A second translator: two pairs of eyes are better than one

If you commission a translation from a professional translation agency, you can expect a final product that is accurate in content and linguistically flawless. That’s why at AgroLingua, we always work with professional translators who have a fluent writing style, and a thorough knowledge of spelling and grammar. However, it’s inevitable that, from time to time, they’ll make mistakes. Good translation is (thankfully) human work and mistakes can be easily made, due to fatigue or a slight lack of concentration. That’s why we only send our translation projects back to the client when they have been thoroughly checked by a revisor. How does this work?

Spell check isn’t foolproof

Ever since the computer entered the workplace, manual checks of spelling and grammatical errors have become a thing of the past. Most word processing software contains a multilingual check function that highlights grammatical inaccuracies, as well as spelling mistakes. However, this control tool isn’t perfect, as context is rarely taken into account. Take a look at this example:

No farmers, no food

No framers, no food

Farmers and framers are both correct words but, obviously, only one fits the context. The same applies to a simple typo like barn or bran . An easy mistake, but one the spell check will miss. Editor checks in programmes like Microsoft Word are becoming more sophisticated and sometimes recognise the context of the word, but in most cases this type of error is still overlooked. That’s why a spelling and grammar check of a translated text, carried out by a revisor, is essential. Because two pairs of eyes are better than one.

More than proofreading

Checking spelling, grammar and style is called proofreading, meaning the revisor theoretically doesn’t need to view the source text. This doesn’t require analysing the content of the text. For professional translation agencies, this isn’t enough, as a thorough editorial check consists of so much more. Does the message correspond to that of the original text? Is the content of the translation accurate and has specific terminology been correctly translated? Has any important information from the original text been omitted, as a result of the translation otherwise being too long? To provide an answer to these questions and an optimal check of the translation, it’s vital that the revisor has access to the original text.

The ‘second translator’ - principle

As mentioned previously in this book, AgroLingua applies a number of strict criteria when working with translators. They must be experts in their specialist area, native speakers of the target language, possess a fluent writing style and work accurately. Professionals chosen to check the translation work of others must fulfil the same requirements, and are often translators themselves. That’s why at AgroLingua, we prefer not to use the terms editor or proof-reader, but ‘second translator’ or ‘revisor’ instead.

The choice is yours

This complete package assures you, the client, of the best quality final product. But of course, quality comes at a price. That’s why you can also opt for a language check only, whereby you check content issues such as terminology yourself. We're also happy to help if you've written a text or translated a text yourself, and would like it to be checked or restructured by a professional linguist. Whichever solution you choose, you can count on a flawless final product, delivered by knowledgeable and professional writers and translators, who are always able to find the right tone. What’s more, we provide a clear quote based on your choices, in advance of any translation work, in order to prevent any unwanted surprises later on.

Want to know more about our working method using a second translator as a ‘revisor'? Then get in touch with the translation and localisation specialists at AgroLingua!