In the translation process, the workflow does not stop at the review or proofreading stage. Translations still go through several stages, one of which is LSO (Linguistic Sign-Off). To find out what LSO is and why it is important to include it in your workflow, see the explanation below.
What Is Linguistic Sign-Off?
LSO or Linguistic Sign-Off is the final stage in the translation workflow. This is the final review stage where the translated content is checked in its final design format, which can be in the form of a PDF, website, application, brochure, etc.
At this stage, the translation must have already been checked through the review or proofreading process and through the DTP or Desktop Publishing process.
What is the purpose of Linguistic Sign-Off and why is it important?
Linguistic Sign-Off is the final stage that may seem trivial, but it is actually a very critical process if not done properly. The LSO stage checks the final translation results in various aspects such as layout, font, headings, images, links, etc.
Imagine if your text had been published without going through the LSO stage. The translated text could contain typos, an untidy layout, or even broken links. That is why this final check is so important, as it can prevent small mistakes that could damage your brand image.
What needs to be checked at this stage
The Linguistic Sign-Off stage is carried out by a linguist to check several simple but important aspects of a translation. In this process, the linguist will perform several checks, including:
- Linguistic and typographical errors, including numbers, capitalization, etc.
- Layout issues such as font type or color, paragraph alignment, etc.
- The cultural inappropriateness of UI in terms of color, design, etc.
- Improper functionality of hyperlinks and buttons
- Missing translated text
- Mistranslations based on the context in the user interface
- Overlapped or truncated text
- Inconsistent appearance or usage
- Presence of unlocalized text
- Tables of contents
How to do Linguistic Sign-Off?
Linguistic Sign-Off is performed depending on the type of translation format to be checked. If the translation is intended for a PDF document, the linguist will check the source language and target language versions of the PDF.
All formatting in the target language will be adjusted to match the source language, except for certain elements such as dates, currencies, etc. PDF files are checked using additional software such as Adobe Acrobat, Foxit, Nitro, etc. The linguist will highlight the parts that need to be revised and provide comments or explanations about the errors and corrections.
For website translation texts, the linguist will open the source and target language versions of the website and check them. If errors are found, the linguist can make a list of errors by taking screenshots of the parts that need to be corrected, marking them with boxes or underlines, and then typing in the type of error and the correction.
Closing
The Linguistic Sign-Off stage, which is often overlooked by clients, can actually be a fatal mistake if not done. Even the smallest mistake can affect the image of the company and the client. Therefore, avoid these small mistakes by performing the LSO.
If you are looking for a translation agency that provides Linguistic Sign-Off services, contact Vy-Trans immediately and we will be happy to help.
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