Typesetting Multilingual Projects

Alexandra Hickey Design and ProductionOctober 6, 2008

© 2008 Alexandra Hickey Design and Production, Toronto, Ontario | 416.532.8287  2

Introduction – credentials

• B.A. in theoretical linguistics and philosophy from U of T

• Working in print production since 1999

• Typesetting experience on multilingual projects – Navigating Mental Health Guide for CRCT,

6 Language project for CLEO, numerous brochures and information texts in the following languages:

• Left-to-right orthographies: Chinese, Tamil, Japanese, Somali, Punjabi and Hindi

• Right-to-left orthography: Urdu, Dari, Pashto, Arabic, Farsi

© 2008 Alexandra Hickey Design and Production, Toronto, Ontario | 416.532.8287  3

Considerations specific to multilingual projects

• Multilingual typesetter or native-language typesetter(s)?

• Implications of project constraints

• Process

© 2008 Alexandra Hickey Design and Production, Toronto, Ontario | 416.532.8287  4

Multilingual typesetter (multiple languages typeset by a single person who is not necessarily literate in the target languages)

• Pros:– Easier to achieve

greater visual consistency across languages

– Less administration and coordination required

• Cons– Requires greater

collaboration between typesetter and translator / proofreader

– may be difficult to find someone able to typeset in all languages within the scope of the project

© 2008 Alexandra Hickey Design and Production, Toronto, Ontario | 416.532.8287  5

Native-language typesetter(s) (multiple typesetters, each working in a target language, or languages, in which they are literate)

• Pros– May require less

collaboration with translators / proofreaders

– Greater chance of catching errors in text, potential to contribute an extra layer of proofreading (i.e. an extra pair of eyes)

• Cons– Greater likelihood of

visual inconsistency between layouts

– More administration / coordination required

– May be difficult to find native-language typesetters for all of the languages within a project

– Possibility of software conflicts

© 2008 Alexandra Hickey Design and Production, Toronto, Ontario | 416.532.8287  6

Project Constraints: Initial text and design

• Length / size of document – Variable or not? Need to give consideration to length of

text in translation

• Validating design across cultures

• Design considerations for projects including both left-to-right and right-to-left orthographies

• Output / Delivery method(s)– print

– PDF (delivery by e-mail / download from Internet)

– html

© 2008 Alexandra Hickey Design and Production, Toronto, Ontario | 416.532.8287  7

Process – a sample flow chart

Check typeset translations

Typeset translations

Design layoutValidate initial

text

Write text in initial language

Translate initial text

Validate layoutMake any necessary

changes to text

Validate revised text

Make any necessary changes to

layout

Validate typeset translations

Make changes to typeset

translations

Initial Text Initial Design Typesetting Overall Review

Review design and content for

consistency across all languages

Team Members

Writers

Community Consultants

and/or specialists

Translators / Proofreaders

Designers / Typesetters

Entire TeamCheck typeset

translations

Multilingual research and

font testing

© 2008 Alexandra Hickey Design and Production, Toronto, Ontario | 416.532.8287  8

Process:Initial Text and Design

• Translation concerns: readability, technical accuracy, etc.

• Clear-language practices

© 2008 Alexandra Hickey Design and Production, Toronto, Ontario | 416.532.8287  9

Process:Typesetting

• Technical concerns– Software

• Typesetting right-to-left orthographies

– The importance of testing and validation• Fonts

• PDF (embedding fonts, file sizes, etc)

• Print

© 2008 Alexandra Hickey Design and Production, Toronto, Ontario | 416.532.8287  10

Process:Review and validation

• Content / Translation review(s) • Community consultation, review by native-

language-speaking specialists in field

• Design review(s)• Reviewing for consistency across

languages• Liaison between typesetter and translator

– Technical issues providing copy and changes• PDF, Word, hard-copy mark-up• Setting expectations (availability, etc.)

• Late-stage changes

Typesetting Multilingual Projects

Alexandra Hickey Design and ProductionOctober 6, 2008