Preferred TL formats?

[Dark-san]

Maybe a poll to spark off some activity here. The silence in the academy here really make one cry.

Okay here the discussion. I know many translators here have their own personal preference on how their TL format would be. There is one I saw that type out the raw language and did the translations below. There is also another one that lists out the entire translations in bullet forms without differentiating the pages etc.

I myself preferred to use the literature script style whereby I tag each translated bubble to the character's name. But then here comes the conflicting issue. Typesetters at times might have their work cut out for them if they were given a messy translations. And between the three types of format, I mentioned. Most would definitely preferred the second.

The main question here would be that if your TS asked you as a translator to change your TL format, would you be willing to? Explain why.

[DrPepperPro]

It's best if the TLer and typesetter know one another at least bit. If the TLer is fine with writing down only the translations, then that may confuse the typesetter if they don't know the raw's language.

Or if the TLer needs to write the names of who is talking and/or transcribe to help them keep track of things, then that could make it harder for the typesetter if they know the raw's language or would be able to figure it out anyways.

Then there's also the type of manga. Some manga that have like 0-2 lines per page really don't need any formatting at all, since it's so simple to tell where stuff goes. On the other hand, manga that have like 20 lines on a page, with tons of sfx and bubbles and text in the pictures can be very consfusing, so the TLer might want to include hints for the typesetter.

[reinen]

As long as the Typesetter and Translator don't get confused each other, that's the important thing. But, it's better to discuss or set a standard first.(for consistency matter)

[Harun]

Yeah, I have had change my format a few times.
I used to use a slash (/) as an OR, but the TS mistook it for new text in the next bubble. So, I switched to a pipe (|).

Cheers,

[dosukoi7]

I've been including a mini guide to using my translations at the top of my stuff when I work with someone new. I guess I COULD change it, but now that I'm used to one way, I think it would slow me down to try to change

[Tanequil]

They never have.

So I have never.

:P

But my style is script style, I write loads of text so that the typesetters [and myself] will know which chunk is for which part. I never really got the / or - style, for some reason.

I dunno if I would change. Maybe? I probably could, but only slightly, because otherwise it'd be pretty hard for me to keep track of stuff.

[Name-Undecided]

Euh, why not? If you're translating for the typesetter to edit, whatever you can do to make his/her work easier is worth it. That said, if I ever worked with an editor I'd prefer one who knew at least a little Japanese, so I wouldn't have to tag every single bubble with who said what, when, where, how. Typing up a script takes long enough to begin with.

[thefolenangel]

I think Carlos Net's formating is the best I have worked with a lot of translators and he was the easiest so far :)