stockage vs conservation

14:44 Apr 14, 2016 

I used to think it was a pointless exercise, but there is some value to it. It provides an additional level of security, over and above paying someone to proofread the translation.
The other industry that does it a lot is market research. They get their surveys back translated because, as with drug trials, mistakes can be expensive.

14:11 Apr 14, 2016 

I'll take your word for it, but in that case I don't really see the point. I can certainly see the point of independent collation of a translation with the original, but that's different. What I've read about back translation says that it's supposed to be done without referring to or even having access to the original text:

"Back translation involves taking the translated version of a document or file and then having a separate independent translator (who has no knowledge of or contact with the original text) translate it back into the original language."
http://www.languagescientific.com/language-services-blog/wha...

A back translation is surely a waste of time if it's trying to reconstruct the original; it's only any use if it's being used to check the accuracy of the intermediate text, the forward translation, which means that it must reflect what the forward translation says, regardless of whether that's actually what the original said. If you send them a back translation that's more or less the same as the original, they will conclude that the translation they're checking is accurate. But maybe it isn't.

13:46 Apr 14, 2016 

They also encourage you to add notes saying there may be an issue with a specific word or phrase in the translation. Obviously you can't always tell, because you're not a native speaker, but they can go back to the translator and query it.
In this case, if I didn't have the original English, I would put a note saying "this appears to be a tautology in the translation".

13:37 Apr 14, 2016 

I've done lots of these - they are particular to the pharmaceutical industry.
The client sometimes even provides the English without your asking for it. The idea is that you're checking the accuracy of the translation, not playing a guessing game (as Claire is here) as to what the original document said. They trust you not to simply copy the original and submit it as a back translation.

13:29 Apr 14, 2016 

I've never been asked to do a back translation, but as I understand it you're not supposed to be reconstructing the original but translating as accurately as you can what the translation says, so that the result can then be compared with the original. So if you can guess what the original said but believe that the translation you're translating is inaccurate, you're not supposed to "correct" it. Perhaps those who do back translation can confirm or correct this impression. If it's correct, of course, the whole point is not to be given the original English, otherwise the whole exercise would be pointless (perhaps it is anyway).

13:19 Apr 14, 2016 

Sometimes the client will give you the original English. Have you tried asking for it?

13:15 Apr 14, 2016 

I don't think this is really a KudoZ question. Since it's a back translation, we're making guesses about what the original English said, so we can't provide you with a definitive answer. I would put a translator's note saying I'm not clear why two synonyms have been used.

08:39 Apr 14, 2016 

storing] study files" is probably a better structure actually...