| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: How long does it take you to proofread a 250 word page? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
|
|---|
This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How long does it take you to proofread a 250 word page?".
This poll was originally submitted by Amira El-Wattar
View the poll here
A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For mo... See more This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How long does it take you to proofread a 250 word page?".
This poll was originally submitted by Amira El-Wattar
View the poll here
A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see: http://proz.com/topic/33629 ▲ Collapse
| | | | Rajan Chopra
India
Local time: 18:05
Member (2008)
English to Hindi
+ ...
If the quality is poor, it will consume more than half an hour but if the quality is satisfactory, it will take just 15 minutes.
| | | | | For me, it depends too | Dec 5, 2007 |
langclinic wrote:
If the quality is poor, it will consume more than half an hour but if the quality is satisfactory, it will take just 15 minutes.
| | | | | Depends on quality and subject matter | Dec 5, 2007 |
It might take anywhere from 15 minutes up to two hours.
| | |
|
|
|
mediamatrix (X)
Local time: 08:35
Spanish to English
+ ...
Assuming that the text is one that I'd be competent to translate myself, and assuming I have the source text available, it should never take longer to proof-read that it would to translate it from scratch.
15 minutes for 250 words would correspond to a worst-case scenario.
MediaMatrix
| | | | Fabio Descalzi 
Uruguay
Local time: 09:35
Member (2004)
German to Spanish
+ ...
| Proofreading, editing... or re-translating ? | Dec 5, 2007 |
It has happened to me before, that different agencies send "texts to proofread" that need...
a) a monolingual proofreading, or
b) a bilingual editing, or
c) to be rather re-translated.
Conceded: if the PM doesn't speak the target language, maybe the job to be done is not so clear from the beginning, and you might expect any of the 3 cases. But I have faced some different situations too...
You must bear this in mind when considering which rate you are offered for the... See more It has happened to me before, that different agencies send "texts to proofread" that need...
a) a monolingual proofreading, or
b) a bilingual editing, or
c) to be rather re-translated.
Conceded: if the PM doesn't speak the target language, maybe the job to be done is not so clear from the beginning, and you might expect any of the 3 cases. But I have faced some different situations too...
You must bear this in mind when considering which rate you are offered for the job. Some agencies state that "if the proofreading means translating segments again, you will cash your extra job" - some others are not so clear.
Sorry if I went a little bit off-topic, but there are too many factors that are decisive in the quickness of a "proofreading job". Of course: if you expect to do a job as stated in a), it is much quicker than b) or c). ▲ Collapse
| | | | Ricardo Pereira
Portugal
Local time: 13:35
Member (2006)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
I think it depends on the subject and on the quality of the translation itself.
Cheers, Ricardo
www.rmpereira.com
| | | |
if we really speak about simple proof-reading - i.e. final check of a text I translated myself (for spelling, punctuation marks, capitalization and the like) - it usually takes about five minutes (and never more than ten). For other tasks on other texts, there is no telling - the sky's the limit! (or, rather, my patience...)
| | |
|
|
|
John Cutler
Spain
Local time: 14:35
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Rule number 1 | Dec 5, 2007 |
Fabio Descalzi wrote:
You must bear this in mind when considering which rate you are offered for the job. Some agencies state that "if the proofreading means translating segments again, you will cash your extra job" - some others are not so clear.
Rule number 1 of proofreading: ask to see the text and make an assessment before quoting or accepting a rate. I've received texts that ranged from only needing a few minor corrections all the way to the PM saying, "I'll send along the original in case you don´t understand something". That´s when the red flags should go up and you´d better be prepared to negotiate or accept doing a translation/re-translation/ghost-writing job at the price of proofreading.
That having been said, I´d also say 15 minutes is a maximum per page for real proofreading.
| | | | | What John said... in general... | Dec 5, 2007 |
I regularly get things to "proofread" that were written in English by non native speakers, so there is no original to compare them to. It's a nightmare, since it involves second guessing what they were trying to say in the original Catalan or Spanish and then translating that. Dangerous waters await he who embarks on that voyage.... and it is more time consuming than doing an original translation.
Straight proof-reading of a translation from another colleague can take time too as it... See more I regularly get things to "proofread" that were written in English by non native speakers, so there is no original to compare them to. It's a nightmare, since it involves second guessing what they were trying to say in the original Catalan or Spanish and then translating that. Dangerous waters await he who embarks on that voyage.... and it is more time consuming than doing an original translation.
Straight proof-reading of a translation from another colleague can take time too as it basically involves you translating as you go along and then seeing if you agree with his or her choices. This is a can of worms people. Personally, I would guarantee a 15 minute job only in cases of true monolingual proof-reading.
[Edited at 2007-12-05 17:07] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Reed James
Chile
Local time: 08:35
Member (2005)
Spanish to English
| A can of worms indeed | Dec 5, 2007 |
Berni Armstrong wrote:
Straight proof-reading of a translation from another colleague can take time too as it basically involves you translating as you go along and then seeing if you agree with his or her choices. This is a can of worms people. Personally, I would guarantee a 15 minute job only in cases of true monolingual proof-reading.
This is an accurate description of my experience with proofreading. My main proofreading work is my own translation work. That almost always takes me less than 15 minutes per page as I strive to get the translation right the first time around.
I only accept proofreading jobs as a favor or when I do not have very much work, which is not very often.
[Edited at 2007-12-05 16:30]
| | | | Mike Hunter (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:35
English to Flemish
+ ...
| Translation Manager's viewpoint - it depends | Dec 5, 2007 |
I agree with most of the previous comments. It is of course much easier if its regular work for the same end client, and the same translator and proof reader are used consistently. As an agency we are sometimes asked to proof work we haven't translated, and like for freelancers, it can be a can of worms.
What I don't like is nasty surprises, e.g. someone accepts a proofing job having looked at the text (source and target), and then tries to charge for an inordinant amount of time. ... See more I agree with most of the previous comments. It is of course much easier if its regular work for the same end client, and the same translator and proof reader are used consistently. As an agency we are sometimes asked to proof work we haven't translated, and like for freelancers, it can be a can of worms.
What I don't like is nasty surprises, e.g. someone accepts a proofing job having looked at the text (source and target), and then tries to charge for an inordinant amount of time. Fortunately this doesn't happen very often. Incidentally, there are reasonable clients out there who will accept a job needs retranslating, and pay accordingly.
Cheers
Mike ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 06:35
English to Spanish
+ ...
In memoriam
If it were to take 15 minutes for a 250 word page, I would throw it in the trash and and start again from scratch.
I don't do proofreading anyway, hate it!
| | | | Andrea Riffo
Chile
Local time: 08:35
English to Spanish
+ ...
| Proofreading, or editing? | Dec 5, 2007 |
To me, proofreading means reading the translated document only (no comparison with the source document), in order to do a final check for typos, misspellings and the odd misplaced colon.
If that's the case, I think that even 15 minutes for a 250 word page is way too much, but perhaps I've misunderstood what "proofreading" means.
If you mean editing, then I don't know because I don't do that
[... See more To me, proofreading means reading the translated document only (no comparison with the source document), in order to do a final check for typos, misspellings and the odd misplaced colon.
If that's the case, I think that even 15 minutes for a 250 word page is way too much, but perhaps I've misunderstood what "proofreading" means.
If you mean editing, then I don't know because I don't do that
[Edited at 2007-12-05 17:36] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Strictly speaking Andrea is right... | Dec 5, 2007 |
Andrea Riffo wrote:
To me, proofreading means reading the translated document only (no comparison with the source document)...
That is the dictionary definition, it is also the job my aunt spent 40 years doing for a Chicago publisher's. But in this profession, what most agencies usually call "proofreading" is checking a colleague's work for any major errors or misreadings, etc. I am assuming that the poll was asked in that spirit. Was it?
| | | | | Pages in topic: [1 2] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Poll: How long does it take you to proofread a 250 word page? | TM-Town | Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business
Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.
More info » |
| | CafeTran Espresso | You've never met a CAT tool this clever!
Translate faster & easier, using a sophisticated CAT tool built by a translator / developer.
Accept jobs from clients who use Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast & major CAT tools.
Download and start using CafeTran Espresso -- for free
Buy now! » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
