Contractions

Discussion in 'CastingWords' started by vordai, Nov 28, 2012.

  1. vordai

    vordai User

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    Hello fellow CastingWords transcribers,

    I'm doing an edit, and one of the transcribers un-contractionized (made up word!) all the speaker's contractions.

    Newbie editor (only my 3rd edit), so I guess I'm not really sure what to do. I've been putting the apostrophe's back in and turning them into contractions to match the speaker's tone, but now I'm not sure.

    I just...would writing out contractions count as changing the speaker's tone? The splice was graded a 9, so now I'm doubting myself and wondering if maybe we're supposed to write out contractions.

    I'll just make up an example.

    Words on audio: There's plenty of juice in the fridge. We don't need to buy more while we're at the store.

    Transcription: There is plenty of juice in the fridge. We do not need to buy more while we are at the store.


    Is it correct for me to change them into contractions to match the audio, or would it be OK to leave them un-contracted? Of course, if I leave them, then it doesn't match the other bits where people used contractions...

    :confused:
     
  2. ayeembored

    ayeembored Active Member

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    You absolutely use contractions if the speaker does. The style guide lists several contractions in its "grammar problems" section at the end. I think that ONCE in the time that I've done CW hits I've seen a client request for contractions to be uncontracted.

    You ran into one of the idiot editors. They are out there. Please send CW a message about them, with the HIT ID, so they can track the editor down. Things like this hurt us all as workers for CW. If too many bad transcripts are sent out, then the clients stop using CW and we stop getting their work.
     
  3. naturegirl

    naturegirl User

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    Agreed entirely with ayeembored, except that the perpetrator here wasn't an editor but a transcriber undoing the speaker's contractions, with the OP asking whether they should put them back in, as an editor.

    I had a conversation with CW just two days ago about this, because I also was editing a transcript where one of the transcribers had taken out the contractions. It's absolutely not OK to do at CW (you would only do something so radical if it were the shop's standard style). It also makes it look like the transcriber has a poor ear. Bad all around in clients' eyes.

    I suggest you drop the grade by one on that transcript for this reason alone, and as ayeembored mentioned, you may wish to mention it directly to CW as well. They need to know.

    About that edit that I did: the client was so delighted they commented on the transcript quality to CW, who passed the feedback on to me. I can't say their delight was because all the contractions were back by the time they saw it, but it made me glad I went to the trouble of getting them back in place---especially because it turned out to be the client's first time using the service, and it sounded like now they plan to be back.
     
    #3 naturegirl, Nov 28, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 28, 2012
  4. naturegirl

    naturegirl User

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    Also, graders don't always catch big problems like removing all contractions, because unfortunately, they don't always listen to the audio for comparison. So if you're an editor listening to the audio to check it against the transcript, first, hurrah that you're doing it correctly. :) And second, no need to doubt yourself. I drop grades all the time while editing, because the editor role has to be one of taking a really careful listen to the audio vs. the transcript, among other things.
     
  5. vordai

    vordai User

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    Thanks to both of you, ayeembored and naturegirl, for your advice and making me feel more sure of myself.

    They don't pay well, but my experience editing is making me want to work on those 'improve a transcript' HITs just to make the work easier for the final editor.
     
  6. naturegirl

    naturegirl User

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    You are quite welcome. And thank you for being willing to do Improves!

    You are right...they don't pay well. Then again, CW editing doesn't pay well...at least for me. But like you, I put a bit of time into editing when I can so that I can help the cause, I suppose. :) A great final product = a happy client, and in the long run, that means more work for all CW Turkers. Therefore, it's worth it to me.
     
  7. soughtseven1035

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    I am still confused in this area. When a speaker speaks really fast like it sounds like he is saying there's, but I got downgraded already because I didn't put there is. What do you do in cases like that if your transcribing the audio? It's very confusing which to put...
     
  8. naturegirl

    naturegirl User

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    It's a crucial part of transcribing skill to be able to hear the difference between the two. A transcriber adding contractions where there were none, or taking them out when they were there, is something that will horrify most transcription companies (except those whose style, for example, indicates you should always remove or insert contractions, no matter what is said). CastingWords' style for contractions/noncontractions is that you type the words as they were said.

    If you're consistently not hearing what's on the audio in the same way that other transcribers, editors, or graders do, then that is a separate issue. That would be one that will definitely make it hard for you to succeed in transcribing, until you figure out how to fix it.
     
  9. dancingfingers

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    This is not a personal attack on you, however it does tell us much about CastingWords. A transcriber would know that they should type contractions if they are spoken because what IS transcription? It is putting an ACCURATE voice to text document is it not?

    And again, not a personal thing why would a transcriptionist have to ask this question? I mean really if you are REALLY doing transcriptions this would be a non-issue or non-question? If you aren't a transcriptionist thank God you don't edit or grade me.
     
  10. dancingfingers

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    ummm the OP is the editor and doesn't know what to do with contractions- whether to leave them in or not. For me that is a little scary.
     

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