A text written in a foreign language by a non-native speaker is almost always recognisable, and the reader draws conclusions about the author before the content. Language editing removes that gap: a native speaker with competence in the subject rereads the text, corrects what is wrong and rewrites what is correct but sounds foreign, without touching the thought of the person who wrote it. Multilingual writing starts instead from a brief or an outline and produces the text directly in the target language. The firm has offered both services since 1995 to companies, public bodies, professionals, researchers and publishers.
Editing of texts written in a foreign language
It is the service requested by those who write in English, French, Spanish or German for work and want the text to reach its reader without errors and without that impression of translation that puts readers off: business letters and proposals, company presentations, press releases, reports for foreign shareholders, responses to international calls and tenders, correspondence with foreign authorities and partners. The editor works on the client’s file with tracked changes, so that every intervention is visible and open to discussion, and returns with the text a short note on recurring errors, useful to those who often write in the same language. When the text is intended for print or for online publication the firm also proofreads the final layout.
Language editing of theses, articles and scientific publications
International journals reject many articles for their language before their merits, and universities that accept theses in a foreign language assess their formal correctness. Academic language editing works on grammar, vocabulary, cohesion and register, adapts the text to the conventions of the discipline and to the editorial rules of the journal or the university, and points out to the author the ambiguous passages that require a decision. The scientific content, the structure of the argument and the data remain the author’s: the firm does not write theses or articles on behalf of students and researchers and does not intervene on the substance of the work. On request it issues the statement of language editing by a native speaker that some journals require at submission.
Content writing and copywriting in several languages
When a company addresses a foreign market, translating the Italian material is often the least effective choice: the references, the selling points and the tone that work in Italy do not work in the same way elsewhere. Multilingual writing starts from the objectives and the content supplied by the client and produces texts written directly in the language of the market by a native copywriter who knows the sector: website pages, product sheets, brochures, newsletters, press releases, social media texts, presentations and company profiles. For texts intended for the web the firm works with the keywords searched in the target language and country, which rarely coincide with the translation of the Italian keywords, and takes care of titles, meta descriptions and page structure in coordination with whoever manages the site. The localisation of websites has a page of its own.
Editorial support
For publishers, authors and cultural institutions the firm handles the translation and editing of essays, catalogues, guides, conference proceedings and works of fiction, with proofreading in the target language and coordination with the editor and the designer. For authors who publish abroad on their own or with foreign publishers it prepares the translation of synopses, book proposals and correspondence with agents and publishers, and reviews publishing contracts in the foreign language together with the legal translation when an Italian version with official value is needed.
The quote is calculated on the number of words or standard pages and on the type of intervention required, from simple correction to rewriting, after reading a sample of the text. The languages covered are on the page on working languages.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between proofreading, editing and rewriting?
Proofreading corrects errors of grammar, vocabulary and punctuation and fixes sentences that do not work. Editing also intervenes on structure, repetitions, register and clarity, with proposals for rephrasing. Rewriting produces a new text from the content of the existing one. The quote states which level is recommended after reading the sample.
Do you edit texts written with the help of artificial intelligence?
Yes, and they are increasingly frequent. The editor corrects the terminological inaccuracies, the generic formulas and the factual errors these texts often contain and adapts them to the real reader. The client should say so, because the type of intervention changes and because some journals and universities have specific rules on the use of these tools.
Do you write degree theses or parts of theses on commission?
No. The firm edits the language of theses written by the student and translates chapters, abstracts and bibliographies, and issues the statement of editing on request. Writing theses on behalf of others is unlawful and is not among the services offered.
Which variety of English do you write in?
The one required by the reader: British for the United Kingdom, Ireland and the European institutions, American for the United States and for many scientific journals, with consistent spelling, vocabulary and typographical conventions throughout the text. If the client has no preference the firm proposes one according to the audience.
Can the edited or written texts be published under the client’s name?
Yes. The work is done on commission and the texts belong to the client, who publishes them under his or her own name. The firm does not cite them as references without authorisation and keeps unpublished content confidential.
Do you have a text to edit or to have written in another language?
Send us the text, or the brief if it is to be written from scratch, and tell us the reader and the deadline: you receive within one working day the quote with the recommended type of intervention.
