Sometimes the translation alone is not enough: there is an illegible passage in the source, a term has no equivalent in the target language, or a phrase has two meanings. The translator's note puts these situations on record. Separating the note from the document's own text is the condition for using it correctly.
Definition
A translator's note is an explanation that the translator adds to the text and that is not part of the document. It has no counterpart in the source. The addition is deliberate.
Its purpose
The purpose is not to add information but to state a decision or a limit. The note contains no commentary. The scope is narrow.
When it is inserted
It is inserted in the case of an illegible passage, a term without an equivalent or an ambiguous phrase. The cases are limited. The criterion is written down.
Illegible passages
Passages that cannot be read in the source are not guessed; a note is added. This is how the limit goes on record. The rule is strict.
Terms without an equivalent
Concepts that have no direct equivalent in the target language are noted. The rendering chosen is explained. The reader is informed.
Ambiguous phrases
Places that have more than one reading are pointed out. The reading chosen is justified. The ambiguity is not hidden.
Errors in the source
A factual error in the source text is not corrected; it is noted. Correcting it would mean changing the document. The limit is preserved.
Formal separation
The note is visually separated from the document text. A note that is not separated is taken for the content of the document. The format is applied consistently.
Form of marking
A consistent form such as square brackets or a footnote is chosen. The form does not change throughout the document. A standard is established.
Placement
The note is placed next to the passage it relates to or at the foot of the page. Distant placement breaks the link. The position is chosen.
Its language
The note is written in the target language. The reader is the party on the target-language side. The rule is simple.
Its length
The note is short and direct. A long explanation interrupts the reading. The measure is kept.
Their number
A large number of notes makes the text unreadable. Similar notes are combined. A balance is struck.
Collective list of notes
The notes can also be presented collectively in the delivery note. The list makes reviewing easier. The presentation comes with options.
Its use in official documents
In official procedures the form of the note is adjusted to the expectation of the organisation. Some organisations require a particular form. The expectation is asked about.
Unnecessary notes
The translator's personal commentary is not a note. Additions of this kind are removed. The limit is checked.
Checking during review
Whether the notes are in place and necessary is checked in revision. An unnecessary note is taken out. The check falls within the scope.
Client preference
Some clients do not want notes and prefer the questions to be asked in advance. The preference is learned at the outset. The practice follows it.
Value as a record
Translator's notes are the permanent record of the decisions taken and the limits encountered; when a dispute arises later, they are the only document showing what was done and why. For this reason they are kept in the archive together with the translation. The value emerges over time.
What it is confused with
The translator's note is often taken to be the translator's freedom to add explanations. Yet it is inserted only in defined cases and carries no commentary; a note that is not separated from the document text ends up adding to the document content that is not in the source.