| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: When proofreading, what percentage of your corrections are for punctuation? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "When proofreading, what percentage of your corrections are for punctuation?".
This poll was originally submitted by amanda solymosi. View the poll results »
| | | | | I don't know | Nov 14, 2010 |
And for sure it depends on the translation.
| | | | | Punctuation is in my genes | Nov 14, 2010 |
Punctuation comes naturally to me, so I get it right from the start.
After writing a ginoromous style manual (a full-time 2-year project) and studying more than 40 existing style manuals, I don't have any doubts left about how I want to punctuate texts.
| | | | Thayenga 
Germany
Local time: 02:29
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
| Yes, it does | Nov 14, 2010 |
Sophie Dzhygir wrote:
And for sure it depends on the translation.
Usually punctuation isn't such a big problem. Gramma, spelling and choice of terminology account for most of the proofing/editing work.
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neilmac
Spain
Local time: 02:29
Spanish to English
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Percentage... honestly, who's counting? I don't understand how anyone could concentrate on proofing or translating while simultaneously analysing, categorising and timing the processes involved. My modus operandi tends to be "just do it"... get it out of the way, then get on with the next job.
However, I translate mainly fom Spanish to English and have no qualms in affirming that in my experience about 95% of my Spanish clients make punctuation mistakes when writing in their own l... See more Percentage... honestly, who's counting? I don't understand how anyone could concentrate on proofing or translating while simultaneously analysing, categorising and timing the processes involved. My modus operandi tends to be "just do it"... get it out of the way, then get on with the next job.
However, I translate mainly fom Spanish to English and have no qualms in affirming that in my experience about 95% of my Spanish clients make punctuation mistakes when writing in their own language, the most common (often seen in newspapers, academic essays, etc) being inserting an unnecessary comma after the subject. As for English, the day I come across a translated text with no errors I do a little dance of delight around the room in celebration, so rare are these occasions. My impression that people nowadays are either quite ignorant about proper punctuation use or simply don't consider it important.
Context can affect how it is used too, for example in some marketing/advertising texts standard punctuation is dispensed with to achieve a dynamic effect, which took me some getting used to. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I have no idea! | Nov 14, 2010 |
But the error I have to correct more often is a comma between the subject and the predicate!
| | | | | Punctuation is as important as any other feature | Nov 14, 2010 |
And, like many other colleagues, I bemoan the fact that it is so often ignored. Good punctuation is a major aid to comprehension, but should barely be noticeable, and bad punctuation, or the absence of necessary punctuation, is a major hindrance. Anyone who has any practice in "sight reading" will have observed this.
Neil, couldn't agree with you more.
| | | | Simon Bruni
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:29
Member (2009)
Spanish to English
| Hypercorrection | Nov 14, 2010 |
neilmac wrote:
the most common (often seen in newspapers, academic essays, etc) being inserting an unnecessary comma after the subject.
Glad I'm not the only one to have noticed this. I think these things often come from 'hypercorrection' - mindlessly adhering to basic punctuaton rules taught at school but in places where they don't logically apply.
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| Hypercorrection | Nov 14, 2010 |
Word thinks that there should always be a comma after which. Not a good start.
Edited:
Or before. Can't remember which and I disabled it.
[Edited at 2010-11-14 16:09 GMT]
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My MSWord always tries to put a comma before 'which'. I'm not the punctuation king, so it this right? Do I have to say 'that' to avoid an additional comma in an already 'comma-tose' listing phrase?
| | | | | Proofreading what? My own or someone else's? | Nov 14, 2010 |
When proofreading my own work, I almost never find a punctuation error. With other people's work, punctuation is often over 25% (a guess, since I certainly don't keep track!).
However, regarding my own work, I don't know whether that means I'm very, very good at punctuation or that I'm unable to spot my own errors.
Jane
Edited to correct a spelling error. Didn't proofread!
[Edited at 2010-11-15 02:15 GMT]
| | | | Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 17:29
English to German
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In memoriam | You wouldn't believe... | Nov 15, 2010 |
...how many translators copy the punctuation of the source text slavishly. Meaning that I find American quotation marks in a German text, blank spaces between words and question or exclamation marks and so on. When did this sloppiness start? Punctuation is part of the written language.
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| Slavish copying of punctuation in Spanish/English, too. | Nov 15, 2010 |
Nicole Schnell wrote:
You wouldn't believe how many translators copy the punctuation of the source text slavishly...When did this sloppiness start? Punctuation is part of the written language.
I'm constantly amazed at how many educated speakers of English and Spanish, including "professional" translators, are not even aware that there are differences in the rules and usage of punctuation between the two languages! No matter the title of the translation course I'm teaching, I end up spending a week or two (or more!) on those differences.
Jane
| | | | | I am not sure | Nov 15, 2010 |
Punctuation is a part of it but a lot of it seems to be grammar and sentence structure. Especially with a translation to english by a non-native english speaker! Not their fault, but i also wonder how much of it is the result of CAT tools.
| | | | Rebecca Garber
Local time: 20:29
Member (2005)
German to English
+ ...
It simply never occurred to me to categorize my corrections.
Although the ones that tick me off are:
not running a basic spell check, really, how could you not at least do that? And yes, your basic spell/grammar check would have caught the space before the period...
not maintaining source formatting (font color, bold, etc.), esp in powerpoint.
Punctuation, grammar, terminology are simply part of proofreading.
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