WHY IS PROOFREADING SO IMPORTANT...?

Typescripts often contain typographical errors introduced by mistyping (the word typo refers to misplaced or incorrect characters). Most errors in written work are made unconsciously. There are two sources of unconscious error:

1.) Faulty information from the kinesthetic memory. If you have always misspelled a word, you will unthinkingly misspell it again.

2.) A split second of inattention. Your mind works far faster than the pen or typewriter.

Traditionally, a proofreader checks the typescript and marks errors. Proofreading is considered a specific skill that must be learned because it is the nature of the mind to automatically correct errors. Someone not trained in proofreading may not see errors such as missing words or improper usage because their mind is showing them what it is trained to recognize as correct.

Another reason is that when you read normally, you often see only the first and last few letters of the words. You "fix your eyes" on the print only three or four times per line, or less. If we want to conceive each word properly, we have to fix our eyes on almost every word and do it twice in longer words, in order to proofread accurately.

We cannot rely entirely on spell checkers. They have a limited dictionary, so some words that show up as misspelled may really just not be in their memory. In addition, they will not catch misspellings that form another valid word.

Another fact is that it is twice as hard to detect mistakes in your own work as in someone else's!

The motto is: You have to doubt each word to catch every mistake.

The translator may have used an inappropriate tone, varied the length and structure of the sentences disproportionately, used too many unnecessary phrases, repeated a word too many times, inappropriately cited quotes, paraphrases, or ideas. A proofreader also corrects these stylistic mistakes and edits the text, if necessary.

Hence in case of texts that will get published or used for official purposes (for instance submitted to authorities), it is highly recommended to involve a proofreader in the translation process as a standard, non-proofread typescript may contain inaccuracies.