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Poll: Do you ever try to "improve" on a source text?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
Rafael Molina Pulgar
Rafael Molina Pulgar  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 13:06
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Excellent question and potential answers! Mar 20, 2010

This is one of the essential questions of Translation Theory and Practice.
 
Gudrun Maydorn (X)
Gudrun Maydorn (X)  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 21:06
English to German
+ ...
I only translate what I can understand Mar 20, 2010

My motto is that I only translate what I can understand. So if a text passage doesn't make sense to me, is ambiguous, awkwardly worded or downright incorrect I contact my customer and ask for clarification and/or permission to improve. Usually they are quite grateful.

For marketing texts I normally ask my customer beforehand, what his aim is and how strictly or otherwise he wishes me to adhere to the source text.
 
Daniel Erlich
Daniel Erlich  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 16:06
Member (2011)
Portuguese to English
+ ...
Recognition Mar 21, 2010

I thoroughly agree with Rafael; I have to say that for me the amount of work I apply to a text depends a lot on how much recognition I will receive for the job... It takes motivation and hard work to actively improve on a badly-written text, you know...
 
Ildiko Santana
Ildiko Santana  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 12:06
Member (2002)
Hungarian to English
+ ...

MODERATOR
'other' - only at client's request Mar 29, 2010

I firmly believe that my job is to translate and not rewrite or improve. Sometimes it is a real challenge and I have to admit it is much easier when I don't have to resist the urge to 'fix' (because imperfections bother me a lot : ) but it is extremely rare. I only 'improve' a source text (i.e. make the translation better than the original, stylistically, grammatically, etc.) if my client specifically asks me to do so. So far, this has happened to me only four times in my seventeen years as a... See more
I firmly believe that my job is to translate and not rewrite or improve. Sometimes it is a real challenge and I have to admit it is much easier when I don't have to resist the urge to 'fix' (because imperfections bother me a lot : ) but it is extremely rare. I only 'improve' a source text (i.e. make the translation better than the original, stylistically, grammatically, etc.) if my client specifically asks me to do so. So far, this has happened to me only four times in my seventeen years as a translator. ▲ Collapse
 
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Poll: Do you ever try to "improve" on a source text?






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