How does a proofreader work?

Corrector: double check

Even with experienced translators, linguistic errors can creep into a text. They often work so intensively on a translation that small mistakes are no longer obvious. Of course, the translator checks his or her own work. But to ensure the final version of a text is error-free, a proofreader takes a fresh look at it.

What's a proofreader looking for?

A proofreader is a second language and subject specialist who checks the translator's work. His or her trained eye extracts even the smallest errors from a text. A proofreader carries out the following work:

1. Typing and spelling errors

Typing and spelling errors are common in a text, even after thorough revision by the translator. Such errors are quickly detected and corrected by a proofreader.

2. Grammar

Grammatical errors are also quickly picked up by a proofreader. For example, the use of who and which in English. Wrong: the woman which works here. Correct: the woman who works here.

3. Punctuation

Incorrect use of punctuation can completely reverse the meaning of a sentence. Take a look at this example:

Let’s eat Grandpa.
Let’s eat, Grandpa.

Proofreaders not only ensure that grandpa stays alive, but also check that quotation marks, hyphens and other punctuation marks are being used correctly.

4. Terminology and consistency

In addition to punctuation, a proofreader also monitors the terminology used and the consistency of a text. Are terms all written in the same way? Is consistent use made of the ‘u-shape’ or the ‘you-shape,’ rather than a combination of the two?

5. Content

A translation is always placed next to the source text to check that the message has been conveyed correctly and that it does not contain any inaccuracies. In addition, a proofreader also detects substantive errors such as incorrect facts from the source text. These comments are submitted to the client for checking before the text is corrected.

Why are translations always checked by a proofreader?

Because translation is human work and a mistake is easy to make. A proofreader takes a fresh look at a translation and removes these mistakes. All our translations are revised as standard by a second language and subject specialist in accordance with the translation quality standards of the VViN branch association. This extra quality control ensures that we deliver translations of a high quality.

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