e2f Tech: November 2012

Here is the digest version if you do not feel like reading this longish article:
Always have your final French document proofread by your translator if you layout the French text by yourself.
That's it. You're done, have a good day!

Typically, a head office located in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, New York, Chicago or Miami needs a French translation for use in its subsidiary in Quebec or New Brunswick. The head office sends the English document to e2f Tech, to have it translated to French.

If it is a simple memo in Word, a fully formatted document in Word or a Power Point presentation, e2f Tech usually sends back a fully formatted French document (at no extra charge), ready for print or publication online. The only change that might be left to be done is inserting screenshots or images containing French text, at the customer's. Usually, no proofreading is required in those cases.

Of course, when e2f Tech provides a full-service solution (translation plus desktop services), a final proofread is not required.

But if the document sent to translation is in html, In Design or Illustrator, or if the document sent for translation is a text extract from any type of design document, then a final proofread will be required before distribution or publishing, when the customer decides to perform by himself the layout of the French text in the final document.

It is important to note that e2f Tech uses tools that can translate directly in html, In Design or Illustrator files (at no extra cost), which is a huge time- and cost-saver for the customer, but a final proofread is required nonetheless, we explain why below.

Typically, the customer performs a thorough QA (Quality Assurance) step on his English document or website before publishing, but omits or forgets about performing even a minimal review of the final French document, when he decides to perform by himself the layout of the French text in the final document.

Here are the reasons why a final French proofread (QA) is important:

1. French is 15% to 20% longer than English
Even when e2f Tech translates directly in a html, In Design or Illustrator document, there might be layout or text flow issues because of the extra length.

2. Copy-paste errors
When the text is copied and pasted back into the design document, the designer might make mistakes, it's OK, we are all humans! Typical errors: leaving in the first letter of the first English word of a paragraph, when pasting over the English text. Forgetting the first or the last letter of a block of French text, when copying from the French Word document.

3. Typing in the French text
For some reason, sometimes the designer will type in the French text instead of copying and pasting. That leaves a lot of room for errors, especially with the accentuated characters.

4. Automated spell checker
Sometimes, the design software has an English spell checker and will "fix" the French. Recipe for disaster.

5. Too much initiative
Sometimes, the designer will use Bing or Google to translate "just that one word or two". Mmmm... no. Another typical error, the designer "fixes" the capitalization in the titles. English and French do not follow the same rules.

6. Quick desk corner translation
Asking a colleague with approximate French skills to translate just that small change or two, Mmmm... no. Even when it's last minute. e2f Tech's inbox and Skype are monitored about 18 hours a day. We are there to help even with minor changes (and no charge).

7. It looks different
Sometimes, the physical layout of the text begs for a slight change in the translation. It could be because the translator did not have access to the accompanying pictures or diagrams when translating. It could be because the words or the sentences are too long, they do not fit in the header or the allocated body space.

8. Bad word or line splits
English and French words to not cut the same way. Most design softwares have an auto line split feature, but it is set with English rules. This can sometimes create embarrassing situations, trust us.

9. Translator missed context
Even when the translator worked with good screenshots, or worked with a specialized interface translation software (such as Passolo or RIGI), or had access to a knowledgeable user of the English version of a website or software, context errors do happen. Nothing beats seeing it live.

10. Translator made an error
Yes, it happens. That soulless, heartless and geeky translator is human too. Sometimes a quick glance after a few days will reveal a typo or will help the translator come up with a better, punchier wording.

11. English text was forgotten to be sent in the initial translation request.
Self-explanatory, frequent.

12. About internal proofread: if you decide to have the French QA performed internally, make sure you ask a truly French marketing or technical specialist. With all respect, do not use a French speaker who has not acquired at least 15 years of French-based education or lived in a lively francophone environment for at least 20 years. The best results are achieved when the proofread is performed by a true language specialist.

2012/11/23

2012/11/15

12 reasons why you should always have your translated document proofread after you laid out the text

2012/11/12

If you ever still had a few doubt...