The translator–reviser relationship in specialised translation

Revision (i.e., the verification of a human translation by a second person) takes place between two people: the translator and the reviser. The relationship between them is worth studying, as it is considered significant in handbooks, texts from practitioners, and competence models, and has been little studied so far in the field of specialised translation. In this article I report on an interview study ( n = 45) conducted in Switzerland to analyse how the actors in this relationship communicate and how being revised is perceived by translators. The study shows that in the contexts studied, translators and revisers communicate extensively when revision takes place between colleagues. Furthermore, it highlights that revision can be a highly emotional process for translators, who mentioned occasional feelings of anger, aggrievement, and discouragement. Finally, the data suggest that appropriate communication can significantly mitigate the negative feelings that the translators expressed during the interviews.