提高翻譯質量的好方法有哪些?

　　現在的社會上，翻譯是一個熱門的行業，想要做好一個翻譯員就要不斷地進行自我檢查和完善。翻譯質量是檢測翻譯員水平的方法之一，下面醫學翻譯公司給大家分享一下提高翻譯質量的好方法有哪些?

　　In today's society, translation is a hot industry. To be a good translator, it is necessary to constantly self-check and improve. The quality of translation is one of the ways to test the level of translators. What are the good ways to improve the quality of translation?

　　1、避免返工

　　1. Avoid rework

　　首先，盡量在第一遍就把翻譯做好。編輯和修改工作錯綜復雜、變化不定，而且非常耗時。所以，盡力像實時發布譯文一樣翻譯好每個詞語。推拖到“以后”的工作越少，編輯和校對過程中這些工作被忽略的機會就越小。

　　First of all, try to translate well in the first time. Editorial and revision work is complex, changeable and time-consuming. So try to translate every word as well as publish the translation in real time. The fewer postponed tasks, the less likely they are to be overlooked in editing and proofreading.

　　2、列出危險詞匯

　　2. List dangerous words

　　哪些詞匯在譯文語言中容易被混淆?例如：英語中Principle和principal，漢語中“圖像”和“圖象”。哪些詞可能輸錯?這里并非指那些用拼寫檢查程序就可糾正的錯別詞匯，而是指合法詞匯，例如：英語中的where和were，漢語中的圖像和圖形，使用五筆時常常會把“運行”輸入成“支行”，這種詞雖然沒錯，但具有不同意思。列出自己“常犯錯誤”的清單，使用搜索命令查看是否用錯詞。

　　Which words are easily confused in the translated language? For example, Principle and principal in English, image and image in Chinese. Which words may be mistyped? This does not refer to those mistyped words that can be corrected by spell checking procedures. It refers to legitimate words, such as where and were in English, images and graphics in Chinese. When using five strokes, the word "run" is often input into "branch line", which is correct but has different meanings. Make a list of your "common mistakes" and use the search command to see if you use the wrong words.

　　3、運行拼寫和語法檢查程序

　　3. Running spelling and grammar checking programs

　　編輯校對文本前始終運行拼寫和語法檢查程序。但是，在檢查拼寫和語法之前，選擇整個文檔，將語言設置為譯文語言，確保檢查程序完全激活，提示信息應出現在工具菜單內。

　　Always run spelling and grammar checking procedures before editing and proofreading text. However, before checking spelling and grammar, select the entire document, set the language to the translated language, ensure that the checker is fully activated, and prompt information should appear in the tool menu.

　　拼寫和語法檢查程序常被人嘲笑，它們有時檢查不出真正問題，卻對并不存在的問題提示一些可笑答案。然而，拼寫和語法檢查程序確實可找到大量值得注意的問題，并且提供的許多答案是完全正確的。盡管不能解決全部問題，但卻可節省大量工作。

　　Spelling and grammar checking programs are often ridiculed. They sometimes fail to check for real problems, but offer ridiculous answers to problems that do not exist. However, spelling and grammar checking programs do find a lot of noteworthy questions, and many of the answers provided are completely correct. Although it can't solve all the problems, it can save a lot of work.

　　4、遵守譯文語言印刷規則和標點符號規則

　　4. Comply with the rules of printing and punctuation in the translated language

　　不同的語言有不同的排版和標點符號慣例，翻譯時應遵守譯文的語言用法。我們譯員當中有太多的人忘記這點，將原文語言的規則強加到譯文語言的文本上。例如，我們常常會看到巴西葡萄牙語譯文按照英語規則將某些詞匯大寫了，漢語譯文按照英語規則將某些詞匯處理為斜體字,甚至有些英語譯文中存在中文標點符號和項目編號。

　　Different languages have different typesetting and punctuation conventions. The language usage of the translated text should be observed in translation. Too many of our translators forget this and impose the rules of the original language on the text of the translated language. For example, we often see Brazilian Portuguese translations capitalize certain words according to English rules, Chinese translations treat some words as italics according to English rules, and even some English translations have Chinese punctuation marks and item numbers.

　　許多譯員要么輸入時粗心大意，要么從不學習如何使用計算機輸入文本。例如，我們常常發現這樣的翻譯：文本詞匯之間存在多余空格，逗號前出現空格，英文句點后沒有空格，中文句號后加了空格，制表使用不當等等。這種文本不僅給編輯、排版和校對造成不必要的困難，而且還會給客戶留下粗心印象，這對我們的形象極其不利。不要說這不屬于你的工作：我們應努力做好自己的翻譯，從而使編輯員和校對員不必再修改譯文，雖然這是不可能的，但始終應努力這樣做。

　　Many interpreters are either careless in typing or never learn how to use computers to input text. For example, we often find such translation: there are redundant spaces between text vocabulary, spaces before commas, no spaces after English periods, spaces after Chinese periods, improper tabulation and so on. This text not only creates unnecessary difficulties for editing, typesetting and proofreading, but also leaves a careless impression on customers, which is extremely harmful to our image. Don't say it's not your job: we should try to do our translation well so that editors and proofreaders don't have to revise the translation any more. Although it's impossible, we should always try to do so.

　　以上并非說你應成為一個排版員。事實上，我們與排版人員都承認一種人人皆知的說法：排版人員不翻譯，翻譯人員不排版。上面所說只是指，我們的工作應符合幾項“排版衛生”基本規則。

　　That's not to say you should be a typesetter. In fact, we and typesetters all admit a well-known saying: typesetters do not translate, translators do not typesetting. The above only means that our work should conform to several basic rules of "typesetting hygiene".

　　5、切勿使用“全部替換”命令

　　5. Do not use the "All Replacement" command

　　這是所有命令當中最致命的命令。雖然我們知道操作的替換可以撤銷，但我們也知道，通常你只有在應用全部替換半小時并進行了100處其他文本修改后才發現錯誤，這時再控制糾正已太遲了。

　　This is the deadliest of all orders. Although we know that the replacement of operations can be undone, we also know that you usually find errors only after half an hour of application replacement and 100 other text modifications, and then it is too late to control the correction.

　　6、不要讓拔河比賽損害你的譯文

　　6. Don't let tug-of-war damage your translation

　　翻譯過程中，原文語言和譯文語言就像在進行拔河比賽，不斷產生拉力，根據我們處理的程度，可能使我們的譯文豐富多彩，也可能使我們的譯文不堪一讀。

　　In the process of translation, the original language and the translated language are like tug-of-war contests, which constantly generate tension. According to the degree of our treatment, our translation may be rich and colorful, and our translation may also be unreadable.

　　即使譯文稍后會由他人編輯，大多數譯員仍然重視編輯自己的譯文，這是非常好的做法。這些譯員，有的喜歡分兩步編輯：先比較原文和譯文檢查忠實性，然后只讀譯文查看是否流暢。有的則喜歡按相反順序編輯：先檢查流暢性，再檢查忠實性。無論選擇哪種順序，都應堅持自我編校譯文，否則就算沒有完成工作。

　　Even though the translation will be edited later by others, most translators still attach great importance to editing their own translation, which is a very good practice. Some of these translators like to edit in two steps: first check the faithfulness of the original text and the translation, and then read only the translation to see if it is fluent. Others prefer to edit in reverse order: first check for fluency, then check for fidelity. Whatever order you choose, you should persist in compiling and proofreading your own translation, otherwise you will not finish your work.

　　7、了解同源詞、錯別字和其他

　　7. Understanding cognates, misspelled words and others

　　如果翻譯涉及的兩種語言有同源詞，則可能已被警告假同源詞，這些具有不同意義但詞匯相同或極其相似的語言對，即假朋友，例如：eventual在英語中是一種意思，而在葡萄牙語中又是另一種意思，這種詞讓不止一位翻譯崇拜者感到沮喪。

　　If the two languages involved in translation have cognates, they may have been warned of false cognates, which have different meanings but have the same or very similar vocabulary, that is, false friends, for example: Evetual is a meaning in English and another meaning in Portuguese, which frustrates more than one translator worshipper.

　　這些警告常常導致多疑觀點，認為在譯文中不能使用同源詞。為啥不能用同源詞呢?Eventual在英語和葡萄牙語中具有不同意義，但notável常常是notable的最佳譯文。當然，手頭有更好地選擇時，使用不大理想的翻譯會導致不必要的準確性損失。

　　These warnings often lead to doubtful opinions that cognates cannot be used in translation. Why not use cognates? Eventual has different meanings in English and Portuguese, but notvel is often the best translation of notable. Of course, when there are better choices at hand, the use of less desirable translations can lead to unnecessary loss of accuracy.

　　8、準確

　　8, accuracy

　　準確一種備受贊賞的翻譯美德，但我們經常注意名詞和動詞的準確，然而準確卻時常寓于形容詞和副詞之中。形容詞和副詞是典型的“微妙變化詞匯”，這種微不足道的詞匯對我們的思想起著微調作用。多年前，一家巴西出版社委托一個當地大學教授翻譯一本科普書。可能因為譯員不喜歡所讀的內容，也可能是其他原因，反正，盡管把名詞和動詞翻譯的正確無誤，但總把形容詞和副詞譯錯。極富創造力的研究僅僅譯成有趣的研究，明顯錯誤譯成可能錯誤，諸如此類的錯誤很多。“技術術語”全是名詞或動詞，翻譯得非常準確，出版社對之非常滿意，但是譯文質量卻非常糟糕。

　　Accuracy is a highly appreciated translation virtue, but we often pay attention to the accuracy of nouns and verbs, but accuracy often resides in adjectives and adverbs. Adjectives and adverbs are typical words with subtle changes, which play a fine-tuning role in our thinking. Years ago, a Brazilian Publishing House commissioned a professor from a local university to translate a popular undergraduate book. Maybe it's because the interpreter doesn't like what he reads, or maybe it's for other reasons. Anyway, although the translation of nouns and verbs is correct, the translation of adjectives and adverbs is always wrong. Creative research translates only into interesting research. Obviously, errors translate into possible errors. There are many such errors. "Technical terms" are all nouns or verbs. They are translated very accurately. The publishers are very satisfied with them, but the quality of the translation is very poor.

　　9、不要陷入介詞陷阱

　　9. Don't fall into the preposition trap

　　有趣的是，大量譯員仍然會陷入介詞陷阱。大部分介詞不會獨立存在，它們需要由動詞或名詞來搭配。

　　Interestingly, a large number of translators still fall into the preposition trap. Most prepositions do not exist independently. They need to be collocated by verbs or nouns.

　　10、檢查頁眉、頁腳、圖形和文本框

　　10. Check headers, footers, graphics and text boxes

　　我們翻譯時常常會直奔正文，忽視頁眉和頁腳，這里常常隱藏嚴重的錯誤。如果原文文本為MS Word文檔，請注意有些圖形在打印預覽方式時才會顯示，而且不要忘記尋找有無文本框。因為我們確實沒有這樣做，最近就與一家翻譯機構陷入極其尷尬的困境，文檔有兩個微小的文本框，總共不到十個字。但這恰恰是關鍵字，最終客戶最先注意的就是這幾個字。

　　When we translate, we often go straight to the text, ignoring the header and footer, where serious errors are often hidden. If the original text is an MS Word document, please note that some graphics will not be displayed until they are printed in preview mode, and don't forget to look for text boxes. Because we did not do so, we recently got into a very awkward dilemma with a translation agency. Documents have two tiny text boxes, a total of less than ten words. But this is precisely the key words, the final customer's first attention is these words.

　　11、重新運行拼寫和語法檢查程序

　　11. Rerun the spelling and grammar checker

　　交付稿件之前，為安全起見，最好再運行一次拼寫和語法檢查程序。我們在編校過程中常常又會產生語法和拼寫錯誤，最后就得檢查和清除這種錯誤了。

　　Before delivering the manuscript, it's better to run the spelling and grammar checker again for safety. We often make grammatical and spelling errors in the process of editing and proofreading. Finally, we have to check and clear up these errors.

　　12、請其他人檢查你的譯文

　　12. Ask others to check your translation

　　如果你的客戶是翻譯機構，那么很可能會有專門的譯審來檢查你的譯文。如果你的客戶是最終客戶，你應另尋他人來檢查你的譯文。即使你的譯作非常優秀，他們也會從中發現奇怪的錯誤，并將譯文改的面目全非。

　　If your client is a translation agency, there will probably be a special translation review to check your translation. If your client is the end customer, you should ask someone else to check your translation. Even if your translation is excellent, they will find strange mistakes in it and change it completely.

中譯國際翻譯（北京）有限公司
China International Translation service Co., Ltd.