Hello! I've got a question that keeps bothering me: I usually avoid jobs that include sentences that can't be accurately translated because the subject is unstated and can't be inferred from context. Is it appropriate to ask the customer about sentence subjects in the comments? And should this be done before or after accepting or submitting a job? I wonder what everybody else does . . .
thnx for your input!
1 comment
Thanks for the question! It's definitely always appropriate to ask the customer in situations like this! In terms of timing, that's a personal call. If you're pretty sure you know what they're talking about but want to be totally certain, I'd say it's alright to pick up the job and ask as you translate. If you have no real idea, I'd definitely caution against picking the job up. If you notice the job's been on the queue for a while, the odds are good that other translators are wondering the same thing, so a comment from you would probably be helpful to everyone. It's fine to make comments on jobs that you aren't picking up, if they're for general helpful clarification. It may also help the customer realize why their job hasn't been done yet.
If you ask for clarification for a job you're working on and don't get it before the deadline arrives, you can always submit the job with a note to the customer indicating that you submitted because of time constraints, made such-and-such choices, and if they'd like you to revise it to let you know. Our system supports returning for revisions, and it's always possible to upload new versions of files. If you're very concerned, you can always contact support as well.