASAP. If the customer has not responded by the time you have finished the job, leave a message for the customer and send a copy to Support. | |
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Initial translation | ||
1. Is there anything that requires additional research? | If yes, then: (1) do it right away if the problem impacts the overall comprehension; or (2) mark it and leave it to the end of the translation if it does not impede comprehension. If the job is related to a specific product or app, pay close attention to the terms. If the customer provided a link to their website or app description, please make sure you check it out. | |
2. Are there any sentences in the source text that are difficult to understand? | If yes, then: (1) for longer sentences: focus on the sentence structures. Consider the sentences as a combination of multiple parts rather than a single unit. (2) for terminologies that impede comprehension, mark them for further research. | |
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Research | Check every issue you flagged earlier, if any, and conduct the necessary research. | |
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Take a break now and come back later for the revision session. | ||
Phase 2 – Editing | ||
1. Check for objective errors | Omission/addition Please compare the source text and the target text and make sure that: (1) you didn’t omit any words or phrases when translating; (2) your translation doesn’t contain any information that isn’t in the original text. | |
Misspellings/typos | ||
Numbers and currency formats | ||
Punctuation | ||
Double spaces Please keep in mind that the Gengo workbench automatically inserts a space at the end of each segment. There is no need to include an extra space at the end of the segment. | ||
Proper names Double-check: any instructions from the customer about proper names? | ||
2. Check the fuzzy matches/partial repetitions | Double-check each segment with a high rate of fuzzy matches. | |
3. Proofreading | Unnatural wording This is one of the most commonly seen errors. Reread the translation and concentrate on making it more readable. Pay particular attention to literal translation – sentences that follow the structure of the source text exactly/almost exactly. | |
Anything that doesn’t make much sense in the context? Double-check the source text. | ||
Consistency: (1) key terms/repeated terms (2) style: formal/informal (3) pronouns throughout (first/second/third person; singular/plural; formal/informal) | ||
Formatting: If you’re working on the Workbench, double-check that all of the tags are in the right place. For file jobs, place the translation and the source text side by side to make sure there are no formatting issues. | ||
4. Check Gengo Style Guide | Unless the client has provided alternative instructions, confirm that the translation meets the requirements of the Gengo Style Guide if available in your language pair. | |
5. Check customer’s response | If you left a message to the customer and received a response, double-check the translation in light of the customer’s reply. If you haven’t received a response yet, submit a copy of the message to Support and explain what your concerns are, how you plan to remedy the problem, and that you will revise your translation if necessary. | |
Done! You’ve made it to the end of the road. Good luck with your translation! | ||
