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Poll: What is your primary approach when part of a source document is barely legible?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
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08:10

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What is your primary approach when part of a source document is barely legible?".

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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 18:53
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Contact the client 08:49

It hasn’t happened these last years, but it happened quite often when I was registered as a sworn translator in Belgium. My approach was to contact the client immediately and either reject the job or to mark those parts as illegible. I’ve been called a «miracle worker» by some clients, but I can’t fix everything and I have my limitations…

Michael Newton
Claudio Machado Junior
Daryo
Maria Laura Curzi
 
Salvator Colunga Gaitán
Salvator Colunga Gaitán
United Kingdom
New user
Sometimes clients..... 11:26

Sometimes clients expect translators to work miracles, but even the most experienced professional can't make out text that's simply unreadable. I think it's important to know when to acknowledge those limitations. That's not a sign of unprofessionalism; if anything, it's a sign of taking your work seriously.
 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 19:53
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
The number 1 rule 11:28

Whenever something is unclear, may it be the instructions or a partially illegible document, always contact the client and request clarification or a legible copy of the file. Those who don't can hardly consider themselves to be professionals.

Claudio Machado Junior
Daryo
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Laura Curzi
 


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Poll: What is your primary approach when part of a source document is barely legible?






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