Quality controls are part of quality assurance. They follow the transfer phase and are deemed to be part and parcel of the translation phase since they are normally ‘inescapable’ and required by all emerging standards.

Quality controls are carried out in proof-reading or in revision mode (human- made translations) or in post-editing mode (machine made translations). To many people, quality controls are strictly equated with “post translation”.

In the strictest sense, proof-reading consists in correcting any kind of blatant defects (spelling or grammar mistakes, missing bits, faulty formatting) and pointing out any apparent defects, discrepancies or translation errors, leaving it to the translator or any other authorised person to make whatever corrections might actually be justified in that respect.

Note: today, proof-reading may involve listening to the recorded translation or to the voice-synthesized version of the translated material and dictating the appropriate comments and suggestions while correcting the blatant errors.

In the strictest sense, revision includes all operations undertaken to guarantee that the translation meets all applicable quality criteria and quality levels (i.e. is free of linguistic, technical or translation errors). This means making all necessary corrections and changes (improvements, amendments, substitutions, reorganisations).

Revision is an upgrading operation that makes the translated material compliant with all applicable requirements and, of course, with the rules of the art.

It is worth noting that practising translators usually consider that ‘mutual revision’ (i.e. translators revising each other’s work) is highly desirable whenever possible, and that several levels of proof-reading and revision are absolutely essential when it comes to total quality.

Note: with the development of voice technologies, revision is now more and more frequently dictated, with the translator making the requested or required corrections and changes.

All translators are normally expected to quality control their translations. They do so in revision mode, as they will of course make all necessary changes and amendments.

When the quality requirements are particularly stringent all quality checks and controls are in the care of dedicated specialised personnel.

Post-editing means checking, proof-reading and revising translations carried out by any kind of translating automaton. It is becoming a job in its own right because automatic translation is coming back in force and, some would say, with a vengeance: post-editing of automatic or machine translation is systematic unless the client is prepared to put up with a ‘rough idea’ of the source text content as supplied by the raw machine translation – which is no longer a rare occurrence. It means both (a) introducing any changes needed to render the translated text either just readable or deliverable – depending on the quality required by the client -, and (b) amending the alignment tables or algorithms so that errors do not happen again – or suggesting amendments.

Despite its generally unglamorous reputation, post-editing can be an interesting and fulfilling job, especially when it involves both translation and information technology skills in the development of more efficient machine translation systems. To many translators, post-editing is a very attractive proposition.

Post-translation includes all the tasks that are carried out after the material has been translated and its quality checked.

Applicable tasks vary according to the medium but usually include:

– editing (page layout, illustrations, formatting, screen captures, message integration, code reassembly). Editing is normally done by an editor.

– installing the translated material on the support medium in the required format,

– testing and finalising the ‘end product’

– installing the end product on its broadcast medium (Web site, DVD, CD, FTP server, etc.)

Post-translation tasks are sometimes all carried out by the translator himself, but can be split up between any number of operators.

On-line quality assessment (or online quality assurance) is a full test to make sure that the translated version of a videogame or a software package or a ‘cloned’ Web site is fully operational. This quality control function is vital in localisation companies where it is essential that translated software, or videogames, for instance actually perform as they should.

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