| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Do you pay attention to the font you choose (in e-mails, finished translations, etc.) ? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you pay attention to the font you choose (in e-mails, finished translations, etc.) ?".
This poll was originally submitted by Catharine Cellier-Smart. View the poll results »
| | | | Mary Worby 
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:52
German to English
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| Not as such ... | Sep 22, 2012 |
I use the default font for e-mails and deliver translations in the same font they are sent to me. I do, however, dislike e-mails in silly fonts!
| | | | Ty Kendall
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:52
Hebrew to English
I do always dwell on it actually, but I can never decide what to do. I usually go with one of the 'classics' or one which I like...if it gets changed on the other end once I've hit 'send' - c'est la vie.
I don't have the option of leaving it in the same font which it was sent to me in because I work with different alphabets, so I'm forced to wrangle with choice. (too much choice really).
I'm less bothered with the font in emails, I just use the one it defa... See more I do always dwell on it actually, but I can never decide what to do. I usually go with one of the 'classics' or one which I like...if it gets changed on the other end once I've hit 'send' - c'est la vie.
I don't have the option of leaving it in the same font which it was sent to me in because I work with different alphabets, so I'm forced to wrangle with choice. (too much choice really).
I'm less bothered with the font in emails, I just use the one it defaults to when I open a new email.
I don't like Times New Roman.
[Edited at 2012-09-22 09:04 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Yes and no... | Sep 22, 2012 |
Yes for finished translations: always the same font they were sent to me; no for e-mails: I always use the one it defaults to when I open it.
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Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 17:52
Member (2009)
English to German
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The translations are always delivered in the same fond as its original.
After much experimenting, I have settled for a clear fond in all my business emails,
while the font in my private emails varies - aside from always being creative.
| | | | | Oh goodness me yes | Sep 22, 2012 |
I most certainly do (when possible). I can never understand that people wouldn't notice how, frankly, naff, certain fonts look.
I search for clarity/elegance and appropriacy. A case in point re appropriacy might be printing out some name labels for my children to stick on their books and stationery for school - no use using something which is illegible even if attractive. And the older one (10) is very superior about how childish the print is that I've used for the younger one (8)!... See more I most certainly do (when possible). I can never understand that people wouldn't notice how, frankly, naff, certain fonts look.
I search for clarity/elegance and appropriacy. A case in point re appropriacy might be printing out some name labels for my children to stick on their books and stationery for school - no use using something which is illegible even if attractive. And the older one (10) is very superior about how childish the print is that I've used for the younger one (8)!
Different fonts, and not just cursive/bold, may be a good idea within a document for distinction, and I've found that some most definitely do not "go" together.
Size is another issue if you're trying to fit a text on one page.
In many of my translations however I am not in a position to start tinkering with the fonts - they want it just as it is.
Times New Roman, no, Courier New please no! Have you noticed, by the way, that there are fashions - do you remember when everything was in Comic Sans? Some fonts certainly have their hey-day and then pall. My ten-year-old points out cases of Comic Sans in use disdainfully. He's inherited my fussiness and you would have been amazed how long it took us to choose the font for the names on the football shirts for the team we sponsored recently.
Has anyone very tried designing their own? A friend did for a master's project - fascinating to hear her comments on the subject.
Back to work now: the doc I'm working on is in Helvetica and Calibri which as fonts go are OK, but aren't actually the easiest for proof reading. If the doc were just in one font I'd probably change the whole lot for proofing and then put it back again. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Julian Holmes
Japan
Local time: 00:52
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
I have favorite English and Japanese fonts that I use all the time. More importantly, I also adjust the size in e-mails so that what I write is readily visible to the other party and what I send, whenever I send Word files, needs no formatting and is ready to print for review.
Of course, I have no choice when translating ttx files in TagEditor. I do, however, adjust the font size so that I do not continually have to squint  ... See more I have favorite English and Japanese fonts that I use all the time. More importantly, I also adjust the size in e-mails so that what I write is readily visible to the other party and what I send, whenever I send Word files, needs no formatting and is ready to print for review.
Of course, I have no choice when translating ttx files in TagEditor. I do, however, adjust the font size so that I do not continually have to squint  and can sit a good distance away from the screen, which is good for the eyes.
Either way - in e-mails or delivered files - I format the information so that it can be easily accessed immediately.
Small edit
[Edited at 2012-09-23 01:33 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 17:52
Spanish to English
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| Sometimes, depends | Sep 22, 2012 |
I prefer certain fonts for reading/legibility, finding them somehow more pleasant and clearer to read/revise. So, I might change the text into one of these fonts to work in, then change it back to whatever the client needs/wants - or else I just tell them that they can tweak the format themselves any way they like after delivery.
I take great pains in general to disabuse clients of the notion that what they get from me is a "finished article", since I prefer nothing in my modus oper... See more I prefer certain fonts for reading/legibility, finding them somehow more pleasant and clearer to read/revise. So, I might change the text into one of these fonts to work in, then change it back to whatever the client needs/wants - or else I just tell them that they can tweak the format themselves any way they like after delivery.
I take great pains in general to disabuse clients of the notion that what they get from me is a "finished article", since I prefer nothing in my modus operandi to be set in stone.
[Edited at 2012-09-22 09:40 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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| Something I can proofread | Sep 22, 2012 |
For working, I need a font I can read easily and proofread without ambiguity.
- And here the maligned Times New Roman has its advantages.
You can see the difference between cl and d (which is difficult in this font)
And between rn and m
Or distinguish capital I from small l and preferably figure 1
... that sort of thing.
It is useful to highlight the errors and typos.
_____________________
But when setting up the final ... See more For working, I need a font I can read easily and proofread without ambiguity.
- And here the maligned Times New Roman has its advantages.
You can see the difference between cl and d (which is difficult in this font)
And between rn and m
Or distinguish capital I from small l and preferably figure 1
... that sort of thing.
It is useful to highlight the errors and typos.
_____________________
But when setting up the final text...
You bet I pay attention to fonts!
In an earlier life I proofread at a printer's in the days when everyday printing was done on a linotype, and some things were still set up with movable type and adjusted with tweezers until the senior proofreader and the printer agreed they looked right....
I studied calligraphy at school, and still take pride in my handwriting.
Quite a challenge for someone left handed, so I learned to do relief styles with my right hand.
I think setting the text up apropriately on a page is almost as important as getting the grammar correct and using the appropriate syntax. Formal or informal layout, neat and businesslike or exuberant... The fonts say something about the person who chose them and colour the message.
Systematic, harmonious fonts for titles, subtitles and body text can be useful and make a page easy to read, dividing the information into suitable units, while inappropriate fonts can be very distracting.
______________________________________
But if I know my text is going through a DTP department as soon as I have finished with it, I don't worry - then it is not my problem!
I'm afraid I am not patient enough with e-mails either. Answers tend to be returned in the font dictated by the first mail or the mechanics, usually Arial.
However, If I cut and paste large chunks or prepare a section in Word first, then I do tidy up the fonts to suit what I am trying to say. ▲ Collapse
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I use the fonts that are in the document and try to stick with it. If they don't really care, or if it's a document converted from a PDF, i try to use fonts that are easy to read. Usually Times new roman or Calibri. If formatting is important to the client, i try to stick to their requirements!
| | | | | Thank you Christine... | Sep 22, 2012 |
....for explaining what I didn't have time to say earlier about font legibility:
Christine Andersen wrote:
For working, I need a font I can read easily and proofread without ambiguity.
- And here the maligned Times New Roman has its advantages.
You can see the difference between cl and d (which is difficult in this font)
And between rn and m
Or distinguish capital I from small l and preferably figure 1
... that sort of thing.
It is useful to highlight the errors and typos.
_____________________
Well put! And you make it extremely clear from your examples that Calibri has its major disadvantages!
| | | | Yaotl Altan
Mexico
Local time: 09:52
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
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I dislike Time news Roman and love Arial and Verdana.
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| For work the same font as the original | Sep 22, 2012 |
For translation for me it is a a matter of course to deliver the job looking as similar as possible as the original, even if the client asked for "translation only".
For emails, I always use the same simple font. Nothing fancy.Christine Andersen wrote:
I studied calligraphy at school, and still take pride in my handwriting.
Quite a challenge for someone left handed, so I learned to do relief styles with my right hand.
I am left-handed and I simply cannot understand why people seem to think we have some sort of disability. For us, the left hand is simply what that the right hand is for right-handed people.
The only problem when writing is that at least in most western languages we write from left to right, and that makes us cover the freshly written text with the hand as we write and maybe smudge the fresh ink, but the problem is solved very easily by slanting the paper a little to one side. Problem solved. I see no reason for a left-handed person to have problems or to write with bad calligraphy.
| | | | Fahd Hassanein
Türkiye
Local time: 18:52
Member (2009)
English to Arabic
+ ...
For emails, I use the default font which is usually Sans Serif or the like and is easy to read and understand.
But for work, and since my target language is Arabic, it is very important to understand where problems happen.
So far, Arial has proven to be the best in Arabic and this is sometimes unknown to clients. Clients needing post-translation services like desktop publishing also realize that it is not always easy to get what you dream of or like. Some fonts cause pr... See more For emails, I use the default font which is usually Sans Serif or the like and is easy to read and understand.
But for work, and since my target language is Arabic, it is very important to understand where problems happen.
So far, Arial has proven to be the best in Arabic and this is sometimes unknown to clients. Clients needing post-translation services like desktop publishing also realize that it is not always easy to get what you dream of or like. Some fonts cause problems in DTP in Arabic and thus the issue is very important and helpful to know when you are providing your service. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Left-handed handwriting can be an art in itself | Sep 22, 2012 |
Jose Arnoldo Rodriguez-Carrington wrote:
I am left-handed and I simply cannot understand why people seem to think we have some sort of disability. For us, the left hand is simply what that the right hand is for right-handed people.
The only problem when writing is that at least in most western languages we write from left to right, and that makes us cover the freshly written text with the hand as we write and maybe smudge the fresh ink, but the problem is solved very easily by slanting the paper a little to one side. Problem solved. I see no reason for a left-handed person to have problems or to write with bad calligraphy.
Precisely.
I started with Marion Richardson at school, and have developed my own handwriting from there. If I had my way I would write everything by hand, my left, of course. I can write as fast as I type, without typos...
Like fonts, there are types of handwritng for every occasion.
However, if you use a so-called relief nib with your left hand, the wide and narrow strokes are reversed, and the style looks odd.
I must bear in mind that so many people dislike Times New Roman.
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