Proofreaders guide

[Claudia]

Proofreader Sensei = Toady


The Proofreader's job is to:

• Check for errors in grammar, flow and punctuation in the translated script.
  
• Check the raws together with the script to make sure the translator hasn't missed a bubble translation.

All the proofreaders have a 3-day deadline to submit their proofed script

If someone has more than 1 project and they all come at once, of course we won't spank you to deliver them all at the same time.
But don't keep us waiting for more than 3 days if you have only 1 script to do at any given time.

If at some point you cannot meet the deadline, inform the QC of your project or an admin - or if you are going to be absent for many days, write a post in the absent thread.

*****

When you proofread, highlight with blue text whatever changes you make in the script.

For example:
If a bubble says:

Hello I spoke England very best.

Leave the translation intact and add a new line below it highlighting it with blue, which will be your correction to the translators writings. As in:

Hello I spoke England very best.
Hello, I speak very good English.

When you are finished with whatever project you are currently working on, place it on the FTP in the appropriate script folder (after you renamed it to <*filename*_PR>), and then make a post on the status thread of your project.

This is for the typesetter/editor to know that it is ready for typesetting.

The format of the proofed file should be in .rtf (Rich Text Format), .doc or .docx

And also make sure you read the post below by Ivries!

[Ivries]

IMPORTANT RULES
(read this if you read nothing else)

1. Don't use unnecessary quotation marks when you make your corrections according to the format.
I good at English.
My English is good.
YES!

I good at English
"My English is good."
NO!

One general rule: DO NOT USE CAPS ever!
Not at all in your script (its hard for typesetters to read it. If you would like to emphasise something make it bold.

2. Don't double space between your sentences.
I know they taught you to do this in school, but it'll mess up the typesetters.

3. Count the periods in ellipses.
Normally, there is a time for 3-dotted ellipses and a time for 4-dotted ellipses.

4. Every bubble must have some kind of punctuation in the end.
(May it be . or , or ... or ; or whatever~) This makes it easier for QCers not to make a mistake.

In Easy-Going Land, there are only 3-period ellipses. Always... No Matter What...
(Let's cut the typesetters some slack, ne?)

4. some text issues like:
?!... <----wrong
...?! <----right
!? <------- wrong
?! <--------right

5. Honorifics:
When the dialogue insist on having honorifics for the names such as -chan, -kun, -sama etc.
You correct the names like this: Mungen-sama or mach-kun or Oskye-chan
and not oskyechan.

IMPORTANT
--------> missing bubbles <----------
You need to check the script and perhaps counting the bubbles and what the translator has translated for every page to make sure there is not a missing bubble translation in the script.
---> When you find a missing bubble note it down on the proofed script and post in the status thread so the translator sees it and look it up.

A NOT-SO-BRIEF GUIDE TO PR-ING
I. EDITING THE SCRIPT
A proof-reader's main job is to fix a translator's script to Standard English. There are two main elements of this.

1. Mechanics
Fix ALL spelling/grammar mistakes. Check for correct punctuation, verb tense, proper word usage. Did your translator forget to punctuate? Misuse the subjunctive? Use the wrong preposition/verb tense/part of speech? That becomes YOUR job, for every single line. Does the script mix up it's/its? your/you're? their/there/they're? It's your job to fix! (If you're not sure which is which, PM me immediately.)

2. Flow
Re-write awkward portions so that they read smoothly/naturally. This can be tricky as sometimes you'll need to adjust the tone. As a lame example, the Vampire Lord Rai from Noblesse probably isn't going to say, "The ramen was soooo yummy!" If you see that in the script, it is your sworn duty to change it to something like: "The ramen was rather tasty" or "quite good" -- see what I mean?
Another Flow example: If the translator says:
However! We must not let that happen
you must convert it to something like:
However, we must not let that happen!

Punctuation is very important and should not be omitted.

Sometimes this will mean breaking grammar rules. Loach of Chaser isn't going to speak with perfect grammar. Shiho of BLAST likes to say "gotta" and "the hell?!" Every now and then, you might even have to (GASP) split an infinitive. This is mostly dialogue--not your PhD dissertation. When people talk in real life, we speak in fragments and slang and non-standard contractions all the time ("What're you PR-ing next, fool?"/"I gotta do Under Prin."/"Word."). Make sure the script sounds like something the character would say.

Flow can be tricky if you don't know how much you can change the script without messing with the integrity of the translation. That's when Part II becomes important....

SFX
All SFX must have the format: SFX: blabla
not *blabla* not sfxblabla nor any other thing.

When a translator is saying:
SFX: walking noise
You must convert to:
SFX: step

II. CHECKING THE RAWS AS YOU GO
So you're a PR, and you can barely tell Korean/Chinese/Japanese apart. Why should you have to check the raws??

1. Make sure there aren't any missing bubbles in the script. If you find any, alert your translator (page #, bubble #, who's speaking, etc).

2. Checking raws helps you fix the flow. Another lame example:
Let's say you have the following picture --

Translator's script says: Wish you didn't do!
Newb PR might say: I wish you would not do that!
Pro PR who checks raws might say: What the hell are you doing?! <--- This is what we want.

Fits the context much better, yes? Gives the script a better flow, ne? You can change the words completely if it'll convey the meaning more effectively. Yes, you have that much power. Wield it responsibly.

[Gastogh]

I heard the proofers are to avoid using caps in their scripts. This is apparently the same rule as found in the translator's guide:

Never use caps! (it is hard for proofers to read) if you wanna emphasize something make it bold

Recommend that that one be added to this guide, too.

[Claudia]

thanks gastogh :)

I added it ^^

[Squeakerbox]

>< That's pretty daunting to have to know the personality of the speaker well enough to accurately reflect their word choice, level of grammar, and social standing.

[kanra]

>< That's pretty daunting to have to know the personality of the speaker well enough to accurately reflect their word choice, level of grammar, and social standing.

You'll have to crosscheck the script with the raws. A manga/webtoon/manhua panel speaks a thousand words about the character.

[Enkida]

Well this is rather late to the game isn't it.



If you're a proofreader, and you happen to see something called a "cheat sheet" or a "character guide" in the script folder, DOWNLOAD AND USE IT! This (usually .txt) document should contain enough background information / character names to help familarize you with a series if you happen to be asked to sub it or pick it up midway through. This is especially important to create continuity with character names between proofers, particularly in the Chinese and Korean comics we do.

Also, should your TL introduce a new character to the series that isn't mentioned in the cheat sheet, for the love of continuity, UPDATE THE CHEAT SHEET! Add the date it was last modified, the new character's name, and then overwrite the former cheat sheet so that the next proofreader can continue to correct things properly without having to backread an entire series to double-check the names of the characters.

[Brookefish]

Oh my... does this mean I have to restart my entire form if I didn't use it? I mean honestly the Word doc already isn't allowing me to save which is dumb. Do any of you have solutions?

[Enkida]

Oh my... does this mean I have to restart my entire form if I didn't use it? I mean honestly the Word doc already isn't allowing me to save which is dumb. Do any of you have solutions?

Whatcha workin on? Some series (sadly) don't have a character cheat sheet form yet. You can always feel free to start one if that's the case

If you have a series with a .txt file character sheet- always .txt files, anything with an image file in it instead is usually not up-to-date - then just cross check the chapter you did with names in the character sheet and make sure they're spelled consistently. That is, after all, our job :-)

[Brookefish]

Whatcha workin on? Some series (sadly) don't have a character cheat sheet form yet.

Well I was working on the PR test form. I found that it didn't have a character sheet, so I was honestly a bit relieved. I've since finished it and have sent it in :)