Preferential Changes to Translations

Occasionally we receive feedback from a translation client that a third party recommends changes to our prepared translation. Sometimes these requested changes are even characterized (inaccurately) as “errors.”

Preferential changes are part of the translation business. Ideally preferred terms are provided by a client at the outset of a project as a resource for translators.

The following disclaimer now accompanies most of our translation projects with delivery. We may tweak the language a bit more but it currently reads:

Please Note: The translation delivery file(s) for your project have been carefully prepared by a professional translator, native speaking in the target language. A second translator has proofread the file(s). Since there are multiple ways to express equivalent meaning in most languages, our translators’ word choices may differ from the subjective preferences of another third party reviewer. The meaning, however, should be clear.