Typical translator’s errors in the translation editing process

1.Semantic and logical errors. 5.Lexical errors.

2.Language redundancy. 6.Phonetic errors.
3.Impaired compatibility. 7.Structural and logical errors.
4.Grammatical errors. 8.Stylistic flaws.

1. Semantic and logical errors

1.1.Ambiguity of the text interpretation. The text may be ambiguous due to thefollowing defects:
✓ False semantic connections in a sentence.
✓ Shifted logical emphasis.
False semantic connections in a sentence are one of the most serious stylistic defectsthat affect
comprehension. This stylistic defect can even lead to a comic effect:
Співробітники побажали колезі, що виходив на пенсію, позбавлення від хворіб ідовголітнього
життя.
The words placed next to each other form a false semantic connection.
Correcting such a defect may demand restructuring the entire sentence or replacingthose words that form a
false semantic connection.

Shifting the logical emphasis. Ambiguity in understanding a sentence is often causedby the fact that its
structure makes it unclear which word should be emphasized, for example:
Ці реле також слугують для захисту системи.
The phrase can be understood in two ways:
✓ If you emphasize the word "also", it means that these relays, along withothers, serve for protection.
✓ Emphasizing the word "protect" means that these relays, among other things,serve for protection.
Only the oral form of presentation of the translation makes it possible todistinguish the meaning;
otherwise, a sentence restructuring is necessary:
✓ Також і ці реле слугують для захисту системи.
✓ Ці реле слугують і для захисту системи.
Translators usually perceive such substitutions as editorial arbitrariness and pettiness,but this is a good
example of a minimal but accurate correction.

2. Language redundancy
2.1.Pleonasm – the use ofwords in speech that are similar in meaning and therefore logically superfluous. For
example:
Сенсорний датчик – Датчик
Візуальний огляд – Огляд / Візуальна перевірка
However, some phrases are no longer perceived as a manifestation of pleonasm, for example
інформаційне повідомлення, реальна дійсність,зворотна реакція, etc.

2.2 Tautology – the repetition of words of the same root. Such repetitions make the phrase sound unpleasant:
Будівля обладнана інженерним обладнанням. Накреслити креслення.

2.3. Odd words

Unnecessary words, i.e. those that have no semantic load. They do not distort the meaning, but they make
the text difficult to read, irritate the reader, and spoil the language and taste. For example: Перевіряти з
періодичністю 1 раз на 2тижні. – Перевіряти 1 раз на 2тижні. З затримкою у часі – З затримкою.

2.4. "Looseness" of presentation. The translator should strive for conciseness of presentation (this applies
primarily to texts of scientific and formal business styles). A loosetext makes it difficult to understand. Необхідно
потурбуватися про те, щобвідведення конденсату здійснювалося безперешкодно. – Забезпечте
безперешкодне відведення конденсату.

2.5. Split predicate. Avoid using verbs such as виробляти, проводити, створювати, здійснювати, etc. in
combination with nouns. It is better to use a simple verb form, for example: Проводити випробування –
Випробовувати.
2.6 Unnecessary possessive pronouns. Try to avoid unnecessary possessive pronouns, which are common in
German and English, for example: The policeman took his whistle out of his pocket and put it into his mouth ::
Поліцейський свій витягнув свисток із своєї кишені і почав свистіти.

2.7. Excessive detail in the description. Wherever possible, excessive detail in the description should be avoided
(especially in scientific texts).
Двері оснащені замком, щозакривається на ключ. – Двері зачиняються на ключ.