The 5-step translation process - it's best practice for a reason!

There is a well-established 5-step language translation process that is recognised as best practice, and that every translator needs to follow if they expect to provide translations that are accurate and well worded.
That is, to translate to professional standard, consistently.
Trouble is of course, not all translators do follow this process.
In fact, many untrained translators won’t even know about it, or have any inkling why it’s so essential.
Basically, translation is a rather difficult skill. You have to simultaneously juggle vocabulary choices and different grammar systems to produce text that not only correctly conveys all the meaning of the original, but does it in a way that reads naturally and well.
This turns out to be a bit too much for the brain to handle in a single go, so a multi-step translation process is needed to fix the (virtually inevitable) shortcomings of the first attempt.
The key feature of this best-practice process is that it has a separate step to check for accuracy – that all meaning has been carried across into the translation, and another focusing specifically on quality of wording.
It’s a time-tested process that makes an enormous difference to translation quality and accuracy.
This presentation briefly explains the process, and spells out what happens when the QA steps are either omitted or rushed through to hit a tight deadline.
And make sure to also have a look at our other practical translation-related guides and articles.

[Englishpa]

The 5-Step Translation Process
1. Overview 1:49
2. Initial Translation 2:11
3. Accuracy Check 2:54
4. Clear the Mind 3:16
5. Final Polishing 3:31

[janikusu]

I translate as a hobby and I work on stuff that is about the furthest you could get from "professional", but I think I was already subconsciously following these steps. even though I'm still a beginner I've been told that what I produce is pretty good quality, probably because I throw the original text out the window as soon as I've got everything I need from it

[AmberyTear]

Oh wow, I'm glad to report that I've been doing all these as a complete amateur/ for fun as it seemed to be a logical procedure.

[a.katsarakis]

Well structured and to the point. From my experience with Ottman Turkish I would add two more steps at the beginning, deciphering and transliteration.

[ClairexLovesxJb]

Currently working on the Dissertation/Translation Project for Masters as we speak and this has been very helpful. Like you say, we've been trained to work like this throughout the year anyway but I have never seen it so clearly expressed in a step-by-step format before. Thank you for this video, will definitely be subscribing for more of your content :)

[Dan]

Great info. I never done step 5 which is to read the text for the 3d time without looking at source text. But normly translators are busy and neglect the final reading step. Having said that, I bet it worth it!

[malexmartinez]

TBH, the suggested procedure is just common sense. It's sad to know that some translators don't even do them.

[huahuahua]

i usually translate and proofread simultanously. mayve thats why it took so long 😔
also i hardly done step 5. will do it from now

[Dan]

Guys, can you make a video on proof-reading.

[marzolian]

You want it beautiful, or you want it accurate?

[PaavoLammikko]

Don't professionals use computers at all to speed up the process? Wouldn't it be faster to let a software or Google to make the first draft and then just make corrections to that? I'm just wondering because I'm about to start a big translation job and trying to find the best way to do it. Thanks for the clip and the info!

[nopseudosleft]

I've always instinctively done this, I guess I'm made to be a translator🤣🤣