ASTM F2575-23e2
(Practice)Standard Practice for Language Translation
Standard Practice for Language Translation
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This practice is intended to apply to all translation projects regardless of the translation service provider selected (see Section 7). This practice does not apply to spoken or signed interpreting services. For interpreting, please consult Practice F2089, Practice for Language Interpreting.
4.2 Every translation project consists of three phases: pre-production, production, and post-production (see Section 6). Needs and requirements vary from project to project, hence not all roles listed in the swim lane diagram provided in Section 6 or all of the processes outlined in Sections 9 and 10 will be required necessarily in every project. Requesters should conduct a Needs Analysis (see Section 5) to determine what type of translation is needed and to select a translation grade.
4.3 A translation project applying this practice shall develop specifications according to Section 8 in the pre-production phase, follow those specifications during the production phase, and evaluate the translation project according to those specifications in the post-production phase.
4.4 The process of translation begins with source content in one language and results in the creation of a target text in another language. The aim of the process is to produce a target text (called the translation) that corresponds to the source content, according to specifications agreed upon in advance following the steps provided in Section 8.
4.5 This practice provides a list of parameters in Section 8 that shall be addressed and documented in writing to obtain a set of specifications used to create and evaluate the translation. Specifications are defined in terms of the purpose of the translation and the needs and expectations of the requester and end user. There can be many correct translations, depending on the specifications defined for a given product and the choices made by the translation service provider.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice addresses only language translation and excludes language interpreting. (See Practice F2089, Practice for Language Interpreting.)
1.2 This practice identifies factors relevant to each phase of a translation project (pre-production, production, and post-production). It is intended for use by all stakeholders who may have varying levels of knowledge in the field of translation.
1.3 This practice is designed to provide a framework for agreement on specifications for translation projects that will meet the needs and expectations of the end user.
1.4 This practice addresses the processes involved in professional translation services and does not provide specific translation quality metrics.
1.5 This practice covers various types of translation, including conventional translation and translation in localization and transcreation (see Section 3).
1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
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Designation: F2575 − 23
Standard Practice for
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Language Translation
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2575; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
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ε NOTE—Fig. 1 was editorially updated in April 2023.
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ε NOTE—Fig. 1 was editorially updated in November 2023.
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1. Scope 2.2 ISO Standards:
ISO 1087: 2019 Terminology Work and Terminology Sci-
1.1 This practice addresses only language translation and
ence
excludes language interpreting. (See Practice F2089, Practice
ISO 17024/IEC 17024: 2012 Conformity Assessment—
for Language Interpreting.)
General Requirements for Bodies Operating Certification
1.2 This practice identifies factors relevant to each phase of
of Persons
a translation project (pre-production, production, and post-
3. Terminology
production). It is intended for use by all stakeholders who may
have varying levels of knowledge in the field of translation.
3.1 Definitions:
3.1.1 audience, n—person or group of people to whom
1.3 This practice is designed to provide a framework for
content is directed.
agreement on specifications for translation projects that will
meet the needs and expectations of the end user.
3.1.2 audio translation, n—the process of rendering re-
corded speech in one language into a written text in another
1.4 This practice addresses the processes involved in pro-
language.
fessional translation services and does not provide specific
translation quality metrics.
3.1.3 bilingual editing, n—process of comparing the initial
translation to the source language content to verify that the
1.5 This practice covers various types of translation, includ-
translation fully conveys the source content in adherence to
ing conventional translation and translation in localization and
project specifications and generally accepted standards of
transcreation (see Section 3).
professional practices.
1.6 This international standard was developed in accor-
3.1.4 bilingual editor, n—translator different from the origi-
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
nal translator, proficient in the same language pair, who
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
performs bilingual editing.
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical 3.1.5 client review, n—see third-party evaluation.
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
3.1.6 client reviewer, n—see third-party evaluator.
3.1.7 content, n—written or spoken material and associated
2. Referenced Documents
non-linguistic material, such as images and video.
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2.1 ASTM Standards:
3.1.8 correspondence, n—the extent to which a translation
F2089 Practice for Language Interpreting
conveys the intended meaning of the source text.
F3130 Practice for Language Service Companies
3.1.9 desktop publishing, n—see formatting.
3.1.10 end user, n—person or entity perceived to have a
need or desire for the completed translation.
1 3.1.11 fluency, n—property of a text that is cohesive,
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F43 on Language
Services and Products and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F43.03 on
coherent, comprehensible, idiomatic, and uses syntax and
Language Translation.
vocabulary that appears natural to the intended recipient.
Current edition approved Jan. 1, 2023. Published February 2023. Originally
approved in 2006. Last previous edition approved in 2014 as F2575 – 14. DOI: 3.1.12 formatting, n—process of reviewing and modifying,
10.1520/F2575-23E02.
as necessary, the typography and layout of content.
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For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
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Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Available from American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St.,
the ASTM website. 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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F2575 − 23
3.1.12.1 Discussion—Examples of elements that could be 3.1.26 third-party evaluation, n—process of verifying that
changed include font (color, size, and style), margins, target content meets specifications conducted by a person or
pagination, and spacing. group of people that did not perform the translation, bi
...
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