The Added Value of Translators’ Queries:

It is sometimes the case that clients are not terribly interested in queries related to their text which is in the process of being translated. However, when such queries are received, at least two scenarios are possible: either the translator is told that the client wants the text to be read as it is, for example,

"Do literally translate what you see" - or alternatively, more specific responses are given. We then have a further two possibilities: either these replies are "just to respond", for example, Query: what do the "external controls of X represent?" Reply: “There are external controls outside and they are not the same as the controls inside.”

A further option and probably the most helpful, consists of providing extended information, aimed at enabling the translator to understand the whole picture related to the term or paragraph which caused the initial doubt.

By not addressing the translator’s questions, clients pass up an opportunity to add value to the translation, which incidentally, comes to them at no additional cost. For example, when dealing with technical documents or other complex texts, translators are in a critical position regarding the usefulness and accuracy of a source text. So, if doubts and queries arise, they may be caused by the following factors (a selection of the major ones):

• There are differences (sometimes fundamental ones) between the structure of the source and target languages and this situation leads the translator to be unsure of the correct way to proceed. For example, if software is being localised, there can often be isolated words or phrases out of context. When translating into a language where the aspect of gender is more widely used than in English, for example, Italian, German or Russian, it is important to establish exactly which noun the said adjective refers to.
  
  For example, Fast (print) and Fast (algorithm) must be translated differently in Russian, i.e. they will need different forms of grammar in the translation.
  
  
• The source text for translation can itself be ambiguous due to the lack of context or because of the structure of the phrase or sentence.
  
  For example, “N = major stress fatigue cycles rotating bending”*.
  
  This could be interpreted in a number of ways and each variant taken individually, may have some relevant meaning. However, if no additional reference material or diagrams are available to the translator the translation process becomes guesswork, which is counter-productive.
• The source text itself contains an inconsistent use of terminology, logical contradictions, obvious mistakes, typos, etc.

Providing clear and comprehensive replies to translators’ queries helps them, first and foremost, to avoid mistakes in translation and moreover it allows the client to improve on the source text (and the translated text as a consequence). This can be seen as true added value.

Of course, if the translator's queries include simply identical interrogative sentences like “X – What is it? What does it mean?” or on the contrary, in the case of a voluminous technical manual, there are no queries at all - then such a situation should alarm the client. Generally speaking, the queries made by a translator allow the client to judge the translator's ability to understand the subject matter and his/her level of competence in a particular subject area. This is another aspect of the importance and value of translators’ queries.

In summary, if translation quality really matters to you then one of the factors which should be taken into consideration is to be open for COLLABORATION with the translator.

* This example taken from the book by Boris Klimzo "Remeslo technicheskogo perevodchika" (The Craft of the Technical Translator), Moscow, R. Valent, 2006.

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