What to change
Give the reviewer the question's purpose, audience and expected answer. Ask them to preserve the role distinction and respectful tone while keeping the requested information specific.
A worked example
Illustrative example
A representative enquiry form distinguishes the person attending from the contact person. The translation notes explain those roles so both names are not mistakenly treated as the patient's identity.
Put it into practice
Where the subject needs careful wording, arrange a suitable review before publication. Ask a reader what they believe the question is asking and why. The aim is a respectful, answerable question, rather than a literal copy of an awkward original.
Include the question's help text and any error message in the same review. A respectful translated label can still become confusing if the correction instruction uses a different meaning.
What to agree before publishing
Include the question's purpose, whether it is optional and how the answer is used at this stage in the translation brief. That context helps avoid wording that sounds more intrusive or compulsory than intended. Have the responsible team settle any sensitive meaning before asking the translator to refine tone. Review the question together with its help text and error message. Those small surrounding phrases can change how a reader interprets the request even when the main label is accurate.
How to check the result
A speaker can answer the question without guessing the relationship the practice has assumed.
A mistake to avoid
Do not use a dictionary equivalent for a family-role term when the form is intended to include carers and other authorised contacts.
Turn reading into a next step
Your action checklist
Work through these checks with your team or supplier. Tick the ones you have resolved and leave unknowns open.
Record what you know, what is still missing and the answer you need from your team or supplier.
Use project decisions only, without personal, patient or confidential details. Entries stay in this page and are not submitted to Kay & Co. Copy or download before leaving; this page does not save your notes.
Further reading
These sources provide background for the topic. The practice examples and checklist are illustrative planning suggestions from Kay & Co.
Related guides
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