In Türkiye translation work is traditionally measured in characters. This unit looks finer than the word count, but it carries its own ambiguity: are the spaces counted? The difference between the two methods is not to be underestimated, and when it is not written in the contract it leads to a dispute.
Definition
A character count is the counting of the letters, digits and marks in a text. Whether or not the spaces are included is a separate choice. The definition is put in writing.
Count with spaces
In this method the spaces between the words are counted too. The result comes out larger. The method is stated.
Count without spaces
In this method only the visible characters are counted. This is the one that is widespread in the market in Türkiye. The preference is put in writing.
The difference between the two methods
The difference varies with the structure of the text and is not at a level to be underestimated. When it is left vague, the two sides calculate differently. Clarity is ensured.
Relationship with the word count
There is an approximate ratio between the character count and the word count, but it is not fixed. It varies with the language and the text. Conversion is done with care.
Why it is preferred in some languages
In languages that write their words joined together, a word count is not meaningful. In that case a character count is fairer. The unit is chosen accordingly.
Number and code fields
In texts that are dense with numbers and codes, a character count can make the volume look larger than it is. These fields are assessed separately. A balance is struck.
Table-heavy documents
In tables, short cells make the character count look low, but the effort is high. The measurement is not enough on its own. An additional assessment is made.
Counting tool
Which tool the count was taken with can affect the result. The same tool is preferred. The settings are recorded.
Source and target difference
The character count of the target text comes out different from the source. Which of the two is taken as the basis is put in writing. No ambiguity is left.
Relationship with the concept of a page
A particular number of characters can be defined as one page. This definition is widespread in the market. The detail is covered under the relevant term.
Text in images
The writing inside images does not show up in an automatic count. It is calculated separately. It is not skipped.
Headers and footnotes
These areas do not enter the count in some tools. They are checked. The shortfall is corrected.
Verifying the count
The client can take its own count, and a difference may emerge. The methods are compared. The solution is technical.
Defining it in the contract
Which method is used is written clearly in the contract. A later dispute is prevented in this way. The definition is made in concrete terms.
In scanned documents
On scanned files the count can be taken only after the text has been extracted. An estimation method may be used. The situation is communicated.
The status of repetitions
The character count includes the repetitions as well. Repetition analysis is run separately. The two measurements are not merged.
What it is confused with
A character count is frequently thought to be a single method. Yet a count with spaces and one without give different results for the same text; a figure given without stating which one was used is incomplete.