Sometimes the aim is not to use the text but to find out what it says. Working out whether a fifty-page report matters for a decision is an example. Summary translation responds to this need, but what it produces is not a translation, and this distinction must go on record.
Definition
Summary translation is the summarising of the main lines of a text in the target language. The output is a summary. The scope is deliberately narrow.
Why it is not a translation
The output is not the equivalent of the source. It cannot be used as a document. The distinction is stated in writing.
When it is requested
With high-volume texts it is first necessary to understand what they are. The decision is made with this information. The use is preliminary screening.
The screening function
It is determined which documents need to be translated in full. This lowers the total cost. The function is economic.
Defining the scope
What the summary will contain is agreed at the outset. Expectations become clear. The definition is written down.
Target length
The approximate length of the summary is determined. A summary without a target turns out too short or too long. A measure is set.
Responsibility for selection
Deciding what is important falls to the translator. This is an additional responsibility. It requires competence.
The need for subject knowledge
To select what is important, one has to know the subject. A person who does not know it makes the wrong selection. The criterion rises.
Preserving the structure
The summary can follow the section structure of the source. In this way it can be matched with the source. The order provides readability.
Carrying over numerical information
The figures in the summary are taken from the source exactly. No rounding is done. The rule is strict.
Stating the omitted sections
The topics left out of the summary are listed. The reader knows what is not covered. Transparency is established.
No official use
It is not suitable for texts that create obligations or that will be used in official procedures. This limit is stated at the outset. The rule has no exceptions.
Risk in legal texts
Omitting a provision leads to a wrong decision. The risk is high. The recommendation is a full translation.
Delivery note
That the output is a summary is written clearly on the document. A distinction that is not written down is misused later. The label is mandatory.
Moving on to a full translation
A full translation may be requested after the summary. The information gained from the summary speeds up that job. The transition is planned.
Pricing
The calculation is made on the source volume and the effort. Because the target text is short, the target volume is not a criterion. The unit is explained.
The time advantage
A summary is prepared in a noticeably shorter time than a full translation. It is valuable for urgent decisions. The advantage lies in time.
How it differs from partial translation
In partial translation the selected sections are carried over in full, whereas in summary translation the text is condensed. The two services produce different outputs. The distinction is preserved.
Its value as decision support
Summary translation makes large piles of documents in a foreign language manageable and allows the organisation to choose knowingly which document to allocate resources to. The value lies in the information screening stage. The use is strategic.
What it is confused with
Summary translation is often taken to be a cheap translation option. Yet what it produces is not a document but information; offering a summary where a full translation is needed means carrying out a procedure with an incomplete document.