The support version may be produced by the reviser acting on behalf of the work provider.
41. If need be, the work provider (or the reviser acting on behalf of the work provider) sets up the necessary translation environment. This is always the case when the translator works on the work provider's premises.
42. The work provider forwards the translation/localisation/subtitling 'kit' and any additional resources deemed to be useful for the translator and/or the reviser, to the translator (or to the translation company).
Different items or kits may be dispatched to different operators according to the type of material that has to be translated and the operators' expertise.
3.2 Receiving and checking the translation/localisation/subtitling kit
43. The translator (or the translation company) receives, or takes delivery of, the various items in the translation/localisation/subtitling kit.
44. The translator (or the translation company) checks the kit and makes a list of what might be missing.
45. The translator (or the translation company) looks for whatever is missing on the basis of the list. This might include:
- looking for related documents,
- looking up archive material,
- requesting additional resources from the work provider.
46. As the case may be, the translator processes the documents as previously described (including de-zipping, antivirus checks, duplication/printing, creation of a specific folder for the job on the Intranet, file conversion and saving, back-ups, etc.)
47. The translator saves or records a back-up version of the master file or copy in order to avoid any risk of irreparable damage to the source material (there is no guarantee the work provider has kept a copy!).
48. If this has not already been done by the work provider (step 38), the translator sets up a version for translation including only those parts which are due for translation or retranslation, breaking it down, according to need, into sub-files containing series of similar items, and carrying out all the operations required to make the material readily 'translatable'.
A version for translation must be produced whenever the material cannot be translated unless it is converted to another format, disassembled, and all tags have been frozen or new tags have been inserted. In the case of subtitling, for instance, the time-codes for the start and finish of each dialog item must be identified and noted. Whenever code or digital material is translated, unless dedicated software is available, preparing the version for translation involves a complex series of actions on tags and formats.
49. In some cases - when the actual volume is significantly higher or lower than in the version used as a basis for the cost estimate, as for instance if certain sections are found to have already been translated - the translator resizes the material which will actually be translated.
When the source material turns out not to be what the work provider had originally described, the translator is entitled to ask for a re-assessment of the cost and deadlines, failing which the contract may be considered null and void.
Note. Sizing and resizing the various components of the version for translation establishes the basis for planning the job in hand.
3.3 Reaching final agreement
50. If need be, the translator and the work provider renegotiate the deadlines and/or the cost of the job in view of the new quantity or volume calculations.
51. The work provider, the translator and the reviser come to a final agreement on:
- the general conditions and the specific conditions applicable to the job in hand,
- the schedule and the deadlines applicable to each player,
- the translation options (unless the latter have already been agreed on at an earlier stage in the negotiations),
- the terms of payment,
- the resources needed to complete the job,
- the procedures applicable.
52. The translator signs a confidentiality and intellectual property agreement recognizing the rights of the work provider and protecting his own rights.
53. The translator and the work provider together define and confirm the translation options, directives and specifications.
Ideally, the work provider provides a complete set of instructions or specifications. Failing that, the specifications are agreed by the work provider on the basis of suggestions put forward by the translator as to which options would be most appropriate, and why.
3.4 Setting up and testing the translation environment
54. The translator or the work provider sets up and tests the translation environment (work station, hardware extensions, navigators, databases, software packages, tools, aids, etc.) in accordance with the demands and requirements of the job in hand (subtitling, localization, dictated translation, etc.).
3.5 Planning the translation
55. The translator plans the job.
The work schedule takes into account the batch delivery dates, the deadlines, and the necessities of synchronizing the job in hand with other related jobs that precede, accompany, or follow the job in hand.
56. Once the schedule and the working arrangements for the job have been agreed on, the translator (or the translation company) can set up the master schedule.
A master schedule is essential when several batches of a same job are being translated in parallel or in succession by several different translators.
a) The translator or the project planner draws up the list and descriptions of all the operations that need to be carried out, according to the work provider's prescriptions and to the needs of the end user(s).
This list must include all the stages required to ensure compliance with agreed quality standards, plus all the preparatory phases (for instance, a study of the product or of the process by the translator or a training session organized by the work provider).
b) The translator or the project planner identifies the materials concerned by the different stages, makes up the batches, and assigns those batches to different operators (this is called 'batch allocation)
c) The translator or the project planner determines the order in which the different operations will be carried out on the different batches or on the same batch (this is called sequencing).
d) The translator or the project planner works out the start and end dates for the different stages (and for the whole process) (this is called scheduling). Scheduling can be determined either by working backwards from a deadline (back scheduling) or by working forwards from a fixed starting date (forward scheduling).
e) The translator or the project planner determines the nature and quantities of the resources (the operators, equipment, software, documentation, time and costs) required to carry out the different stages of the job and to complete it within the time limit set. All resources must be taken into account.
f) The translator or the project planner allocates the resources to the various planned operations so that all the necessary resources calculated in e) are available to carry out the various tasks in line with specifications. (This is called resource allocation)
57. The master schedule is forwarded to the work provider and the reviser so they can plan their own share of the work. The work provider and the reviser plan their own contributions (for example: loan of software by the work provider, validation of the terminology by the reviser or the work provider, corrections by the translator).
The master schedule specifies:
1. who does what
2. on which materials or sections of the materials
3. starting when
4. for how long (ending when)
5. with what means and resources
6. following which prior operation
7. preceding which subsequent operation
8. in relation with which other operation(s) and also to whom the result is passed on.
58. If need be, the translator or the project planner issues the relevant work orders applicable to each batch, carrying all the necessary information and specifications: dates, resource requirements and availability, etc.
4. Preparing the translation
4.1 Making the source material available
59. The translator or the reviser takes charge of the source material and, if need be, forwards the relevant batches to the different operators responsible for dealing with different sections or aspects (this is referred to as dispatching).
4.2 Analysing the source material
60. The translator or the reviser checks the quality of the source material. The material has to be passed as 'translation-ready'.
The translator checks that the material is:
a) up to standard (i.e. that it contains no language-related or fact-related errors and that is a functional document). This assessment is not required
if the work provider has certified that the material is up to standard before forwarding it to the translator, as is normally required,
and
b) that the material is in fact translatable either by human means or by machine translation.
This 'translatability assessment' will differ according to whether the material is due to be translated by human translators or by machine translation, but it should always cover every aspect of the source material, including:
- physical aspect,
- subject,
- format,
- readability,
- usability without risk of damage,
- contents,
- organisation and structure,
- type of discourse,
- ancillary and related material,
- appendices and 'non text' material.
61. The translator analyses the source material. This will include:
a) identifying any anomalies or real or possible errors,
b) making a note of any questions that - circumstances permitting - will be put to the author or designer of the source material or the work provider or information providers,
c) identifying any item which is not fully understood or which requires further documentation - and creating an index of such items,
d) identifying any items calling for special attention, in particular all those where several options may be open to the translator (for instance: should measurement units be converted?),
e) listing all the terminology and phraseology requiring specific treatment, i.e. where the translator knows that:
- equivalent items in the target language will have to be researched;
- specific in-house terminology or phraseology will need to be provided (or validated) by the work provider;
- homogeneity or consistency may be at risk;
- multiple variants may give rise to disagreement, either among translators or with the work provider.
While analysing the material, the translator creates separate indexes for all
the items requiring further research. These include:
- all apparent anomalies, ambiguities and real or supposed defects in the material to be translated,
- areas and topics which need to be documented (i.e. where the translator requires further knowledge of the concept or subject),
- terminology and phraseology for which equivalent terms and phrases need to be found in the target language,
- items calling for non standard treatment or which can be quite rightly translated in more than one way (choice of options).
62. The translator clears up all the seemingly obscure or ambiguous points which can be clarified by thorough analysis of the material on hand.
63. The translator requests guidance (or confirmation of choices) as to non- standard or optional translations.
64. The work provider and/or the reviser acting on behalf of the work provider indicates which specific options should be followed by the translator and, as the case may be, what compensation should be introduced in relation to some options (i.e. using a footnote where an acronym has been retained as in the original).
65. The translator asks the work provider to provide access to the resources needed to obtain the information required, and/or finds the resources through other channels.
66. If required, the reviser validates all the indexes compiled by the translator.
67. The translator updates the guidelines and translation options on the basis of the answers provided by the work provider.
4.3 Acquiring the knowledge and information required
68. The work provider supplies the translator with all the resources needed to understand the source material, to find the sources of information and to prepare the groundwork for the translation.
Normally, this kind of information should already have been made available with the translation 'kit', but detailed analysis of the source material sometimes reveals new or additional problems.
69. The translator clears up any particularly difficult 'grey areas' and undertakes a technical study of the subject concerned or tries to find additional documentation on the subject. Whenever feasible, he undertakes a study of the product or the process or the subject in the source material.
The technical study may be a briefing session, a discussion with a domain specialist, a workshop visit, a demonstration of the product, or even a
training session to learn to use the product, process, device or technique concerned.
The translator applies standard subject research and documentation procedures. The research will be based on the index of items drawn up during the analysis phase and will include technical information and general background knowledge on the subject area (particularly information available via the Internet).
70. Depending on the terms of the agreement, the work provider, or the reviser acting on the work provider's behalf, or the translator, upgrades the source material.
This entails taking into account any defects noticed during the analysis and documentation phases, and correcting any discrepancies or errors in the source material which could affect the quality of the translation.
These changes are not technically part of the translation process. They mean additional work and an extra charge should be made on a pro rata basis according to the time spent on corrections and changes.
4.4 Setting up the raw materials
To complement whatever already came in the translation/localisation/subtitling kit, the translator will have to seek out the raw materials needed to complete the translation, including:
- models and templates that can be used to organise the documents,
- templates for discourse structure and organisation,
- terminology and phraseology collated according to the work provider's or the reviser's specifications,
- translation memories.
71. The work provider (or the reviser acting on behalf of the work provider) provides the translator with all the existing resources that can be made available and/or allows the translator access to the relevant resources.
72. The translator assembles all the resources needed to 'mine out' the necessary raw materials.
73. The translator uses the available resources to collect the models as well as the terminology and phraseology required (i.e. the raw materials that will be integrated into the translated material).
74. The translator forwards those resources to the reviser and/or the work provider for further additions, changes (e.g. in-house terms or phrases instead of those suggested by the translator), approval or agreement. The reviser 'approves' suggestions made by the translator; the work provider 'agrees' that the resources are 'OK with him'.
4.5 Doing translation samples
75. Whenever required, and particularly when the translation is the first contract undertaken for the particular work provider, the translator submits one or several translation samples to the work provider or reviser for approval.
A translation sample is different from a test. The aim is no longer to check the quality of the translator's work but to agree on various aspects of a translation and how it will actually be carried out. The sample allows the work provider to check that all the options chosen are valid and to get an idea of the end-result.
4.6 Having the resources/raw materials and additional specifications approved
76. The work provider or the reviser approves the raw materials and resources (terminology, phraseology and templates) that the translator intends to use - meaning, in fact, that the items submitted are considered valid and correct. The work provider or reviser may add any important items that might be missing.
In most cases, the work provider Okays the resources - which means he 'passes them fit for use in that particular translation'.
77. The translator receives the resources and sets them up ready for use in the translation, either in the form of tables and repertories that are made available to the translator and other operators, or by integrating them into the source material (either into the version for translation or a support version, as the case maybe).
78. The translator receives any additional specifications the work provider stipulates and takes all necessary action as a consequence.
4.7 Advance (or forward) operations
79. The translator carries out all the advance operations and submits the result to the work provider and/or the reviser for approval.
Advance operations are all translating and processing done ahead of the time they would normally be undertaken if the various components were processed in sequence as they appear in the source material. For instance, software application menus and dialogue boxes are generally translated right away because their translations will be used in all of the corresponding documentation. Any part of the source material which will be used as benchmark material during the translation will also have to be processed ahead of the rest of the material to be translated.
Any primary material (which is part of a wider whole or from which other material is derived) is translated in advance too. This applies, for instance, to any segment reused from a previous version of the source material.
80. The work provider and the reviser approve the relevant results and send them back to the translator.
81. The translator receives the approved result and integrates or re-integrates the items concerned into the material for translation or into the secondary material.
82. The translator updates the support version and/or version for translation.
(Note: the support version is essential whenever several translations are done in parallel, or in the case of dictated translation, where it enables the translator to sustain sufficient speed because most vital elements and directions are already in place).
83. If relevant, the translator sets up the validated raw materials and resources in the translation environment.
Transfer can then take place in optimum conditions.
5. Transferring/translating
84. The translator translates. In most countries, the freelancer has to work with all due diligence whereas the translation company has an obligation to produce results.
85. During the transfer stage, the work provider and the reviser acting on behalf of the work provider supply any information which the translator may need (providing they can supply this at first hand) and continue to provide the reasonable level of support that the translator can expect.
The following would normally apply:
In cases of force majeure (illness, fire, etc.) or failure of the work provider to comply with the terms and conditions of the contract, notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, the translator is entitled to terminate the contract without having to pay any damages.
Should the work provider significantly modify the original demand, the terms of payment and the deadline must be renegotiated. Should the work provider cancel the order for any reason, the work already completed must be handed over to the work provider, who must pay the translator on the basis of the work completed, plus additional costs, including:
- preparation costs for the whole translation, AND
- compensation, if the translator has scheduled his workload so as to work solely and exclusively on the job thus cancelled or interrupted and cannot reasonably expect to find other work for the same period.
The translator must notify the work provider of any delays in delivery.
Should the delay be unjustified, the work provider is entitled to terminate
the contract unilaterally and without compensation.
The translator may not sub-contract all or any part of the work without the
work provider's explicit agreement.
6. Performing quality controls and upgrades
Quality controls are, first of all, those carried out by the translator himself, then
those carried out by the reviser, the work provider, or other operators.
6.1 Quality controls by the translator
86. The translator must carry out five basic checks and controls:
a) Material quality checks, i.e. checking that everything that had to be translated has in fact been translated, and that the translation complies with all applicable specifications and with all the options retained for such as figures, dates, names, formulas, headings, layout, etc.
b) Language, style and register quality checks: checking that anything related to language (spelling, grammar, syntax, terminology, phraseology), style and register is (1) correct, (2) homogeneous and (3) in compliance with all applicable specifications.
c) Technical-factual-semantic quality checks: checking that all the factual information, data, or logical or chronological sequences are adequate and comply with all applicable specifications.
d) Transfer quality checks: checking that all the relevant and significant elements in the source document are present in the translation (with allowance for the necessary adaptations) and that the translation complies with (i) professional standards, (ii) the work provider's specifications and (iii) any specific constraints related to end user needs and requirements.
e) Homogeneity and consistency checks (harmonization): checking that the style, terminology, phraseology and register are perfectly homogeneous. This is particularly essential when dealing with batch translations (material translated by several different translators).
When carried out by the translator, such checks amount to revision, because the translator also carries out the necessary corrections, changes, amendments and upgrades.
87. If need be, the translator removes the translated material from the translation environment and re-assembles it: merges files, re-inserts 'non text' items, graphics, messages or screen captures, reactivates tags, etc.
88. If need be, the translator converts or back-converts the translated material, i.e. restores it to its original format after translation.
89. If need be, the translator carries out a functional quality check to make sure the translated material 'works' correctly once it is re-assembled.
90. If need be, the translator 'integrates' the translated material into its support. Integration may imply different processes according to the type of medium being used and the material translated. The processes may include:
- integrating text and graphics via layout applications and desktop publishing packages,
- integrating translated material into the software,
- integrating translated text and dialogue into the video game,
- cueing the subtitles,
and a number of other techniques and processes, depending on the type of material and support.
91. If need be, the translator carries out further functional quality tests to make sure that the integration phase has not altered the performance of the translated material and that the reintegrated material is working correctly after translation.
As the case maybe, the translator delivers:
- a 'deliverable' or 'ready for dissemination' translation to the work provider or to her/his authorized agent, or
- a 'ready to revise' translation to the reviser.
92. If the translation is to be delivered to a reviser, the translator prepares the revision kit for the latter.
The revision kit includes:
- the material to be translated, the translation job specifications, the resources and raw materials (terminology, etc.),
- any items from the translation kit likely to be required by, or useful for, the reviser,
- the translated material and the specifications for the revision,
- (if need be) the equipment and software required to carry out the revision.
93. The reviser sets up and tests the revision environment.
94. The translator forwards the revision kit along with a delivery note, to the reviser (or work provider).
The translator is deemed to have carried out all necessary translation quality controls. Should the translation not be up to the 'revisable quality' standard or not comply with the job specifications, the work provider - or the reviser himself - may require the translator to make the necessary corrections or alterations. If the translation is sub-standard, the work provider may pass on the work to another translator (or reviser) and question any payments to the first translator.
6.2 Quality controls by the reviser
NOTE
The reviser may be the work provider himself.
95. The reviser receives the revision kit, including the translated material deemed to be of 'revisable' quality.
96. If need be, and unless the translator has already done so, the reviser reassembles and processes the material to be revised (i.e. carries out antivirus checks, installs the material on the required medium, compiles it, back-converts it, reformats it, etc.)
97. If need be, the reviser sets up the material to be revised in the relevant environment.
98. The reviser carries out all standard quality controls, with the exception of material checking, which is fully under the translator's sole responsibility. This means making sure that all material checks and language quality controls have been carried out, and that the translation is homogeneous. If the translation is defective in any of these respects, the reviser will ask the translator to upgrade the translation to 'revisable quality' standard.
The reviser will then check the quality of the translation as regards:
- style and 'flow',
- transfer processes (the crucial test),
- factual information and meaning.
The reviser corrects, alters, adds, modifies, completes, restructures, rewrites or reorganizes any faulty, deficient or inadequate sentences, segments or sections to bring the material up to the required quality standard (generally: 'ready for print' or 'zero defect', but in some cases, simply 'fit for delivery').
99. The reviser carries out a thorough functional check of the translated material. The translated material must be 'fully operational' and carry out all the required functions.
100. The reviser fills in a quality control record slip, indicating any deficiencies, mistakes or omissions that have been noted and corrected.
101. If need be, the reviser or the work provider reprocesses the revised material (i.e. by checking for viruses, setting up the material on the appropriate medium, compiling, back converting, reformatting it, and performing any other kind of treatment which may be required).
102. The reviser gets the revised translation ready for delivery to the work provider.
103. The reviser forwards the translation to the work provider in what is now of 'deliverable quality' and even 'fit for broadcast' grade if it meets the work provider's standards.
104. The reviser writes out the quality control record and forwards it to both the translator and the work provider.
6.3 Quality controls by the work provider
NOTE
The following operations come on top of those carried out by the reviser and are part of the work provider's quality control process if the latter is involved in the revision stage.
105. The translated material (of 'deliverable-quality' grade) is delivered to the work provider.
106. If need be, the work provider reassembles all the separate parts of the translated material (in particular when the translation has been done in batches).
107. The work provider checks the quality of the translation. He may either carry out any corrections which may prove to be necessary or ask the reviser (or translator) to carry out those corrections.
108. The work provider carries out any adaptations which might be required, or asks the translator or the reviser to do so.
Such adaptations maybe:
- updates required because the source material has undergone changes since the original translation was requested,
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