Editing German text - make sure it is authentic
Editing and proofreading a German translation is necessary to make sure that it reads authentically and correctly, as if the text was written in German from the outset.
To this day I am still surprised to find so much published material with mistakes in it, especially on the internet.
OK, we all slip up sometimes. But a lot of copy I see has obviously been written by German native speakers in great haste, or been translated from another language by non-experts.
The result can be really embarrassing and mistakes like that should certainly not happen in any material that is related to business.
Maybe you speak German very well and write or translate your own text. Nobody is perfect, though and it makes a lot of sense to have it checked and edited by a second pair of eyes.
What should YOU check?
Anyone can do a computerized check for spelling and grammar these days, but is that enough? Are you really sure about ...
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Syntax?
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Verbalization?
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Content?
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Sentence Structure?
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Consistent Design?
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Fluent Presentation?
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Clear choice of words?
There is always more than one way to phrase anything and if you want to publish it, it's worth looking at the alternatives. Languages are full of subtle local differences that not even native speakers are always aware of ... but they can make or break your message.
Have a look at this :
Editing text after it has been written therefore makes sense and is not a sign of mistrust in the capabilities of the author - most of my own translation projects for example get checked and revised before they are published, with good reason.
When I write or translate, I am deeply buried in the subject and identify with it ... a good editor will read the page from a different perspective later; he is more detached and has an overview of the whole story that will almost inevitably result in improvements.
Do yourself a favour, let me work on your German text before you publish it : contact me from here.
If you first want to see some examples of how I edit and deal with text : pay a visit to my archive of Bilingual Quotes or read this article in English on my KOMPASS website.
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