Guideline Overview
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This is a basic guideline and applies to tasks directly taken from Minglo.
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If you have received a separate client-specific guideline and task (translation request) from the PM, please follow the client’s guideline.
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Table of Contents
6.
Guideline
Chapter 1. Basics of Video Translation
1. Translation Targets
(1) The sources to be translated in video content are as follows:
(a) Speech: Audio dialogues
(b) On-Screen Text: Text embedded in the video
2. Translation Consistency
(1) Terms, character names, and other elements repeated multiple times within the video must be consistently rendered.
(2) In serialized or continuous content, consistency in terminology must also be maintained. Especially, the same character should be referred to in the same way throughout the series.
(3) To ensure consistency, use the [Glossary - Personal Glossary] feature in the editor's right sidebar or create your own personal notes.
(Example) Click the left triangle
3. Translation Direction
(1) Translation Goal
(a) All content should be translated in a way that feels natural to native speakers of the target language.
(2) Adapted Translation and Literal Translation
(a) Adapt all content appropriately to match the context before and after. Be careful not to deviate too far from the original text or produce translations that are difficult to understand.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(b) Literal translation of parts of the content may be used to maintain naturalness, but only when necessary. Avoid awkward one-to-one literal translations that disregard the context.
(3) Preservation of the Original Text
(a) Faithfully translate the content typed in the original subtitles.
(b) Do not modify, omit, or exclude any content typed in the original subtitles during translation.
(c) Avoid adding content that is not present in the original text, except for essential connecting words.
(d) To ensure a natural adapted translation, parts of the original text may be omitted, provided this does not affect the overall meaning, hinder readability, or result in grammatical errors.
(4) Original Text Representation
(a) Translate concisely and clearly.
(b) Use accurate vocabulary corresponding to the original language to ensure precise information delivery.
(c) Do not translate filler words (e.g., now, actually, what is it and etc.) unless they carry specific meaning.
(d) The translation should closely match the tone of the original content. Consider the speaker’s age, personality, background, and occupation to determine the tone and intonation of the target language.
(e) The translation should take into account the viewers' age. Use standard language and appropriately incorporate abbreviations or neologisms when necessary and contextually relevant.
(f) Translate in a conversational style suited to video content, avoiding excessive use of formal written language.
(g) Use a tone appropriate to the subject matter and genre of the video.
4. Translation Ethics
(1) Be fully acquainted with and adhere to the guidelines.
(2) Always watch the video while translating.
(3) Ensure that the translation contains no mistranslations, grammatical errors, or typos.
(4) Proofread the entire translation thoroughly before submission.
(5) Do not use translation software.
(6) Avoid using discriminatory or derogatory language based on age, race, gender, or occupation.
(7) Translate profanity appropriately according to the context. Avoid offensive remarks, excessively vulgar expressions, or harsh language that diverges from the speaker’s intent.
(8) Be cautious with expressions that may incite regional prejudice or cause religious conflict.
(9) Avoid using negative or sexual expressions that deviate from the speaker’s intent.
(10) Recognize that the translator is responsible for resolving any issues arising from translations that conflict with the translation direction or ethics.
Chapter 2. Subtitle Format
1. Time Code
(1) The time code should generally remain unadjusted unless there is a specific request, in which case adjustments should follow the guidelines in (2)~(4).
(2) Audio Subtitles
(a) Set the time code in/out points as closely as possible to the start and end points of the speech.
(3) On-Screen Subtitles
(a) Set the time code in/out points as closely as possible to the start and end points of the on-screen text.
(b) However, if reading speed is more critical, adjust the time code in/out points to extend the subtitle display time.
(4) When Speech and On-Screen Text Appear Simultaneously
(a) Set the time code in/out points as closely as possible to the start and end points of the speech.
(b) In some cases, if it feels more natural, align the time code in/out points with the start and end points of the on-screen text.
(Example) Click the left triangle
2. Subtitle Display Time
(1) The subtitle display time should generally remain unadjusted unless there is a specific request, in which case adjustments should follow the guidelines in (2)~(4).
(2) Minimum Subtitle Display Time: 1 second
(3) Maximum Subtitle Display Time: 7 seconds
(4) However, the minimum/maximum display times may be adjusted to enhance readability depending on the situation.
3. Character Count
(1) There is no specific limit on the number of characters per line for subtitles, considering the nature of YouTube content.
4. Reading Speed (CPS)
(1) Given the nature of YouTube content, priority is placed on fully translating the original subtitles, so there is no limit on CPS (Characters Per Second).
5. Number of Subtitle Lines
(1) Number of Subtitle Lines
(a) Subtitles should generally be displayed on a single line.
(b) Subtitles may extend to a maximum of two lines according to the guidelines in (2)(a)~(b). However, up to three lines are allowed if one line includes on-screen text.
(2) Line Breaks
(a) On-screen subtitles and audio subtitles must be separated by line breaks.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(b) When displaying two speakers' dialogue in a single subtitle, separate them with line breaks. For detailed formatting, refer to [3. Formatting-6. Multiple Speakers].
(Example) Click the left triangle
(c) Do not split a single speaker’s dialogue into two lines. Display single dialogue lines as a single subtitle, regardless of their length.
(Example) Click the left triangle
6. Multiple Speakers
(1) Translate the dialogue of two speakers within a single subtitle. Use line breaks to ensure that each line corresponds to one speaker's dialogue.
(2) Use a hyphen (-) to distinguish between speakers, and always include a single space after the hyphen.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(3) When three or more speakers are involved, group the dialogue of two speakers per subtitle.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(4) Do not include the speakers' names in the subtitles.
(Example) Click the left triangle
7. Repeated Speech
(1) If the same speaker repeats a word or phrase multiple times within a single subtitle, only write it once.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(2) For repeated expressions marked with a multiplication sign (X) in the original subtitle, write the expression only once. Do not include the multiplication sign.
(Example) Click the left triangle
8. Consecutive Speech
(1) When translating a single speaker's dialogue across two or more subtitles, do not use ellipses (…) at the end of one subtitle or the beginning of the next.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(2) If the target language distinguishes between uppercase and lowercase letters, capitalize the first letter only in the first subtitle, and use lowercase letters for the beginning of subsequent subtitles.
(Example) Click the left triangle
9. On-Screen Text
(1) Translate on-screen text within square brackets ([ ]).
(Example) Click the left triangle
(2) Place the translated on-screen text at the top of the subtitle (the very first line).
(Example) Click the left triangle
(3) If the translated on-screen text is identical to the spoken dialogue, omit the on-screen text translation.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(4) When there are two or more pieces of on-screen text, separate them with a slash (/) with one space before and after the slash. Align the slash with its placement in the original subtitles whenever possible.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(5) Do not translate foreign languages or emojis.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(6) For program titles, do not translate logos displayed in the top-left corner throughout the runtime. However, translate titles or phrases displayed on insert shots for scene transitions. Do not translate English text.
(7) If uppercase and lowercase letters are distinguished, on-screen text translated into subtitles should start with an uppercase letter. However, in cases where it continues from the previous subtitle, it may start with a lowercase letter. (This applies only to languages with case distinction.)
(Example) Click the left triangle
10. Subtitle Position
(1) Subtitle position is not adjusted separately due to the nature of YouTube content.
Chapter 3. Formatting Guidelines
1. Punctuation
(1) Caution: Permitted Punctuation
(a) Use punctuation marks only for the purposes specified in the guidelines below (table).
(b) Do not substitute one permitted punctuation mark for another. (Example) Period → Comma (X)
(c) Ensure no spaces (Enter or a single space) are left after punctuation marks at the end of a sentence.
(d) Use punctuation marks at the end of all sentences, following American English conventions.
(2) Caution: Prohibited Punctuation
(a) Do not use prohibited punctuation marks under any circumstances.
(b) If a situation absolutely requires a prohibited punctuation mark, replace it with one of the permitted punctuation marks specified in [(1) Permitted Punctuation]. Ensure the replacement is the most appropriate for the target language.
(c) Musical notes are allowed only for SDH subtitles and should not be used otherwise.
Table
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2. Quotations and Emphasis
(1) Use double quotation marks (" ") when quoting someone’s words or when seeing and reading them.
(2) Use double quotation marks (" ") to emphasize specific words.
(3) When a quotation spans multiple subtitles, use double quotation marks (" ") only at the beginning of the first subtitle and the end of the final subtitle.
(4) Use single quotation marks (‘ ’) when quoting or emphasizing words within a quotation.
(5) Place periods (.) and commas (,) directly before the closing quotation mark.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(6) Place question marks (?) and exclamation marks (!) inside the quotation marks if they pertain to the quoted content. If they apply to the entire sentence, place them outside the quotation marks.
3. Proper Nouns
(1) Use Glossary Notation
(a) For proper nouns, refer to the notation specified in the [Glossary-Client] attached to the editor's right sidebar. If no glossary is provided, follow the guidelines in (2)–(5) below.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(2) Use Official Notation
(a) Follow official English notation for names of people, places, institutions, trademarks, copyrights, etc.
(b) If no official English notation exists, use the most widely used expression by searching for the one with the highest search volume on reputable portal sites.
(c) If no established notation can be found, transliterate the term.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(3) Use of Personal Pronouns
(a) In languages where personal pronouns are allowed, if a person's name or animal name is repeatedly mentioned throughout the video, replace subsequent mentions with an appropriate pronoun. Ensure the gender of the proper noun is verified before translation.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(4) Censoring
(a) For brand names that are uncensored in the speech, retain them unchanged in the translation and do not translate them into generic terms.
(b) For censored brand names, replace them with an asterisk (*) as part of the name.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(5) Proper Nouns Related to Korean Culture
(a) For natural or cultural heritage, transliterate the name. Refer to [6. Reference Materials-1. Reference Materials-(d)].
(b) For food names, transliterate the food name but translate the ingredient names. Refer to [6. Reference Materials-1. Reference Materials-(c)].
(c) For animal and plant names, translate them. If translation is difficult, transliterate the name.
(d) When transliterating, you may add a brief descriptive common noun to aid understanding. Do not use parentheses for this purpose.
4. Names and Titles
(1) Names
Not applicable.
(2) Titles
(a) Kinship Terms
(a-1) Terms such as 언니 (eonni), 오빠 (oppa), 형 (hyeong), 누나 (nuna), and 동생 (dongsaeng) should be translated using the person's name.
(b-1) For specific family relationships such as 새언니 (Sae eonni/sister-in-law), 형님 (Hyeongnim/husband's older sister), etc., translate them into the corresponding title if one exists. If not, use the person's name.
(b) Age-Related Titles
(a-1) Titles such as 선배 (sunbae/senior) or 후배 (hoobae/junior) should be translated using the person's name.
(c) Titles Related to Positions, Ranks, or Status
(a-1) Titles combined with a surname (e.g., CEO Kim;김 사장, Assistant Manager Kim;김 대리) can be translated as "Title + Surname" or just the title.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(b-1) For elementary, middle, or high school teachers, translate using only the title, as in 4.(a).
(Example) Click the left triangle
(d) General Titles
(a-1) When post-positions or suffixes indicating titles (e.g., 님, 씨, 분) are used, translate them into appropriate titles.
(Example) Click the left triangle
5. Numbers
(1) Cardinal Numbers
(a) Write numbers from 1 to 10 in words. (Example) one, two, three
(b) Use Arabic numerals for numbers 11 and above. (Example) 11, 12, 13
(c) If a sentence begins with a cardinal number, write it in words whenever possible. (Example) Thirty pages
(2) Ordinal Numbers
(a) Write ordinal numbers from first to tenth in words. (Example) first, second, third
(b) For eleventh and above, use Arabic numerals with suffixes in lowercase ('th', 'st', 'nd'). (Example) 11th, 12th, 13th
(c) If a sentence begins with an ordinal number, write it in words whenever possible. (Example) Twelfth night
(3) Scores
(a) Use Arabic numerals to write scores for sports, competitions, games, or quizzes, using a colon if necessary.
(Example) 3 vs. 3 → 3:3
(4) Currency
(a) Write currency amounts using Arabic numerals, adding commas (,) for numbers with four or more digits. (Example) 50,000
(b) For millions and above, use terms such as 'million', 'billion', and 'trillion'.
(c) Use won instead of KRW for the currency unit.
(5) Numerical Values
(a) When numerical values are used with measurement units, consider readability and space constraints to decide between words and Arabic numerals.
6. Dates and Times
(1) Dates
(a) Write the month in words and the date in Arabic numerals. (Example) October 28th
(b) Write the year in Arabic numerals.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(c) Write ages in words.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(2) Time
(a) Write the time in Arabic numerals.
(b) When exact times are mentioned, use a colon to indicate them. (Example) 9:30 a.m.
(c) When morning and afternoon are mentioned, use lowercase letters and separate them with periods. (Example) a.m. / p.m.
(3) Exceptions
(a) If the subtitle's character limit per line is exceeded, a formatting style different from the above may be applied as an exception.
7. Units
(1) Currency Units
(a) Currency units are not converted and are retained as they appear in the original text.
(b) Do not write as KRW, USD, etc., but write as won, dollars, etc.
(2) Measurement Units
(a) Do not convert measurement units (e.g., weight, volume and etc.) unless specifically requested.
(b) Write measurement units in full and avoid abbreviations whenever possible.
(Example) Click the left triangle
8. Songs
(1) Album Titles, Song Titles
(a) Translate album titles and song titles within double quotation marks (" ").
(b) Write album titles, song titles, and artist names using their official English names.
(2) Song Lyrics
(a) Song lyrics are translated without using quotation marks (double quotation marks).
(b) Translate only the Korean lyrics typed in the original subtitles. Do not translate lyrics that require indirect translation; instead, transliterate them into English.
(c) For English phrases included in the song lyrics within the original subtitles, write them exactly as they appear in the original subtitles without translating their meaning. Even if there are grammatical errors, retain the original as is.
(d) Do not use commas (,) or periods (.) at the end of song lyrics. Use only question marks (?) and exclamation marks (!) when necessary.
(e) Commas (,) may be used within song lyrics if necessary.
9. Foreign Languages
(1) Prohibition of Indirect Translation
(a) Translate only the Korean text in the original subtitles. Do not translate foreign languages that require separate translation or indirect translation.
(b) Foreign languages typed in the original subtitles should be written according to (2)~(3) below.
(2) When Foreign Languages Are Transliterated into Korean
(a) Foreign languages transliterated into Korean in the original subtitles should not be indirectly translated but instead written in English words. However, if the transliterated word/phrase in the original subtitle is in English, it should be translated into English.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(3) When Foreign Languages Are Written in English Alphabet
(a) If foreign languages are written in English words (alphabet letters) in the original subtitles, retain them as is without translation.
(Example) Click the left triangle
10. Titles
(1) Translate titles of albums, movies, television programs, radio programs, books, magazines, exhibitions, etc., within double quotation marks (" ").
(2) Use official or widely recognized expressions for titles such as albums, movies, and TV programs. If these are unavailable, translate according to [3. Formatting-3. Proper Nouns-(2) Use of Official Notation].
(3) Titles should be written on a single line whenever possible, even if it exceeds the maximum characters per line or the maximum number of lines specified above.
11. Annotations
(1) Do not use parentheses or semicolons to add annotations.
12. Abbreviations/Acronyms
(1) Abbreviations
(a) Only the specified abbreviations below may be used. When used, distinguish between uppercase and lowercase letters and always include periods.
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A.D. - Anno Domini
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B.C. - Before Christ
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a.m. - ante meridian
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p.m.- post meridian
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Mr. - Mister
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Mrs. - Missus
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Dr. - Doctor
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Prof. - Professor
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e.g. - exampli gratia
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i.e. - id est
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etc. - et cetera
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ft. - feet
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vs. - Versus
(2) Acronyms
(a) Do not use periods within acronyms (words formed by taking the initial letters).
(Example) Click the left triangle
13. Text Formatting
(1) Italics
(a) Do not use italics, considering the nature of YouTube content.
(b) However, if specifically requested, use italics or substitute italics with double quotation marks (" ").
Chapter 4. Translation Style
1. Grammar
(1) Always use correct grammar and ensure that no errors occur.
(2) When translating personal pronouns, pay attention to the gender of the referenced subject.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(3) Contractions using an apostrophe (') are allowed only if the grammar is accurate.
2. Spacing
(1) Do not use a single space at the beginning or end of subtitles.
3. Tone Setting (Formal/Informal Speech)
Not applicable.
4. Chinese Characters
Not applicable.
5. Exclamations/Filler Words
(1) Do not translate exclamations or filler words.
6. Onomatopoeia/Mimetic Words
(1) Translate onomatopoeia and mimetic words into the closest equivalent in the target language.
7. Profanity/Swear words
(1) Profanity
(1) Translate profanity to match the intensity of the original text but avoid using offensive expressions that do not align with the speaker's intent.
(2) Swear words
(1) Translate swearing without censoring, but ensure not to use excessively harsh expressions that go beyond the original text.
(2) If swearing in the original subtitle is partially censored (e.g., marked with X), censor it using asterisks (*) in the translation.
(Example) Click the left triangle
8. Cautionary/Prohibited Expressions
Not applicable.
9. Wordplay
(1) Puns
(a) Paraphrase to retain the humor whenever possible; if not, translate literally.
(2) Neologisms
(a) Translate to retain the humor whenever possible; if not, translate literally.
(b) Avoid using socially or culturally inappropriate expressions when translating neologisms.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(3) Word Chain Games
(a) Translate the first word literally according to its original meaning, and translate subsequent words to maintain the continuity of the chain.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(4) Acrostic Poems
(a) Translate the given word literally or modify it into an acronym as needed.
(Example) Click the left triangle
(b) Preserve the tone and nuance of the original content as much as possible, but modify it appropriately.
(Example) Click the left triangle
Chapter 5. Notes
1. Other Specifics
1.
If the glossary (client glossary) and this guideline’s notation conflict, follow the glossary (client glossary) notation.
2.
Always check the 'Requests' tab in the editor's right sidebar and ensure to reflect any specified requests.
Chapter 6. Reference Materials
1. Links
(a) National Institute of Korean Language, Korean Language Norms: https://kornorms.korean.go.kr/
(b) Korea Tourism Organization, Interactive Map: http://www.juso.go.kr/openIndexPage.do
(c) Korea Tourism Organization, Foreign Language Menu Translation: https://kto.visitkorea.or.kr/kor/ktom/menupan/menupan/menuName_search.kto
(d) Korea Tourism Organization, Visit Korea: https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/index.kto
Change Log
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2023-08-03 Guideline Distribution