Table of Contents
The translation guidelines below list some best practices for linguists in the translation industry, as well as preferences to consider when working with our company. They are not just good guidelines for translation; they also work well for editing, transcription, subtitling, and other similar services. When working with us, please follow these rules to the best of your ability.
General Translation Guidelines
Do not accept work that is beyond your ability or that you cannot complete on time.
Delivery files should have the same file name as the source.
If the target language is English, use U.S. English unless otherwise requested.
Do not add any new text to the translation that is not included in the original.
If translator’s notes are needed, they should be included in a separate document, or using the Comments function of your software. Do not write notes in the target text.
Formatting Guidelines
Any handwritten text should be included and labeled [handwritten] in brackets and italics.
Any illegible text should be replaced with [illegible] in brackets and italics.
Signatures should be indicated by [signature] in brackets and italics.
If you use OCR software, use it with caution; the end result should be a well-flowing, properly-built Word document, not a patchwork of text boxes.
Include graphics, stamps, and logos.
The format should match the source in:
- Alignment (left, right, centered, justified). To get text to align correctly, don't go tab-tab-tab; instead, use the alignment buttons or set special tabs.
- Character formatting (font, size, bold, italics, underline)
- Proper headers, footers, and page numbering
- Margin sizes
- In indexed documents, use styles to create inserted table of contents
If you don’t know how to do some of those things, check Help (F1) in Word or email your project manager.
Number formatting should be localized (e.g. “1,000.00” vs. “1.000,00”).
Dates should be localized (e.g. “14 March 2020” vs. “March 14, 2020”).
Sometimes units of measurement should be converted, and sometimes not. Check with your Project Manager if you’re not sure.
In most cases, any text in non-editable graphics will need to be translated. Check with the Project Manager to see how they want it formatted.
In complex, formatted documents, apply a manual page break between pages.
Document File Types
If the source file is:
.DOC or .DOCX
.TTX
.SDLXLIFF (SDL Trados Studio translatable file)
.SDLPPX (SDL Trados Studio project package)
The deliverable is:
.DOC or .DOCX
.DOC or .DOCX
.TTX
.SDLXLIFF (SDL Trados Studio translatable file)
.SDLRPX (SDL Trados Studio return package)
If the source file is:
.DOC or .DOCX
.TTX
.SDLXLIFF (SDL Trados Studio translatable file)
.SDLPPX (SDL Trados Studio project package)
The deliverable is:
.DOC or .DOCX
.DOC or .DOCX
.TTX
.SDLXLIFF (SDL Trados Studio translatable file)
.SDLRPX (SDL Trados Studio return package)
Punctuality with Deadlines
Punctuality is the key to success in our business. On-time delivery is always expected. You alone are responsible for accurately deciding how much work you can take.
Taking on more than you can chew is inadvisable, but it’s a fact of life that once in a while something comes up that makes it impossible to finish a project that you signed up for. The minute that you realize you will not be able to deliver on time is when you need to communicate that to the project manager, and not a minute later.
Reassigning a job is not always easy. The closer it gets to the deadline, the harder it gets, and the more likely it is that we miss our own deadline, which can cause us to lose a client. So deliver on time, every time, and if you must drop an assignment, please talk about it earlier rather than later.