Why You Can’t Afford to Skip Vietnamese Proofreading Translations

When it comes to business communications in Vietnamese, Vietnamese proofreading translations is both a safety net and the last polish for your message.

Even a basic email might appear unprofessional due to typos and grammar problems. However, recognizing them is merely the beginning of a skilled proofreader’s duty.

Because when the stakes are higher – whether it comes to contacts in the Vietnamese market between you and your audience, between you and your suppliers and clients, or even internally – the risks of translation errors are considerably higher:

• Are you willing to take the risk of communicating an entirely different message from your intended one in your advertising? 
• Are you taking the risk of costly lawsuits or lost income in the future?

In translation, a proofreader’s role is to ensure that you are not. They’re your last line of defense, checking for mistakes and polishing your message until it’s ready to be published.

What is proofreading?

Proofreading is typically defined as a review of a piece of writing’s final draft. The purpose of a proofreader is to check a document’s grammar, punctuation, tense use, sentence structure, and layout.

However, depending on the industry, the specifics of what proofreading includes will differ. Academic proofreading is quite distinct from publishing proofreading, and both are very different from the type of proofreading that translations require.

In translation, a proofreader must also analyze how well the content conveys the message as intended. This entails going over things like word usage to make sure there aren’t any other – maybe better – translations that might have been utilized.

After proofreading, a text should be ready for publishing right away.

The different types of proofreading

It’s crucial to understand the differences between those three types of proofreading. They all emphasize the need of performing a final pre-publication check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation. When it comes to other priorities, however, there are significant differences:

• Publishing proofreading: is frequently used to ensure that print media is ready for publication. A publisher will be seeking a proofreader to double-check all prior authors’ and editors’ work for spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Academic proofreading: usually includes citing and referencing checks in addition to the typical checks. At higher levels, an academic proofreader may additionally examine the text’s style and language used. 
• Vietnamese proofreading translations: requires the proofreader to evaluate the source (original language) and target (new language) texts for the integrity of meaning in addition to the checks stated above.

Why are Vietnamese proofreading translations so important?

Even the most talented and experienced linguists could make a mistake. 

That’s why it’s critical to have a second and third set of eyes on a given text. Even if you have great subject matter knowledge and linguistic experience, there’s always the possibility that someone else can improve it.

Furthermore, proofreading is an important step in even the most basic commercial document used in Vietnam. The higher the value of your communication, the more important it is to have a professional review procedure before release. Publishing your work without proofreading, you may risk:

• Miscommunications
• Lost revenue
• Damage to your brand

What is the difference between editing and proofreading?

In the translation process, Vietnamese proofreading translations should come after editing. The job of a proofreader is to do final mistake checks and polishing on a document that should already be well-written and clear in its language.

• Editing – the goal of an editor is to improve the impact of your content. This might entail looking through the text for clarity, tone, and voice, as well as consistency and general quality.
• Proofreading – a proofreader reviews the texts for any typographical, grammatical, or formatting issues that may have appeared during the editing process or in the original translation. In translation proofreading, they will examine language use and compare the source and target texts to achieve the greatest possible quality.

What to look for in your proofreader for Vietnamese translation

To perform their work efficiently, a Vietnamese proofreading translations provider needs to have certain skills, not least a strong attention to detail.

When you’re looking for translation proofreading services, there are a few things to keep an eye out for:

#1. A native speaker of your target language and culture 

“The hardships of struggling with a violent storm don’t compare to the hardships of mastering Vietnamese grammar.”, as the saying goes. Professional Vietnamese proofreaders will ensure that your document is not only linguistically correct in all areas – grammar, spelling, punctuation, formatting, etc. but also sound natural. 

Moreover, they could easily understand the culture of the target audience of your message. This is key to making sure that the message conveyed in your document is the same as your intention when it is read by your target customers. 

The following are some of Vietnamese nuances and locale specifics you should be aware of:

• A large number of personal pronouns are utilized in Vietnam. When speaking with your target audiences, a Vietnamese proofreading translations specialist may assist you in selecting the appropriate pronouns.
• Vietnam is divided into 3 regional parts, and each part normally has a different writing style, spelling, vocabulary, and culture. 
• The Vietnamese capitalization system is complex, and it should be handled carefully. 
• When translating information into Vietnamese, keep in mind the word expansion.
• The date format is date-month-year.
• The given name is followed by the family name in the full name format.
• The following elements are usually included in the format of an address: house number, street, ward, district, and city.

#2. A master of the source language too

It is critical to have native-level proficiency in the target language while reviewing a translation. But a mastery of the original language is required.

This is because a proofreader is frequently required to consult the original document throughout their job. They need to know whether language has been made more strident or less strong by accident as a result of the translation process.

Their goal is to make any necessary adjustments so that documents in Vietnamese will be a properly suited localization of the original content. They won’t be able to do so unless they know exactly what the original text says.

#3. A subject matter specialist for Vietnamese proofreading translations

A translator, editor, or proofreader must have a thorough awareness of the terminology employed in a particular document from a certain industry or field.

If you work in the chemical sector, for example, you may have documents that refer to manufacturing procedures or chemical properties. If you work in the legal area, you could mention particular laws or practices. 

Your proofreader will struggle to determine whether or not any element is right or relevant if they don’t comprehend the underlying meaning of the materials they’re verifying.

That’s why, at GTE Localize, our linguist must have a minimum of five years of industry experience or a Master’s degree in the field. Everyone participating in the translation process must understand what they’re writing about in order to produce high-quality translations.

#4. Access to the right tools and technology

Modern translation services are delivered with handy assistance from CAT (Computer Aided Translation) tools which may include things like Translation Memories. TMs are collections of words and phrases that have previously been translated.

Thus, a proofreader who specializes in translation must have a thorough comprehension of such technologies. If you’re working with a competent translation agency, this is almost a given. However, it’s always worth checking because certain translation agencies may offer you a discount when using TMs.

Why Vietnamese proofreading translations matters

The need for Vietnamese proofreading translations services skyrockets when it comes to documents that have been translated into Vietnamese. It’s the only way to ensure that your messages are identical replicas of your originals. Furthermore, they are up-to-date, publication-ready, and fully fit for tasks.

Conclusions

Final translations might occasionally miss something if they aren’t thoroughly proofread and revised. For this reason, proofreaders must be well-trained and have a sharp eye for inadvertent human mistakes. 

GTE Localize is a professional translation & localization company. We not only provide companies with translating and editing services but also proofreading to ensure the highest quality of translation. Committed to high-quality standards, GTE Localize is ISO 9001:2005 certified.

Reasons to choose us:

• We have professional account managers that will assist you with smart and timely solutions to any of your problems.
• Technology applied: Our self-built ERP and CAT technologies will help you save money on translation.
• Your translation projects will be completed with a fast turnaround time at a competitive rate. 

Contact us now for more information on our Vietnamese proofreading translations services, or to request a free consultation from our Vietnamese localization experts.

If you are going to localize your content into the Asian market but do not know where to start, let our free whitepaper become your guideline.