15. The home stretch: have typeset copy proofread by your translator

Even if you have a sound procedure in place, with reliable translation providers who know your company inside out, last-minute additions (headings, captions, word changes) by well-meaning non-linguists can sabotage an otherwise effective document. Get any change or addition proofread by a qualified translator!

"Skeletons of Mothers" read one heading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange web site. The page itself was a well-translated outline of listing information for foreign companies. The stumble occurred when a non-native English speaker stepped in, dictionary in hand, as deadlines loomed. True, honegumi (literally "bone/assembly") can be rendered "skeleton", but in this context would be outline or summary. As for "Mothers?" The market segment concerned was for high-growth companies that needed "nurturing."

Be sure to have a language-sensitive native speaker on hand to vet final fiddling. For the same reason, do not finalize changes to foreign texts by telephone. They are almost always misheard.