Top-down or bottom-up: what do industry approaches to translation quality mean for effective integration of standards and tools?

摘要

The diverse approaches to translation quality in the industry can be grouped in two broadrncamps: top-down and bottom-up. The author has recently published a decade-long study of thernlanguage services (Quality in Professional Translation, Bloomsbury, 2013). Research for the studyrncovered translation providers from individual freelance translators working at home, to largescalerninstitutions including the European Union Directorate-General for Translation, commercialrntranslation companies and divisions, and not-for-profit translation groups.rnWithin the two broad ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ camps, a range of further sub-models wasrnidentified and catalogued (e.g. ‘minimalist’ or ‘experience-dependent’). The shared distinctivernfeatures of each sub-group were described, with a particular focus on their use of technologies.rnThese different approaches have significant implications for, first, the integration of industryrnstandards on quality, and, second, the efficient harnessing of technology throughout therntranslation workflow.rnThis contribution explains the range of industry approaches to translation quality then asksrnhow these map on to successful integration of standards, and features of the leading tools whichrnare designed to support or enhance quality.rnAre standards and technologies inevitably experienced as an imposition by translators andrnothers involved in the translation process? Significantly, no straightforward link was foundrnbetween a ‘top-down’ or ‘bottom-up’ approach to assessing or improving translation quality andrneffective use of tools or standards. Instead, positive practice was identified across a range ofrnapproaches.rnThe discussion outlines some painless ways these developments are being channelled tornimprove quality, or more frequently, to maintain it while meeting tighter deadlines. Some modelsrnexisted beyond, or were partially integrated in, ‘professional’ translation (e.g. pro bonorntranslators, and volunteer Open Source localizers).rnWhat lessons can we learn from enthusiasts in such communities, who sometimes adopt orrncreate approaches voluntarily?