As you work on a translation project, questions related to the content come up and need to be routed to the requester of the project.
First of all, you will need to check with the requester which tool should be used for asking questions. Today's Translation Management Software (TMS) has a convenient function to attach a comment to a specific sentence. This would often be the first option, but the requester might have their own query database website. Or, the requester might provide you with a simple spreadsheet or rely on a channel in a text chat software. So, find out the main discussion tool.
However, some generic questions will need answers quickly at the start of the project, like, "Should this article be translated in a formal language because the audience seems to be the government?" Use your regular communication channel where appropriate.
What could be the good questions to ask?
The primary question will be about the details of the product or service being translated. Any questions directly related to the product or service should be confirmed with the project requester. Be specific by mentioning your action or the reason why you are asking. For example:
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"Is this process A done by a user or an automation tool? For now we are translating it as the latter based on the assumption from the description that follows." |
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"Is this feature A designed for B or C? The word A can mean both B and C in the target language, so we need to know which one is suitable in this case." |
If the discussion platform has a title (or subject) field, you should also enter a clear title.
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Be specific, like: "Meaning of A in feature B" |
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Avoid: "Unclear source text" |
In the case of transcreation projects, occasional note-like questions can be appropriate in order to inform the requester of your creative approach and to make sure that there is no misinterpretation.
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"I have fully restructured this sentence in the translation by taking into account the main point in this paragraph (product A's usability). Can you reconfirm my understanding?" |
Now, below are examples of irrelevant questions.
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Very generic terminology |
"What does www mean?" |
Do your own research and avoid easy questions. These questions can easily be answered by a quick web search. |
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Internal review notes |
"During my review, I have corrected this sentence to make it sound simpler." "The translation of A was missing, so I have updated the translation for accuracy." |
Delete before your delivery. The requester does not need to know your team's internal communication. |
Focus on the information that matters to the requester, and think twice before adding a comment or question.