Linguistic Quality Assurance (LQA): A Critical Step to Ensure High-Quality Translation

If you think the translation process is very simple, you are wrong. The translation process goes through several important stages such as translation, review, proofreading, LQA, and LSO. This time, we will discuss Linguistic Quality Assurance (LQA), which is an important stage in translation. Skipping the LQA stage can have fatal consequences, both for the translation results and the brand’s reputation. Want to know why? Check out the explanation below.

What is Linguistic Quality Assurance and how is it different from review/proofreading?

Linguistic Quality Assurance (LQA) is the process of evaluating and assessing translations to check their accuracy and linguistic quality. Some of the aspects examined include grammar and syntax, terminology, and cultural relevance. Unlike the review or proofreading process, LQA has a special feature in which each segment is analyzed to find errors, and a cumulative score is given based on the type and severity of the error.

Types of Errors Assessed in LQA

Linguistic Quality Assurance systems typically categorize errors into several main types:

Objective errors:

• Missing translations: content not translated from the source language
• Spelling, grammar, and syntax errors: errors in spelling or sentence structure
• Terminology inconsistencies: refers to the incorrect or inconsistent use of key terms
• Formatting issues: problems related to spacing, capitalization, hyphenation, and other similar elements

Subjective errors:

• Literal translations: word-for-word translations that sound unnatural
• Mistranslation: incorrect translations that mislead the reader
• Under/over-translation: providing less or more information than is in the source text
• Omissions: omitting words from the source text
• Cultural nuance issues: failing to consider the cultural context.
• Style guide violations: not adhering to established style guidelines

Linguistic Quality Assurance Process Stages

The main stages of the Linguistic Quality Assurance process include:

1. Line-by-line review
   This process is carried out by checking the translator’s translation against the source language to ensure accuracy.
2. Error identification
   Whenever an error is found, it is categorized (e.g., mistranslation, grammar, terminology, style, etc.).
3. Scoring
   Errors found are then scored. Scoring includes minor, major, and critical. This aims to evaluate the translation results in a measurable way, whether the translation is suitable for publication or not.
4. Targeted revision
   The LQA results will be shared with the translator and at this stage the translator needs to correct the errors found.
5. Final check
   This stage is a re-examination to ensure that all errors found have been corrected by the translator and that all corrections are correct. 

Benefits of LQA

Although it may seem simple, the Linguistic Quality Assurance process has a myriad of benefits, including:

• Ensuring translation accuracy and consistency
• Providing measurable feedback to translators
• Reducing business and compliance risks
• Enhancing brand credibility
• Improving user experience

Conclusion

Linguistic Quality Assurance is not just a layered review process. This stage is a quality control mechanism that determines whether a translation is ready for publication. Ignoring this process means opening up opportunities for miscommunication, business risks, and damage to brand reputation.

If you need a partner to carry out the LQA process, Vy-Trans is ready to help.