Transcription is the process of converting recorded video or audio files into text format. Every business needs to maintain detailed records of its communications and this can be ensured with timely transcription. Organizations can either perform the transcription in-house or outsource it, the latter being a more economical option. There are reliable general transcription providers that offer professional transcription of all important records into accurate transcripts within the required turnaround time. Skilled transcriptionists provide insightful transcription with careful listening, detailed note taking and perceptive interpretation. This ensures that the transcripts clearly convey what the speakers actually meant.
General transcription includes transcribing lectures, speeches, telephone messages, recordings of meetings and various dictation notes. Business transcription including insurance transcription must be accurate and unambiguous. This means that vocabulary and grammatical errors must be kept to a minimum. Grammar mistakes are usually those involving homophones, which would lead to confusion in the transcripts. Professional general transcription companies guarantee maximum accuracy through multilevel QA procedures. Even so, there may still be minor mistakes.
Now let us look at some of the common grammatical and vocabulary errors seen in transcripts, which transcriptionists should take care to avoid.
- Aid and aide: “Aide” refers to assistant and “aid” refers to help. Often transcriptionists use “aid” for both meanings.
- There, their and they’re: These words sound the same but are different in meaning. “There” signifies a physical place; “their” indicates ownership or possession; and “they’re” is short form for “they are.” You can get these words right only if you take the context into consideration.
- Effect and affect: “Effect” is usually used as a noun whereas “affect” is used as a verb. “Effect” signifies something that is the result of an action; and “affect” is used to indicate how something changes when something else acts on it. However, sometimes “affect” is used as a noun to refer to the appearance of someone’s mood, and “effect” is used as a verb to signify the meaning “to bring about.” For example, as in the sentence “In spite of his indifferent affect, he still preferred to effect a change in the policy.”
- Principle and principal: “Principle” refers to a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behaviour or for a chain of reasoning. “Principal” as noun refers to a very important senior person in an organization or group, and as adjective it refers to the sum of money invested that draws interest.
- Adapt and adopt: “Adopt” is the right word when you are referring to placing a child or animal with a new family. “Adapt” has a totally different meaning used to indicate that you are changing something so that it is more suitable to a situation/environment. You adopt a child, but you adapt your home space to suit a mobility impaired family member.
- Past and passed: “Past” refers to time that has gone by and no longer exists whereas “passed” means move or cause to move in a specified direction.
- Ensure and insure: “Ensure” means to make certain whereas “insure” means to protect against loss.
- Emigrate and Immigrate: “Emigrate” refers to leaving one’s country and “immigrate” means to enter another country.
- Capital or capitol: “Capital” refers to the primary city in the country, province or state which is usually the seat of government. It also means money that a person or business has in their possession whereas “capitol” refers to a building that holds the government’s legislative branch.
- You’re and your: “You’re” is got by combining “you” and “are” whereas “your” is a possessive word showing belonging.
An error-free transcript is essential for any organization and hence it is important that accurate documentation of sensitive information is ensured. Partnering with professional general transcription providers helps to get the affordable transcription done within short turnaround time at affordable rates.
