This standard is based on the special characteristics of translation service, guided by Quality Standard System GB/T 19000/ISO 9000 Version 2000 and in the reference of Germany DIN2345 Standard. The purpose of issuing this standard is for regulating conduction in translation industry, improving translation service quality and providing better service to the customers.

This standard is brought forward by General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China .

This standard is systemized and finalized by China Association for Standardization.

Organizations for the drafting of this standard include: Central Compiling & Translation Bureau, China Translation & Publishing Corporation, China Association for Standardization, Jiangsu Zhongshan Translation Co., Ltd.

Main drafters of this standard are Yin Chengdong, Xu Jihong, Yang Ziqiang, and Zhang Nanjun.

GB/T 19363.1-2003

Good cooporation between customers and translation suppliers is the premise to improve translation service and guarantee translation quality. Both parties should completely understand each other's expectations. This standard brings forward the related requirements so as to guarantee the interest of both parties. This standard provides an objective working foundation which coordinates the interest of both parties in order to reinforce the trust to the quality of translation service and avoid consequent disputes.

Process management by translation suppliers is an effective measure to guarantee the quality of translation service. This standard gives the regulations in written form on translation process management in terms of business negotiation, preparation, translation, proofreading, editing, checking, customer feedback, documents management, responsibility and confidentiality, etc. It requires the translation suppliers to enhance management of each step of the translation process and form a complete quality control system and service system.

This specification adopts the statements in DIN2345 which fit the situation of our country, leaving out the requirements for freelance translators. Since the interpretation service is quite different from translation service, this standard applies only to translation service.

GB/T 19363.1-2003

Range of Application

This standard specifies the process and the regulations of translation service.

This standard applies to translation service business, but not interpretation service.

Reference of Citation

The terms of the following documents become the terms of this standard through citation. For the documents with date indication, their succedent modifications (not including mistakes correction) or revisions do not apply to this standard. However, it is encouraged that parties who have reached agreement based on this standard discuss if the latest versions of the documents should be followed. For the documents without date indication, the latest versions of them all apply to this standard.

GB/T 788-1999 （neq ISO 6716:1983）
Formats and Their Sizes of Books and Magazines [GB/T 788-1999]（neq ISO 6716:1983）

GB/T 3259
The Spelling of Chinese Phonetic Alphabet for Titles of Books and Periodicals in Chinese [GB/T 3259]

GB/T 19000-2000 （idt ISO 9000:2000）
Quality Management System Foundations and Terms [GB/T 19000-2000]（idt ISO 9000:2000）

Terms and Definition

1.translation service---a paid business of providing two or more languages conversion service

2.translation supplier---economic entities or organizations which are able to provide translation service and have certain qualifications

3.customer---organizations or individuals who get the products [GB/T 19000-2000 ， Definition 3.3.5 ]

4.source language      original language

5.target language      target language

6.translation---to translate the source language to target language in written form

7.original---the carrier of the source language

8.draft translation---semi-finished product, translated but not proofread

9.finished translation---final product to be provided to the customers

10.process--- a group of interrelated or interactive activities that convert input into output [GB/T 19000-2000 ， Definition 3.4.1 ]

11.traceability---the ability to trace the history, the application situation, and the location of the considered objects [GB/T 19000-2000 ， Definition 3.5.4 ]

12.correction---measures taken to eliminate the improprieties found [GB/T 19000-2000 ， Definition 3.6.6 ]

13.corrective action---measures taken to eliminate the discovered causes for the improprieties and unfavorable situations [GB/T 19000-2000 ， Definition 3.6.5 ]

Requirements

1 Conditions of translation suppliers

1.1 Ability to master the source languages and target languages and necessary human resources for the accomplishment of customers' consignment

1.2 Experience of translating technical terms

1.3 Technical equipments and office facilities

1.4 Ability to implement contracts

2 Business negotiation

2.1 Places for business negotiation

Broad, bright, clean and equipped with full facilities

2.2 Person for business negotiation

Be familiar with translation process, business scope, charging standard, service time limit, etc. Be proper in dressing, civilized in speaking, patient in answering customer's inquiries.

2.3 The types and contents of business negotiation

2.3 .1 Salesroom translation business is the business with relatively small quantity and short time cost, for which the following aspects should be recorded:

•  Full name of the customer;

•  Contacts;

•  the source languages and target languages;

•  for what purpose the finished translation is to be used;

•  Word counting method agreed by both parties;

•  agreed translation rate;

•  time limit for the translation;

•  specifications and quality requirements for the finished translation;

•  technical and special terms (if provided by the customer)

•  correct title of the finished translation

•  prepaid amount of translation fees

•  number of pages of the original and the references

•  Mark of the finished translation (specified in 4.3)

The document with the above records should be confirmed and signed by the customer.

2.3.2 Batch orders or long-term translation business is the business with large quantity or costing a long time, for which a contract or an agreement should be signed. Apart from the items listed in 2.3.1, the contract or agreement should also include the following content:

•  Full name of the customer;

•  Contacts (telephone, mobile phone, fax, address, zip code, E-mail, etc.);

•  Agreed translation service content (languages, project, time limit);

•  Agreed way of delivery of the finished translation;

•  Agreed test and acceptance terms;

•  Agreed quality requirement;

•  Agreed confidentiality terms;

•  Agreed chargeable content (Word counting method, rate for each service item, Word counting method of graphs, etc.);

•  Agreed way of payment;

•  Agreed arbitration of translation quality disputes;

•  Agreed contract breach and disclaimer terms

•  Agreed way of change;

•  Others

2.4 Other terms

2.4 .1 Additional services

If a customer hopes to get additional services, the customer shall consult with the translation supplier. Additional services include:

•  Compiling technical terms;

•  Graphics design (including pictures, formula and tables);

•  Blueprint processing ( A3 or bigger blueprint words filling, zooming, etc);

•  Format processing;

•  Making templates, printing;

•  Others.

Note: The additional services shall be paid additionally.

2.4 .2 Signature

According to the Copyright Law , the signature of copyright owners should be respected. Signatures should be made in proper ways.

2.4 .3 Requirements of the customers

Translation suppliers should learn the using area and target of the finished translation from the customers in order to provide better service.

2.4 .4 Original material background and technical terms

If necessary, the customer should provide relevant material and support. Such as:

•  documents of special subjects;

•  technical terms;

•  vocabulary of difficult words and abbreviations;

•  relevant words;

•  background materials;

•  specified software;

•  visit of the spot or the real object

•  a contact who is capable of answering questions

2.4.5 Word counting

Word counting is generally based on Chinese. When the source language and target language are all foreign languages, the method of word counting should be negotiated by the customer and the translation supplier.

•  Counting words according to the lines in pages: multiply words number of a full line with the number of lines in all pages, the lines that are not full will be taken as full lines. And the headline which takes a line, will also be taken as a full line.

• Computer counting: usually adopts the Chinese characters (exclude space) shown on Microsoft Word—Tool—Word Counting.

3.Marks of traceability

Every material should have clear marks of traceability, such as numbers, letters or other marks. One or more of the following items should be included:

•  Serial number;

•  Batch number

•  date

•  quantity (number of pages, specifications);

•  languages;

•  Customer code

4 Management of translation business

4.1 The original material and work arrangement

4.1 .1 The original material

Management on the original material should include:

•  Check and systemize the original material, to see if there are missing pages, and unclear places. If there is, the translation supplier should inform the customer, and require the customer to make supplement. If the customer can not provide clear original material, the supplier can make marks on the unclear places with pencil or other tools which can be easily erased.

•  Keep customer's original materials properly, preventing it from lost, damage or stain (except force majeure). The copy of the original material should be used for translation.

4.1 .2 Work arrangement

According to the requirement of customers, a procedure and time schedule for the accomplishment of the finished translation shall be made. Qualified translators and proofreaders shall be selected.

4.2 Translation

4.2.1 Translators

Translators shall meet the following conditions:
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With approved foreign language certification or equivalent certification, especially certifications in certain specialty areas;
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With general and professional working experience;
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With ability in some certain specialty
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Be eager to accept further training or further education.

4.2.2 Preparation

The following work shall be done carefully before translation:
Read through the original material;

Warm up with the specialty knowledge concerned in the material and get ready with reference books;

Review the technical terms that have been accumulated;

Review the technical terms provided by the customer;

Read and sort out the materials provided by the customer;

Further look up words and technical terms (for example, on Internet or in databases);

In the condition of keeping secret, the translation supplier should solve problems on content, specialty and terms through communication with the customer;

4.2.3 Completeness and correctness of the finished translation

The finished translation should be complete, and its content and technical terms shall be basically correct. The footnote, appendixes, tables, lists, report forms graphs and related words shall be translated and completely reflected in the finished translation; no mistake, short translation, missing translation or jump translation is allowed. Indications should be made to the parts whose accuracy needs further confirmation.
4.2.4 Signs, measurements, units, formulas and equations

They shall be translated or expressed according to the common practice or related national regulations.

4.2.5 Names, names of the natural person, titles, occupations and positions

Except for the commonly used translation names such as names of artists, politicians, celebrities, organizations, plants and animals, buildings, products, literature works, works of art, works of science, and geographic names etc, the names can be left alone. If the translation is needed, for a better understanding, names can be expressed by translation plus the original name in brackets at the first appearance. When translating Chinese names into foreign languages, standard spelling of Chinese phonetic alphabet shall be used.

Titles, occupations, positions can either be translated out or left alone. If the translation is needed, for a better understanding, they can be expressed by translation plus the original ones in brackets at the first appearance. When translating Chinese into foreign languages, the translated names in the national official publications shall be taken as reference.

When translating mail addresses and names from foreign languages into Chinese, the source language shall be quoted directly. When translating from Chinese into foreign languages, related national regulations and standards shall be taken as reference.

4.2.6 Dates

Dates shall be displayed in accordance with the usage of the target language. The solar calendar is usually adopted.

4.2.7 New words

For the words which do not have established translation by usage, the translation supplier shall make the translation on negotiation with the customer and make clear marks on them.

4.2.8 Consistency of terms

The translation of technical terms should be consistent in the target language.

4.3 Proofreading

4.3.1 Qualifications of the proofreader

See 4.2.1

4.3.2 Requirements on proofreading

The proofreader should proofread the draft translation word by word according to the source language (copy), and unify technical terms based on the context.

The names, data, formulas, measurements and units shall all be proofread carefully. The proofread translation should be accurate in content and smooth in writing style. When doing proofreading, the revision should be made in colors different from the draft translation.

4.3.3 Content for proofreading

The following items should be checked during proofreading:

the completeness of translation;

the accuracy of content and terms, and the propriety of words expression.;

the correctness of grammars and phrases, and the propriety of language usage;

the conformity of translation quality to the relevant term in the agreement;

the propriety of notes made by the translators;

the correctness of the formats, the use of punctuations and signs.

Note: The times of proofreading is decided on the negotiation with the customer based on the purpose the translation is to be used.

4.4 Editing

Translation editing mainly refers to the re-processing on the format based on the source language. It aims to make the, format, font, and spelling conform to the requirement of GB/T 788-1999, and to make the layout nice, liberal, and tight, the graphs orderly, and the chapter complete, all in accordance with the original. When doing editing, the revision should be made in colors different from the draft translation or proofread translation.

4.5 Collating

Collate the printed proofread translation word by word, and no missing words or mistakes are allowed. When mistakes are found, a corrigendum shall be made and submitted to related persons for correction.

4.6 Checking

Final checking shall be made to get the finished translation. During this process, everything must be checked to make sure that all the customer’s requirements have been met.

4.7 Prints and copies

Prints and copies should meet the requirements of the customer.

5 Quality Guarantee

5.1 Quality guarantee remains valid for 6 months starting from the day of the delivery of finished translation.

During this period, for the slight missing of words or mistakes found in a qualified finished translation, the translation supplier can take the following actions:
a Correct the typewriting (electronic) version of the translation
b Provide a corrigendum for the printed version of the translation

Note: Any revisions on the original or additional requirements made by the customer don’t apply.

5.2 If the finished translation has serious quality problems, relevant terms shall be proceeded according to the Agreement. See 2.3.2.

6 Document archiving and other issues

6.1 After the translation supplier finished the translation of the undertaken documents, the original and copies of the documents, draft translation, proofread translation, typewriting version of the translation, the corrigenda, samples and other related materials shall be kept for at least 12 months.

The archived documents shall be kept well marked and clearly positioned for the convenience of checking; if stored in a computer, copies should be made for backup.

The original documents should be returned to the customers and relevant records should be made as well.

6.2 On the special requirements of the customer, the original document, finished translation, and related documents in paper or in other forms shall all be returned to the customer.

Note: In this case, the translation supplier does not bear responsibility stipulated in 5 of this part.

7 Customer feedback and quality follow-up

Translation suppliers shall appoint specialists to record and categorize customers’ feedbacks and make corrections or take corrective actions according to customers' feedbacks. They shall give response to every feedback of the customers.

For customers with batch translation business, the translation suppliers shall track the quality at the early, middle and later stage of the whole process of translation, and take corrective actions according to customers’ feedbacks.

8 Confidentiality

Translation suppliers shall keep secret of the customers’ business and technical secrets according to relevant laws and regulations, and shall not reveal any business or technical secrets of the customers to any third party.

9 Conformity Announcement

Each translation supplier may perform the articles stipulated in this standard to its own willing, and make announcement in sense of responsibility that it provides translation services according to this standard. (Conformity Announcement)