Editing and Proofreading Translations: A Comprehensive Guide
If you enter the world of professional translation and localization for the first time, you may be surprised to discover that the translation process consists of multiple stages and not just the adaptation of the text itself. Most confusion arises around the terms editing and proofreading because they share some similarities but are not the same thing.
If you are a novice or an experienced translator who wants to become an editor, keep reading, because in this article you will learn the definition of proofreading, the fundamental differences between proofreading and editing, and some practical tips on editing.
Difference between editing and proofreading
Usually, translation is a multi-stage process consisting of translation, editing, and finally proofreading (TEP), especially when it comes to translating user-oriented content such as software user interfaces, marketing materials, or technical texts that require a high level of precision.
Depending on the type, topic, and purpose of the text, in some cases there is no need for a full TEP process. Meanwhile, some clients want the translation to be revised by more than one editor or proofreader. That is why you should always coordinate with the client regarding their expectations for these steps.
The meaning of proofreading and editing is specified by the ISO 17100:2015 standard, and these processes are generally similar across language service providers.
Editing is the process of reviewing and correcting the translated text to improve its quality by eliminating errors and ensuring the accuracy of the translation and compliance with the client’s requirements.
Proofreading is the process of reviewing the target text without consulting the source text in order to ensure that it does not contain any overlooked errors and is stylistically consistent, readable, and comprehensible.
Here are the main differences between proofreading and editing:
| Editing | Proofreading |
| Checking the accuracy of the translation by comparing the source text with the target text | Checking the target text without consulting the source text |
| Correcting spelling and grammatical errors Correcting stylistic errors Checking terminology and compliance with the project glossary | Correcting grammatical, lexical, punctuation, syntactic, and stylistic errors Ensuring the text sounds natural rather than translated |
| Cross-checking references (if present) | No need to check references |
| The editor must be proficient in both the target and source languages and have expertise and experience in the field | The proofreader must be proficient in the target language |
| Usually performed after translation | Usually performed after editing |
| Takes more time and costs more | Takes less time and costs less |
Step-by-step editing process
1. Grammar and style adjustments
The translation is checked for obvious spelling and grammar errors. The editor makes sure that the language, terminology, tone, register, and measurement units are appropriate so that the text is understood correctly.
As a rule, the edited translation is shorter than the original because the editor’s goal is to make the text more concise and eliminate repetition, tautology, and redundant synonyms.
2. Accuracy and meaning check
The main difference between editing a paper and translation editing lies in the need to verify accuracy against the source text.
The editor must check that there is no added or omitted information and that the text can be fully understood by the reader. If the text seems awkward or its meaning is vague, the editor may change the structure of a sentence or rewrite the entire paragraph.
3. Terminology and fact check
If the client provides style guides, reference materials, and glossaries with terms used in other translations, translators and editors must also ensure that the translation follows all the client’s requirements.
Common proofreading mistakes
Why is it important to proofread a translation? Because mistakes are an inevitable part of human work. Even experienced translators and editors can overlook obvious errors, and this happens for various reasons. Usually, the larger the project, the higher the risk of errors.
Like editing, proofreading involves grammatical edits that may have been overlooked by the editor. Here is a list of typical mistakes that proofreaders must watch out for:
- Omissions and additions (especially short words such as articles, pronouns, or numbers)
- Homonyms (such as it’s and its, their and they’re)
- Incorrect word forms (plural forms and tenses)
- Missing or unnecessary commas
- Repetition of the same words and expressions where synonyms could be used
- Not using QA tools or relying solely on them
- Ignoring client requirements
Best practices for consistency
There are no universal proofreading guidelines, but to ensure that the text remains consistent, you should pay attention to:
- Auto-corrected words
- Industry-specific terminology (QA programs and CAT tools can detect inconsistencies with glossary terms)
- Names, numerical data, dates, currencies, and units of measurement formats
- Consistency in either American or British English spelling (e.g., labor vs. labour, organize vs. organise)
- Punctuation (using the same type of quotation marks and apostrophes)
- Compound words (e.g., lifestyle vs. life-style or life style)
- Layout: page numbers, margins, and headers are consistent
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