Managing Copy Changes Mid-Project and Keeping Translation Costs at a Minimum

Sometimes the cost and time to make a copy change during the middle of a project can come to quite a surprise to a customer.


Consider a simple change, such as adding a register mark to a name. This is something that can normally be done with a search and replace operation in Desktop Publishing. Proofreading this change can also be done quickly with a search function in the final formatted document.


However, consider a terminology change, such as changing the word “device” to “instrument”. A search and replace function may not be able to be used, as the existing translation may appear in various forms, such as a subject and/or object of the sentence, or in singular and/or plural, etc.. Most foreign languages have different endings and/or different modifiers, depending on the form or gender of the word.


A copy change like this will entail the work of an editor, a desktop publisher, and proofreaders (both mechanical and linguistic). Naturally, the number of occurrences of the new term determine the cost and additional production time needed to handle the change.

This is another good reason to do your best to assure that your source material is approved and final before beginning the translation process.