I recently introduced the “Quality Feedback Form” in my translation business. When I complete a project for someone, when I send them my translation of it I also send them a copy of this form (which I have translated into French and German where necessary). But I’ve decided that I should include the text of it here for everyone to see, so here goes:
George Trail Translation Services
QUALITY FEEDBACK FORM
Project details
My reference:
Your reference (if applicable):
Name(s) of original file(s):
I am committed to producing good quality translation work that those it’s for should feel at ease reading (and certainly “using”). If however you find that I am responsible for elements of poor quality in the translation work that I have recently completed for you, I will listen to your complaints and do my best to take corrective measures.
First of all, how would you rate this translation work in general?
0 – totally unacceptable
1 – distinguishably poor
2 – very poor
3 – poor
4 – below adequate
5 – borderline
6 – far from perfect but still fair
7 – acceptable
8 – good (above passable)
9 – very good
10 – excellent
Your answer:
It is said that the very best translations don’t look like they are translations. How common were the mistakes you noted (certain or alleged)?
0 – so many that comprehension is virtually impossible at every turn
1 – enough that reading (never mind understanding) the text is a challenge in itself
2 – too many; the correct bits are there but they’re few and far between
3 – there are several errors, most of which deserve to be called worse than minor
4 – the text with could do with some wholesale rewriting in many places
5 – quite a few but they’re generally not ones that impede the overall legibility of the text
6 – there are a handful but the minor ones tend to outweigh the major ones
7 – relatively few; there is a small chance of evidence of carelessness but nothing serious
8 – only a few, and chances are they don’t even require much to correct
9 – very few, and even then they are nearly always subtle or hard even to notice at all
10 – there are no or virtually no errors
Your answer:
We will now establish the nature of the mistakes to you claim to have observed. From the categories I’ve suggested below, how would you describe them overall (please provide examples as appropriate)?
• Spelling mistakes (common typos or otherwise), or punctuation, grammatical or syntax errors
• Clumsy / awkward phrasing i.e. phrases / sentences that are hard to follow (even if they could be interpreted as “correct” in theory but chances are that this would not come naturally)
• Poor selection of individual words or specific terms (this could be translating words wrongly in that the wrong meaning was grasped, or it could be failure to use correct terminology, or saying something that, while it may be perfectly normal in whatever other context, sounds out of place or peculiar in the specific context of this text)
• Phrases which, while they may be correct and even educated-sounding, suggest something in relation to the subject matter of the text that those involved with it know cannot be true
• If it’s hard to say exactly, you can say what you want here: