Acknowledgements
Introduction for All Readers
Introduction for Instructors
1. Why Editing and Revising are Necessary
1.1 The difficulty of writing
1.2 Enforcing rules
1.3 Quality in translation
1.4 Limits to editing and revision
1.5 The proper role of revision
Summary
Further reading
2. The Work of an Editor
2.1 Tasks of editors
2.2 Editing, rewriting and adapting
2.3 Mental editing during translation
2.4 Editing non-native English
2.5 Crowd-sourced editing of User Generated Content
2.6 Degrees of editing
2.7 Editing procedure
Practice
Further reading
3. Copyediting
3.1 House style
3.2 Spelling and typing errors
3.3 Syntax and idiom
3.4 Punctuation
3.5 Usage
Practice
Further reading
4. Stylistic Editing
4.1 Tailoring language to readers
4.2 Smoothing
4.3 Readability versus intelligibility and logic
4.4 Stylistic editing during translation
4.5 Some traps to avoid
Practice
Further reading
5. Structural Editing
5.1 Physical structure of a text
5.2 Problems with prose
5.3 Problems with headings
5.4 Structural editing during translation
Practice
Further reading
6. Content Editing
6.1 Macro-level content editing
6.2 Factual errors
6.3 Logical errors
6.4 Mathematical errors
6.5 Content editing during translation
6.6 Content editing after translation
Practice
7. Trans-editing by Jungmin Hong
7.1 Trans-editing versus translating
7.2 Structural trans-editing
7.3 Content trans-editing
7.4 Combined structural and content trans-editing
7.5 Trans-editing with changed text-type
7.6 Trans-editing from multiple source texts
Exercises and discussion
Further reading
8. Checking for Consistency
8.1 Degrees of consistency
8.2 Pre-arranging consistency
8.3 Translation databases and consistency
8.4 Over-consistency
Practice
Further reading
9. Computer Aids to Checking
9.1 Google to the rescue?
9.2 Bilingual databases
9.3 Work on screen or on paper?
9.4 Editing functions of word processors
9.5 What kind of screen environment?
9.6 Tools specific to revision
Further reading
10. The Work of a Reviser
10.1 Revision: a reading task
10.2 Revision terminology
10.3 Reviser competencies
10.4 Revision and specialization
10.5 The revision function in translation services
10.6 Reliance on self-revision
10.7 Reducing differences among revisers
10.8 Crowd-sourced revision
10.9 Revising translations into the reviser’s second language
10.10 Quality-checking by clients
10.11 The brief
10.12 Balancing the interests of authors, clients, readers and translators
10.13 Evaluation of revisers
10.14 Time and quality
10.15 Quantity of revision
10.16 Quality assessment
10.17 Quality assurance
Practice
Further reading
11. The Revision Parameters
11.1 Accuracy
11.2 Completeness
11.3 Logic
11.4 Facts
11.5 Smoothness
11.6 Tailoring
11.7 Sub-language
11.8 Idiom
11.9 Mechanics
11.10 Layout
11.11 Typography
11.12 Organization
11.13 Client Specifications
11.14 Employer Policies
Further reading
12. Degrees of Revision
12.1 The need for revision by a second translator
12.2 Determining the degree of revision
12.2.1 Which parameters will be checked?
12.2.2 What level of accuracy and writing quality is required?
12.2.3 Full or partial check?
12.2.4 Compare or just re-read?
12.3 Some consequences of less-than-full revision
12.4 The relative importance of transfer and language parameters
12.5 A realistic approach to revision
Practice
Further reading
13. Revision Procedure
13.1 Procedure for finding errors
13.2 Principles for correcting and improving
13.3 Order of operations
13.4 Handling unsolved problems
13.5 Inputting changes
13.6 Checking Presentation
13.7 Preventing strategic errors
13.8 Getting help from the translator
13.9 Procedures, time-saving and quality
Summary of techniques for spotting errors and avoiding introduction of errors
Practice
Further reading
14. Self-Revision
14.1 Integration of self-revision into translation production
14.2 Self-diagnosis
14.3 The term ‘self-revision’
Practice
Further reading
15. Revising the Work of Others
15.1 Relations with revisees
15.2 Diagnosis
15.3 Advice
15.4 Research during revision
Practice
Further reading
16. Revising Computer-Mediated Translations by Carlos Teixeira
16.1 Translation Memory
16.1.1 Repairing Translation Memory suggestions
16.2 Machine Translation
16.2.1 Different ‘levels’ of post-editing
16.2.2 Types of edits required
16.2.3 Examples of post-editing
16.3 Integration of Translation Memory and Machine Translation
16.4 Computer-assisted Literary Translation
16.5 Generative AI and Literary Translation
16.6 Final Considerations
Further reading
17. Generative AI in Revision Workflows by Masaru Yamada
17.1 A revision scenario
17.2 Practical Examples of Prompting Techniques
17.2.1 Zero-Shot Prompt: Quick Grammar and Style Checks
17.2.2 Few-Shot Prompt: Aligning with a Preferred Style
17.2.3 Chain-of-Thought (COT) Prompt: Systematic Error Detection
17.2.4 Summary of Prompting Techniques
17.3 Using GenAI in the Translation and Revision Phases
17.3.1 Translation Phase
17.3.2 Revision Phase
17.4 Benefits, Limitations, and Ethical Considerations
17.4.1 Benefits of Using GenAI
17.4.2 Limitations of GenAI
17.4.3 Ethical Considerations
Conclusion
Further reading
18. Revising legal translations by Valérie Dullion
18.1 Standards of quality in legal translation
18.2 The specialized nature of legal language: key aspects to bear in mind when revising
18.3 Revising legal translations in a professional context
18.4 Revision parameters, degrees of revision and revision procedure
18.5 Common problems at different levels of legal sub-language
18.6 Competencies, profiles and training
Practice
Further reading
19. Revising literary translations by Giovanna Scocchera
19.1 What is revised
19.2 Who revises
19.3 Where and When is a literary translation revised?
19.4 How to revise a literary translation
19.4.1 An 8-step revision procedure
19.4.2 Literary revision tools
19.5 Why is a literary translation revised?
19.6 Machine post-editing of literary texts?
Appendix 1. Summary of Revision Ideas
Appendix 2. Quality Assessment
Appendix 3. Quantitative Grading Scheme
Appendix 4. Sample Revision
Appendix 5. Revising and Editing Vocabulary
Appendix 6. Empirical Research on Revision
Readings
Index
Biography
Brian Mossop is an instructor in the MA in Translation Studies program at York University in Toronto. He is the co-editor of Translation Revision and Post-editing ( Routledge 2021)
"Undoubtedly, Mossop's work is bedside reading for any translator, since the author's language (direct, clear and instructive) reflects his expertise as a translator, reviser and trainer. This fifth edition provides three vital new chapters on GenAI in revision workflows, and for revising both legal and literary translations."
Silvia Parra Galiano, Universidad de Granada
"I am convinced that the revised version of Revising and Editing for Translators will serve as an invaluable resource for translation students and translation trainers alike. The new chapters on the revision of challenging genres, such as legal and literary texts, on the revision of computer-mediated translation and on generative AI revision workflows will be indispensable for the translation student who wishes to be up-to-date on present challenges in the world of translation. The exercises and suggested activities will certainly help students practice various aspects of translation revision and develop their skills."
Helle Dam Jensen, Aarhus University
