MET workshops

Translation revision and beyond


What do revision and editing mean for translators and why are they important? How can the revising process improve our work and our working lives? Can it help us to become better, happier and more fulfilled translators? These are the starting points for a highly interactive workshop designed to inspire translators to find practical, collaborative ways to do our job better.

Developers and facilitators: Simon Berrill, Tim Gutteridge and Victoria Patience
 
Description: The workshop begins by looking at the theory and practice of translation revision, but goes beyond that to see how regular revision of your work by trusted colleagues can not only improve your translation – it can
also lead to all kinds of unexpected spin-offs.

The developers are the three members of “RevClub”, an online arrangement that they set up in 2017 to regularly revise samples of one another’s translation work. Believing the model could be beneficial to others, they will discuss how the club works and how it has improved the quality of their texts while becoming an unexpected source of professional support. Through pre-workshop tasks, a look at the theory of translation revision, discussion activities and even a mini translation slam, participants will explore different ways of revising their work and consider how revision could improve their translations and their working lives. 
 
The workshop will look beyond the obvious improvements that can be made to particular texts and will focus on the ongoing learning that comes from discussing one’s own work, receiving constructive criticism, and critiquing the work of others. This will create a heightened awareness and a more analytical approach to future translations, and it will foster the professional and personal gains that come from developing close relationships of mutual support with colleagues. Such relationships also provide a framework within which translators can explore their professional development goals. 

If participants find the experience a positive one, we hope some will start their own versions of RevClub.

Purpose: The workshop is intended to give participants a better understanding of what translation revision is about and give them ideas for using it to improve their work and their working lives.
 
Who should attend? The workshop will be of interest to any translator wanting to find an inexpensive, practical and effective way to improve their work and create connections with colleagues. 
 
Outcome skills: By the end of the workshop, participants should not only be able to revise work better but also have ideas for setting up practical professional and personal development arrangements with other translators.
 
Pre-workshop information: There will be two pre-workshop tasks to be done before the day. The translation theory part of the workshop will draw on, but not necessarily agree with, the book Revising and Editing for Translators by Brian Mossop. Anyone wishing to know more about RevClub can read the following blog posts: Collaborative professional development by Tim Gutteridge, and Better together by Simon Berrill.
 
About the facilitators:
Simon Berrill is a translator working from Spanish, Catalan and French into English and specializing in tourism and culture. He has presented at MET meetings for the last two years. He lives near Barcelona.
Tim Gutteridge translates from Spanish into English, and works in a number of fields including corporate, academic and literary. He lives in Cádiz.
Victoria Patience works with intergovernmental organizations and researchers, translating from Spanish to English and editing texts on economics and development, environmental issues and the social sciences. She lives outside of Buenos Aires.