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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
SITE STAFF
Oct 23

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: 21:54
Member (2007)
Ingiriisi to Portuguese
+ ...
Contact the client Oct 23

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..... Oct 23

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: 22:54
Member (2009)
Ingiriisi to German
+ ...
The number 1 rule Oct 23

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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