Archive for June, 2010
Open Careers in Translation Services
The industry of translation services has achieved considerable height in the recent past, being on the cutting edge and developing itself at a very fast rate. Opportunities are coming up everyday for budding translators. If you are thinking of a career look no further, specific language translation services can offer you ample opportunities coming your way.
To become a qualified and certified translator in your native language there are certain objectives that are to be met, which includes a good command over your own language, other nonnative languages and for a good measure English. You are better set attaining a certified graduate degree from a recognized institute and having few years of experience in a specialize field. You need a thorough knowledge on the technicalities of translating in your own specific language. And last but not the least, professionalism is an essential quality while essaying a career providing translation services.
You can as well work as a freelancer to garner quality experience of your own. Countless sites are available offering freelancing jobs. This is a good opportunity if you are willing to start your career in translation. This will not only help you increase experience but help you master the technicalities of a translation career too.
A specialization in any particular subject background other than translation is an added advantage. Hence, it is advisable for a translator to specialize in one or several fields such as for instance poetry, fiction, law, technology and science, etc to get a job in a specific language translation field. For example, many publishing firms hire translators to translate poetry and fiction written in different languages to increase readership and in turn increase sales.
There are various types of agencies all over the world and in Europe particularly engaged in the process of translating texts and documents into several languages such as French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, etc or the other way around. These agencies hire translators skilled in their native language for such purpose. Therefore, the expectation of any translator can be no less than their international counterparts. They deal with different clients like IT hardware and software, advertising, manufacturing, finance, public sector and many more.
In general a translator turns written texts of one language into another dealing primarily with materials such as handbooks, leaflets, letters, Internet sites, and so on. Translating requires high skills and is a time-consuming affair. Typically a translator can get done with about 1500 words a day. But language translation services include also interpreting services of two types: face to face and group conference.
Large translation projects may involve a team of translators. Here, at first the lead translator produces a translation word list, which is then followed by the other members of the team, this guarantees consistency and accuracy of the translation.
Therefore, if you are considering to make a career as translator, in any specific language translation is a growing industry and there are plenty of choices to select from as to what field and type of translations to do. You may stick to one specific field of translation services or diversify more. With commitment, hard work and accuracy translators can reach satisfying results rapidly.
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Business Translation Services Taken Too Lightly
The need for business translation services is sometimes taken too lightly by people and organizations. However, translation is an important subject that should be considered in a sensible manner to avoid bad results. Before starting a project that involves translating documents or materials, take into consideration the following misconceptions regarding translation.
Some people believe that as long as they know a foreign language, they could be a translator. This is not the case. This is probably the most common translation misconception and the most damaging one. Being able to speak, read and write in a foreign language does not give anyone a certification to perform good translation work. A translator needs to have an in-depth understanding and knowledge of at least two languages: a foreign language and a mother tongue, but translation is not just know-how, it is a honed skill. You must be able to write well and have an excellent command of the distinction in language use. Language is influenced largely by cultural differences. If the culture behind the language which is being translated is not known and appreciated, an accurate translation is extremely difficult and ideas can be misconstrued very easily.
People also view translation as an easy task. It’s far from easy. It is very complex and involved and takes very hard work to get the job done in a professional manner. Having to simultaneously concentrate on two different languages, whether written or verbalized, is mentally taxing. This is because a translator is continuously moving between the two. A translator must first read and understand source information, then manage to interpret it and present it accurately in the target language to the target audience. This means having an excellent vocabulary and appreciating the language, phrases, metaphors, tone and intention. You could only expect a translator from a reputable business translation service to be knowledgeable in all of these areas.
One can think that we now have the means to utilize computers to do our translating, so why is there a need to pay for professional business translation services? Wow. This would be a terrible mistake and could possibly cost you a client or an important relationship. No translation program will ever be able to take the place of a human translator, especially a qualified one from a good business translation service agency. This is because computers do not understand the inner workings of language and the ever-changing uses. Computers may be able to translate simple sentences but they will never be able to cover the complexities within literature, technical or even medical texts.
Some people and organizations also believe that it is not critical to have a professional translator from a reputable business translation service agency do the job. This is also a misconception and could be very costly. Professional translators may not always be necessary, but if your translation is complex and needs to be prepared and presented perfectly to impress a client, then such an experienced translator is crucial. Bad translations lead to many problems, including people misunderstanding texts which ultimately reflect poorly on a company or organization.
So, think twice before you decide to utilize the computer to translate for you, or an employee who knows another language. Those are important choices in which business relationships rely upon. You want to make a good first impression, especially if it’s a new client and more often than not using a competent business translation service agency will pay off by preventing costly misunderstandings or losses and forwarding an excellent image of your company.
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Corporate Translation Services – Finding the Right Agency
Whether you are running a small business or a large, established one, if you have an offshore presence, you would in all likelihood have to deal with the effort of bilingual communication. It becomes critical to your business success to locate and hire a reliable translation service provider if you are looking to stabilize and expand your business on foreign shores. There have been many instances in the world of business and politics where an ineffective translation service has put a spoke in the proceedings.
On one occasion, the negotiation process between U.S. and British counterparts came to a standstill when the American company suggested that they would proceed to “table” certain key points. To the Americans, the phrase “tabling a motion” signifies that no discussion is warranted, while the British use the same phrase: “bring it to the table for discussion” when they wish to specifically discuss the very points!
In the above example, the same phrase used in the same language, viz., English, conveys the exact opposite meaning, because the cultural usages of the same phrase are at variance. When such is the case, imagine the high possibility of errors arising when sentences or phrases are translated to a different language! This is where the right choice of translator or translation services agency plays its part. It is imperative that you select a company that offers the expertise of a well trained team of professional translators who have industry exposure in addition to language skills and certification. The time and money spent in the exercise are well spent, when you consider the possible tribulations that you may have to contend with if there were to be one or more mis-translations in an important official document or contract.
The following are some useful tips that can help you identify a reliable professional translation service provider for translating your documents, manuals, website, advertisement content or other important written communications.
Most service providers/firms in the translation business have membership of a recognized professional translation association such as American Translation Association (ATA).
The translator/team must be qualified, certified professionals and should ideally be native speakers of the target language.
The team of translators must be qualified and experienced in rendering translation services in the target language/s, but must also possess subject matter expertise if they are to be really effective.
The translation agency must accept responsibility for proof reading the final translated document before it is delivered. In many cases, reliable translation service firms have a second, and sometimes even a third translator, all of whom are fully competent to proof-read the translated text and perhaps perform a back translation wherever it is warranted.
If your document runs into a number of pages and where the deadlines are close, reliable translation service firms will press into action more than one professional translator to complete your work to your complete satisfaction.
If you happen to directly hire a translator to do the job for you, it would be advisable to check for any references he can provide in respect of past projects completed to the satisfaction of clients.
It may be worthwhile to compare prices of different translation service firms to get an idea of the current pricing structure. While cheap is not necessarily the best, price may sometimes be a deciding factor when all other things are equal.
Meeting deadlines is a very important aspect of the service, but this may become known only when the agency delivers its first completed project.
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How to Hire an Immigration Translator
One of the main fears of immigrants is making an error in government paper work. Just one or two errors, and all could go awry. With the piles of paper work essential in the immigration process, scrutinizing every word can be stressful for a non-native English speaker. Even if your English is excellent, you may want to consult someone who can professionally translate or proofread your documents. Hiring the right translator will put your mind greatly to ease.
There are several key things to look for when hiring for document translation services. Whether you need to find a japanese translator, or obtain a hebrew translation, the options are enough to overwhelm you. By just googling “japanese translator”, you will find a long list of individual translators and translation companies, all over the world.
The first thing to look for is a Native English Speaker: A native English speaker is someone who grew up speaking English as a first language. It is less important that the translator is a fluent speaker of your native tongue. You want a native English speaker who can easily spot small errors in your English. On occasion, a non-native English translator is acceptable. In fact, you may be able to pay a lower rate if the translator is not a native English speaker. However, they should have been living in an Anglophonic country for a minimum of ten years, and they should give you several recommendations about their English skills. Remember, there are talented linguists out there. A Japanese translator may be more fluent in English than the typical American.
Experience is the second factor when hiring an immigration translator. There are many kinds of translators to choose from, but you want someone with at least three years experience in translating immigration documents. If you choose a translation company, instead of an independent translator, you may be safest. A good translation company will have a system for regulating the quality of translation work, and they usually use translation software, too. Ask the company you are hiring about their regulation system: How do they detect errors? How many clients from your native country have they assisted? How much experience do their translators have with your native tongue? These are all questions you will want to ask. There is a lot of potential for error when translating documents, and you don’t want anything to go wrong with your sensitive information.
Privacy policy: Since immigration papers contain extremely personal information, you will want to ask the translation company about their privacy policy. Most professional translation companies have a strict privacy policy, just like banks and doctors. However, private, independent translators may not have a privacy code to which they formally adhere. A professional translation company knows that violating their policy could result in a lawsuit. An independent translator may be less aware of potential lawsuits, and not have a clear privacy policy. If you do choose to hire an independent translator, it is best if you know him/her personally, and can trust him/her completely. Otherwise, you are safest with hiring from a translation company. If any problems arise, an office can’t run away as fast as an individual can.
By hiring a translator with native or near-native English speaking skills, who has immigration experience, and a strong privacy policy, your immigration paper work will fly, and your transition to America will be enjoyable
The Essentials of Translation
Translation is a creative processing of language that can be applied to a wide variety of fields. Translation has elements of both fine art and exact science. By choosing the right words in the target language, a good translation expresses the nuances behind the choice of words in the source language without alteration. The translator must go beyond the appearance and find the precise meaning and true intent of the document to be translated. Ultimately, the message loses if the translation process is not of a high standard.
The Essentials of Translation:
Translation is essentially a decision-making process that requires a combination of language ability, subject-specific knowledge, perception, and research skills. Every two languages have certain linguistic gaps between them, which can make translation a very difficult process. These gaps include “false friends”, terms which are the same in two languages yet have different connotations or meanings. Translators have to be aware of such pitfalls, in order to be able to produce a satisfactory target text.
Quality of Translation:
The quality of a translation depends primarily on:
• The quality of the source document. A translator who is given a poorly written document to translate may provide an equally poor translation.
• The translator’s knowledge of the specific subject.
• The source language and target language proficiency of the translator
• The perception and interpretation skills of the translator
• The quality checks of the translation
The translator plays a vital role in the process. He assumes a large part of the responsibility for the final result of the translation. A formal qualification is not necessarily a guarantee of a good translator. A genuine interest for the language is essential and cannot be taught. There are many other norms which decide the quality of the translation. A translation can be considered high quality if it satisfies the following criteria:
• The essence and context of the original text remains in the translated version.
• The content of the source text has been delivered completely and correctly in the target language.
• The contents have been adapted to suit the linguistic, cultural and statutory conditions. A reader should not notice that the manual is a translated one.
• The translation is comprehensive, without orthographic and grammatical errors.
• There is no ambiguity with respect to terminology.
• It is consistent with previous and parallel translation projects.
• The translation is delivered on time.
• The translated document serves the purpose just as well as the source language document.
These are the essentials that play a vital in judging the success of a translation project.
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How to Hire a Great Professional Translator
How do you know if your translator is a top professional, or a mediocre charlatan? Unfortunately, you don’t. If you don’t speak the languages they are translating, you’ll have a tough time differentiating between good and bad translation work. There are only a few things you can do to make sure your translator is professional.
There are several key things to look for when hiring professional translation services. Whether you need to find a japanese translator or a korean translator, the options are enough to exhaust you. By just searching “japanese translator” online, you receive a lengthy list of individual translators and translation companies, all over the world.
The first thing to look for is a native speaker: A native speaker is someone who grew up speaking the language you need. They spoke it as a first language, before learning any other languages. It is less important that the translator is a fluent speaker of your native tongue (we presume it is English). You want a native speaker who can easily spot errors. Sometimes a non-native speaking translator will work fine, and the bonus is that you can pay them a lower rate. But remember, they should have been living in a the country of the language for a minimum of ten years, and they should give you recommendations about their translating skills. They may be talented linguists even if they are not native speakers.
Look for experience when hiring a professional translator. There are several types of translators to choose from; you want someone with a minimum of three years experience. Choosing a translation company instead of an independent translator is usually your best bet. A strong translation company will have a system for regulating the quality of translation work, with translation software helping them. Ask the company about their regulation system: How do they find errors? How many clients from your native country have they assisted? How much experience do their translators have with your native tongue? What translation software do they use? Ask these questions. There is much potential for error when translating documents, and you don’t want anything to go wrong with your sensitive information.
Make sure you check the company’s privacy policy. Most professional translation companies have a strict privacy policy, just like banks. However, independent translators may not have a formal privacy code. A professional translation company knows that violating their policy could result in a lawsuit. An independent translator may be unaware of potential lawsuits. As small businesses they are less likey to spend money on legal help. If you do choose to hire an independent translator, it is best if you know her personally, and can trust her completely. Otherwise, you are safest with hiring from a translation company. If any problems arise, an office can’t escape as quickly as an individual can.
In this global age where websites may have fourteen languages to choose from, you can’t be an expert in all of them. But you can hire someone who is. If you hire a translator with native or near-native speaking skills, who has professional experience, and a strong privacy policy, your translation will be a success.
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What is Translation?
Translation is the transmittal of written text from one language into another. Although the terms translation and interpretation are often used interchangeably, by strict definition, translation Refers to the written language, and interpretation to the spoken word.Translation is the action of interpretation of the meaning of a text, and subsequent production of an equivalent text, also called a translation, that communicates the same message in another language. The text to be translated is called the source text, and the language it is to be translated into is called the target language; the final product is sometimes called the ”target text.”
Translation must take into account constraints that include context, the rules of grammar of the two languages, their writing conventions, and their idioms. A common misconception is that there exists a simple word-for-word correspondence between any two languages, and that translation is a straightforward mechanical process. A word-for-word translation does not take into account context, grammar, conventions, and idioms.
Who Uses Translation Services?
Businesses often seek translation services in an effort to serve their customers better and keep up with their demands. As this world gets more and more competitive, it’s imperative that businesses convey their message clearly and accurately to their customers. Translation mistakes can potentially affect a company’s reputation and result in financial loss.
Generally, most industries have a need for this type of service. The legal field has the need for the translation of depositions, petitions, court records, and court proceedings. Law enforcement may need to have statements translated and the medical field frequently needs medical records and notes translated. Other examples of industries that benefit form document translation services are insurance and financial companies, as well as the media.
As more and more companies make their services available through the Internet, the need for the translation of websites and web content has also grown. Furthermore, talk radio, pod casts, surveys, focus groups, and corporate meetings often need translation services.
Businesses are not the only ones that have a need for document translation. On a personal level, individuals also employ this type of service. Due to more people migrating to different countries in search of a better life, they find themselves in environments that are unfamiliar, including the language. As a result, they may need legal documents translated, such as birth certificates, marriage licenses, passports, contracts, and leases or mortgage contracts.
Translator Jobs
The demand in the translating field is greater than ever before. Many translators work as freelancers and others are employed by international organizations as well as government agencies. Nonprofit and religious organizations also hire or contract the services of translators for document translation. Individuals who work as translators are highly intellectual. Their work is rewarding and satisfying.
You can find forums and boards on the Internet where you can find job advertisements. You’ll be able to benefit from other translators’ experience and support. Other places to find document translation jobs are newspapers and online job websites. Your local newspaper could be a good source of job leads.
If you want to work independently, you may want to start by marketing your services to local businesses. Insurance companies, hospitals, doctor’s offices, and real estate companies are sectors in your community that may benefit from your translating skills. One advantage of doing document translation is that you can work from home. You can receive the source documents through email, fax, mail, or courier.
To succeed in this field, you will need good organization and time management skills. The ability to meet deadlines and set priorities is very important as well. The possibilities are infinite if document translation is what you want to do.
Business Translation
All over the world, the one thing that is growing in quite a rapid pace is the world of business. The growth of the business world has made a rapid change in the needs and deeds of the peoples around the world. Now the world is experiencing quite a variation in their life’s and the needs for their living. People from different cultures and different regions are coming together for doing business and to make themselves available for all the people. This generation of growing the business world has caused various benefits for the people around the world.
Now the most important thing which any businessmen watch out for, before entering any market of the world is the culture of that market and the language of that market. If the language of any of the markets in the worlds is not understandable then the goal of the business could not be achieved any ways. To have a good knowledge of the language of any specific market or any specific regions makes the businessmen get through the minds of the people of that region and also makes them understand the needs of that region.
You can get all the similar services without even leaving the home or your office. You should be quite sure, so as to the professional and accurate business translation services. The internet translation service what you opts for your business should be with years of experience. The translation agencies provide the translation services every time you need a translation services. You can rely on the translation agencies for every kind of translation needed for your business. At the translation agency you’ll get the most perfect and accurate translation available. For the need of a business translation service or advertising translation, you can rely completely on the translation agencies. The highly qualified translators at the translation agencies are aware of all the regional variation of the target language.
But yet Translations are not quite simple as they seem; translation service necessitates a thoughtful educational and linguistic environment in the target language. So it will be great for you and your business if you keep these things in your minds before opting for a translation service for your business.
Professional Translation Service Is The Best Way To Go
Many don’t fully understand what’s involved in the translation process; therefore, you should be well informed before choosing a translation company.
Translation Process:
Well designed translation process is one of the keys for a successful translation project.
Our system divides translation process into milestones enabling us to deliver translated documents faster and with a higher quality.
The secure, on-line environment enables you to submit documents, obtain instant quote and track the status of the translation process online.
Your dedicated Project Manager is working in the same system overlooking the project progress and on-time delivery.
Any change requests made during the quality check can be submitted Online and will be forwarded instantly to a translator who was working on the translation of the document.
Our translation process enhanced by the latest technological advances allows us to deliver the highest quality service for affordable price.
Tips on Hiring a Translator:
When it comes to selecting a translator, we often ask ourselves, what are the criteria to follow to find the right professional? This article sets guidelines aimed to help you find the service provider that will satisfy your needs for translation services. The article discusses basic selection criteria.
When cultural accuracy is a concern, it is crucial to ensure that translator is native to the language the document should be translated to. A native speaker has usually not only the knowledge of the proper grammar but also knows cultural nuances of the language. A translator must take into account these nuances to ensure documents are translated accurately.
Another important criteria is how well the translator knows the source language of the document. Even if the translator knows the target language very well, without the in-depth knowledge of the source language of the document, he may not be able to capture the correct context and may translate the document incorrectly to the target language.
If you are familiar with either source or target language of the requested translation, you may want to ask the translator to send you some sample work to determine if the translator meets source and target languages criteria.
Many of the translators do not obtain any formal education. In your selection you may want to give priority to translators, who have completed some type of linguistic school. This type of background comes often useful when translating text with a complex terminology. If the text for translation is related to a unique field, ensure that the translator has some experience working with this field. Very often field specific documents require knowledge of the advanced vocabulary of which only a specialized translator may be aware of.
When working with a translator, communication is one of the key elements of completing your project successfully. If the potential translator works full time, you have better chances for communicating with him more effectively. Part time translators may not be as responsive as full time translators.
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How to Improve Written Translations
Doing translations is often believed by many as an easy process that anyone who knows a second language can do. They perceive translation work as nothing more than changing words from the source text into its equivalent targeted foreign language. Little do they know that when doing translations, one also has to consider the literal meaning of the phrase – not just the word – in order to convey the accurate message of a document. Translation is undoubtedly a complicated process, but with the proper guidelines it can be rewarding and enjoyable to both novice and professional translators.
Understand the document being translated. Translations that involve written documents are entirely different from other types of translations. A document or content translator doesn’t have to be hasty. He needs to take his time to thoroughly read and understand the text he is about to translate. After reading the whole document from start to finish, he should relax – or possibly sleep – before translating. A translator needs a good rest so he can fully absorb the message of the source language. To avoid any form of mistake, a translator can consult a dictionary or ask the opinion of other specialists.
Write Clearly. Translations need not be fancy. A translator should consider the literal meaning of words. He should express meanings clearly by using uncomplicated sentence structures and by avoiding idioms, slang words or colloquial expressions. If possible, a translator should also avoid using complicated punctuation marks such as parenthesis and hyphens, or abbreviations unless they are really necessary. A translator should constantly review his work for possible ambiguous terms and phrases.
Know your limit. There is simply no such thing as an all-around translator. While it is true that translators need to be confident, it is also true that they need to be humble enough to admit their limits if they want to produce translations that are accurate and clear. Ideally, every translator should stick to documents that need to be translated to his own native tongue.
Read the document again. Translations that contain incorrect spelling or grammar can be dangerous. One can just imagine the damage a wrongly translated medical document can cause. A translator should read his work the day after completing it. Again, just like what he did before starting the project, he should take some time to rest before editing. Going through every word, sentence and paragraph can be time consuming, but it makes the difference between an excellently translated document and an inferior one.
There are many translations software packages that are available in the Internet that can help in the editing and proofreading of documents. Translators, however, should remember that translation computer software can only process common words and phrases.
With these translation tips, a translator can now convey an organization’s message accurately to its target market. He is no longer deterred by any barriers in translations. He can now be a powerful business partner who can define the needs of an organization even before a single word is translated.
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