Universidad ORT Uruguay the 5th...or International Congress of Spanish Proofreaders (CICTE) “The Proofreader: Between the Text and the Reader,” organized by the Uruguayan Association of Style Editors (AUCE) and the Association of Professionals of Correct Spanish Language in Argentina (PLECA). The conference took place from November 16 to 18, 2018, in Colonia del Sacramento.
The conference brought together some 300 copyeditors, editors, translators, teachers, communications professionals, linguists, and language enthusiasts from countries across Latin America. This was the fifth edition of the event, which is held every two years and took place in our country for the first time.
Universidad ORT Uruguay . René Fuentes Gómez, Universidad ORT Uruguay faculty member in the School of Communication and Design, participated as a speaker on behalf of Universidad ORT Uruguay presentation was titled “Proofreading as a Point of Contact Among Professionals in the Editorial Process (Authors, Editors, Proofreaders, Designers, Layout Artists).”
Proofreading and editing
Speaking to a packed audience in the main hall of the iconic Bastión del Carmen, the professor emphasized that “One characteristic of proofreading is complementarity, since its purpose is to enhance the quality of the text and to complement other aspects of the editorial process.” In this regard, he stated that “the proofreader is part of a complex process: editing.”
Similarly, he noted that “The proofreader and stylist does not simply perform their duties or edit texts in a linear, one-way process. On the contrary: the dual role of proofreader and stylist allows for an adaptive, fluid, and creative workflow.”
“The contributions of the style editor are also based on judgment, selection, consensus, moderation, and other characteristics that define style and bring the editor closer to other aspects of the editor’s work,” he stated.
Training in style editing, copyediting, and writing
Likewise, when asked how he applies style editing and proofreading in the classes he teaches at Universidad ORT Uruguay, he replied, “The School of Communication [within the Faculty of Communication and Design at Universidad ORT Uruguay] offers a very comprehensive and diverse academic program in writing. This claim is supported by the quality and quantity of writing courses and workshops that students take throughout their degree program,” he said.
He also noted that in some of these workshops, “students learn and apply the basics of editing and proofreading—not to train as editors or proofreaders, but because any kind of specialization in writing requires knowledge and practical skills in these areas, whether working individually or as part of a team.”
Proofreading and Editing in Today's World
When asked about the role of editing and proofreading in today’s world, the professor stated that “Training in writing, proofreading, and editing is becoming increasingly important, even to expand the possibilities and quality of reading, to better appreciate and engage with the diverse textual fabrics that surround, express, and constitute our existence—and even more so for those who study and work in any field of communication.”