Revision | Editing | Proofreading of Translations and German Originals
The terms and concepts of revision, editing, and proofreading are frequently confused and used interchangeably. Even industry professionals can’t agree on a common definition. Also, it might not even be clear at the outset of an assignment which service is appropriate for a certain text.
For the European Commission, a revision is a systematic comparison of the original and target texts to ensure that the target text is an accurate and consistent rendering of the original and that it meets the specified quality requirements.
Editing and proofreading is for texts which are not translated, or where consistency with the original is not important. Text and terminology are reviewed and corrected according to general linguistic rules or the organisation’s style guide.
Factors addressed in both cases are: spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalisation, correct matching of nouns with verbs or adjectives, word choice, clarity, conciseness etc.
All of these measures are intended to improve the quality of the text in order to make it more appealing and easier to read. What needs to be done with your text should be discussed and decided on an individual basis.
