Arkan Interpreters & Translators reviews a text or translation you already have as a standalone service from our Deira office in Dubai, and you choose between proofreading, editing and translation review.
Your text may have been written in-house, produced by machine or translated by another provider. Before it goes for submission, printing or publication, decide whether you need the language corrected, the writing clarified or the translation checked against its source. You can order a review without ordering a new translation.
Send your text on WhatsApp for a review quote.
What is the difference between proofreading and editing?
Proofreading deals with surface errors in an existing text. Editing looks at how that text communicates. Translation review asks a different question: does the translated version accurately and fully reflect the original?
| Service | What it checks | What you send | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proofreading | Spelling, grammar, punctuation and consistency, including names, dates and figures | The text, with reference spellings or style preferences where relevant | The wording and structure are settled, but surface errors need attention |
| Editing | Clarity, style and structure | The text, its purpose, intended audience and any style preferences | Sentences or sections need reshaping to make the message clearer |
| Translation review | Accuracy, omissions and terminology through comparison with the source | The source document, existing translation and any glossary | You need to know whether the translation conveys the source correctly |
A sentence can be grammatically sound and still unclear. That is an editing problem. A translated sentence can read naturally and still drop a condition from the original. Only a check against the source will catch it.
Can you proofread a translation someone else did?
Yes. An existing translation can be reviewed whether it came from your own team, another provider or machine output. The scope depends on what you want checked, not who produced the draft.
For translation proofreading focused on language, the translated text is the starting point. To review an existing translation for accuracy and omissions, send the source as well. Without it, the wording alone cannot show whether the original meaning has been carried across.
Include any glossary or approved terminology you want followed. A term may read well in isolation but conflict with the wording elsewhere in the document. For corporate or technical material, consistent terminology helps the reader follow the same concept through different sections.
What do you check in Arabic proofreading?
Arabic has its own traps. A misplaced hamza or a taa marbuta written as haa can slip past a reader who is focused on meaning. These are the checks we run on Arabic text:
- Hamza spelling and placement, including forms that can be overlooked in an otherwise readable sentence.
- Taa marbuta and related spelling distinctions, checked in the context of the word and sentence.
- Numerals used consistently across dates, amounts and references, with the values checked against the supplied material.
- Punctuation appropriate to right-to-left text, especially where Arabic appears alongside English names or figures.
- Terminology consistent with UAE usage and with any glossary supplied for the document.
- Names and repeated expressions written consistently throughout the text.
If your concern is whether an Arabic translation matches another language, include that original. Arabic spelling and punctuation checks address the Arabic text; comparison with the source addresses translation accuracy. The same distinction applies when the translated version is in English.
What should I send for a proofreading quote?
Send the text you want checked and explain where it will be used. A document intended for publication has an audience; a document intended for submission also has a receiving authority whose requirements matter.
For a translation review, include the source document and the existing translation. Add any glossary, preferred terminology or style preference. If you have a particular concern, such as a name written differently across documents, point it out with the relevant reference.
For translated personal documents, passport copies help keep name spellings consistent. Dates and figures also need comparison, and the wording of stamps should be checked against the source. These details matter in documents such as a marriage certificate translation, where the same personal details may appear in related records.
When should I pay for a new translation instead?
Consider a new translation when a draft repeatedly departs from the source, contains substantial omissions or uses terminology that changes the intended meaning. This can be relevant to machine output, but the decision rests on the text and its intended use.
For legal or official use, a new translation may also be the appropriate service if the task requires a certified translation rather than corrections to an existing draft. Start with the required document, language and submission purpose. For official submissions, check the current requirement with the receiving authority.
Arkan provides legal translation in Dubai as a separate written translation service. It is a different job from a review.
Does a proofread document count as a certified translation?
No. Proofreading does not produce a stamped and signed certified translation. Correcting spelling or improving sentence structure does not make the document a certified translation.
If you need certified translation, treat that as a separate service requirement. Tell us where the document is going and send the source.
One limit is worth stating plainly. A language review improves the text. It does not decide whether an authority accepts it. That decision belongs to the authority.
How are the review quote and delivery time confirmed?
The quote and delivery time are confirmed after reviewing your text and before work starts. We quote from the text itself, not from a description of it.
If you are arranging editing and proofreading for UAE use, explain whether the document is for internal reading, publication or official submission. Internal notes rarely need editing. A published brochure often does.
Where is the proofreading office in Dubai?
Visit Office 1-04-106, Riqaa Al Buteen Plaza Building, 35 Al Maktoum Road, Al Muraqqabat, Deira, Dubai. Office hours are Sunday to Thursday, 9:00 to 18:00.
Call or WhatsApp +971 50 520 3966, or contact the office about your text and the review you need.