Archive for the ‘Translation Services’ Category

As we ring in the new year (Happy 2009!), I thought it fitting to provide the list of tips that the AIIC (Association Internationale des Interprètes de Conférence) for any of my readers who are embarking on a new career as an interpreter to coincide with the start of a new year. This is the foremost organization in the field and the tips are essential for anyone looking to make a strong start in their career. I should note that I am not a member of the organization, but I do often check on their site for interesting articles related to people with interests in multilingual issues. Many of the tips apply to all fields in translation, not just interpretation, so it’s a plus for all to click on the link and make sure they are getting the most out of their career.

http://www.aiic.net/ViewPage.cfm/article2305.htm

In order to work with MultiTerm, first you must create a glossary for terminology in an Excel document, with the entries in column A and the translations in column B.

You must import this glossary Excel file into the MultiTerm Convert program in the following way:

1. Open MultiTerm Convert. Click NEXT.

2. Click NEW CONVERSION SESSION and then NEXT.

3. Choose the glossary format (Excel) and then click NEXT.

4. In INPUT FILE, click BROWSE and select the glossary. The rest of the boxes are automatically completed. Click NEXT.

5. In INDEX FIELD, select first the source language and then the target language. You can complete DESCRIPTIVE FIELD if the glossary has, additionally, some kind of extra information, such as references, for example. Finally, click NEXT.

6. The steps completed are shown, click NEXT.

7. A summary of the steps competed appears. Click NEXT.

8. The Excel file must be converted to .xml and an .xdt is to be created. When the process is finished, click NEXT. Then click FINISH.

In the specific case of translation, localization refers to how a language is adapted to a specific country or culture so that the target audience understands the text on a native level. Not only are the words themselves localized, accounting for spelling differences and disparities in word usage, but aspects such as date and number formats, currencies, measurement systems, phone numbers, images, etc. are also adapted to the target country or audience so that the text fits in perfectly with the culture.

Localization is a fundamental service for businesses looking to expand globally. Not only will these businesses need to have their material translated into several different languages, but they will also need to have their material localized if a product or service is to be used in a specific region. This is often times included in the translation process, although clients will need to specifically indicate that they are requesting this service as well as the flavor for the target language(s). For example, if a company in Spain wishes to translate their material for English-speaking markets, they will need to consider which flavor of English they will use. If their product or service will mainly be used within Europe, it is likely that they will use the U.K. flavor of English due to the number of these English speakers within the region.

One of the main advantages of this service is the personalized attention to your clients, as you are able to communicate with them in a language they understand.

The Oxford English Dictionary, whose corpus of texts now contains over 2 billion words, recently released its list of new words for inclusion in the Eleventh edition in the Revised Edition of its Concise Oxford English Dictionary.

http://www.askoxford.com/worldofwords/newwords/?view=uk

Some of my thoughts:

• “Best”, as used in phrases such as “best of breed” is now in the dictionary. Does this mean that the expression (and eponymous movie) “Best in Show” has been incorrect all of these years? Wow, I had no idea.

• “Crunk” is now identified as a word! There will be quite the celebration tonight!

• “Emulsion” is now a word you can use when you can’t think of “sauce”.

• “Therapize” or “Therapise” are the latest examples of making any noun a verb by adding the “-ize/ise” ending, which is acceptable in a fluid language like English where things change every day, but it is also a somewhat lazy practice.

So, as you can see, English is very much alive and dynamic. Its vocabulary expands non-stop and translators and people who hire translation services should always be familiar with the new words in order to include them in their latest works.

If you are a company looking to expand your market internationally, you have most likely already considered using translation services to translate your business material, but have you really thought about which languages you would like your material to be translated into? Of course, this decision largely depends on your target market, location and products and services offered, however you may also want to translate your material so that it is accessible for speakers of some of the most common languages.

Take a look below; you may be surprised at the results!
According to Ethnologue, these are the most widely spoken languages around the world from the year 2000, listed by population of native speakers.

1.    Mandarin Chinese (836 million)
2.    Hindi (333 million)
3.    Spanish (332 million)
4.    English (322 million)
5.    Bengali (189 million)
6.    Arabic (186 million)
7.    Russian (170 million)
8.    Portuguese (170 million)
9.    Japanese (125 million)
10.    German (98 million)
11.    French (72 million)

A few weeks ago, I made a post about back translations, but this time I wanted to share a famous example of a back translation gone wrong. In 1865, Mark Twain published a short story entitled “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”, which, shortly thereafter was translated into French. Appalled by the French translation and seeing much of his signature humor and style lost, Twain re-translated the text word for word with intentional incoherency back into English with a new title (The Jumping Frog: In English, Then in French, and Then Clawed Back Into A Civilized Language Once More by Patient, Unremunerated Toil) to prove his point. This witty piece not only illustrates Twain’s sense of humor but also the inherent problems involved in translation. Below are some examples of the original text and the text Twain translated from French. The full text can be found here.

Original: “There was a feller here once by the name of Jim Smiley, in the winter of ‘49 or maybe it was the spring of ‘50 I don’t recollect exactly, somehow, though what makes me think it was one or the other is because I remember the big flume warn’t finished when he first came to the camp; but anyway, he was the curiosest man about always betting on any thing that turned up you ever see, if he could get any body to bet on the other side; and if he couldn’t, he’d change sides.”

Back Translation: “It there was one time here an individual known under the name of Jim Smiley; it was in the winter ‘49, possibly well at the spring of ‘50, I no me recollect not exactly. This which me makes to believe that it was the one or the other, it is that I shall remember that the grand flume is not achieved when he arrives at the camp for the first time, but of all sides he was the man the most fond of to bet which one have seen, betting upon all that which is presented, when he could find an adversary; and when he not of it could not, he passed to the side opposed.”

Original: ‘Well,’ he says, ‘I don’t see no p’ints about that frog that’s any better’n any other frog.’

Back Translation: “Eh bien! I no saw not that that frog had nothing of better than each frog.”

Today, clients commonly deliver files in PDF format for a price quote for translation, edition and proofreading services.

This format, which is very practical for sending a file through the Internet, cannot be edited, and thus, when the translation, edition and proofreading services are purchased, it would be helpful if the client would send the original document in an editable format, whether in Word, Excel, InDesign, Quark, Publisher, etc. so that the translator can easily work with the same format of the original document, without having to read the PDF with some conversion program.

If this original editable document is not sent, graphic design services have to put in an extra effort to recreate the file, which will likely be reflected in the translation costs billed to the client.

Therefore, in order to reduce costs for the client for graphic design services and in order to facilitate the translation process, ideally the client would send the freelance translator or translation agency the original editable documents for translation, edition, etc.

From the beginning of time there have always been conflicts between mankind, and in order to settle these matters without violence or reprisal, these parties come together before the courts so that an impartial third party can analyze the evidence presented by both sides and ascertain their claims.
Without any kind of personal or commercial connection to either of the parties, this impartial third party must analyze a variety of evidence and as such, must use the assistance of individuals specializing in diverse matters.
These specialists are the experts, and in our case, translation or interpretation experts. Their task is to translate documents or interpret declarations so that the judge(s) involved in the case can analyze and understand the extent of the presented evidence or other matters that are essential for its resolution.
Similarly to how translators with the necessary experience and background are required in the business world, translators must also have the proper academic certification and experience in the case of legal translations, since only legal translators can act as experts. Aside from translating and interpreting, their task also includes presenting the corresponding documents according to the file’s procedural status.
As such, translators and interpreters who wish to work in this exciting field must be further trained in the specifics of this discipline.

With all the new developments and increasing accessibility of electronic translation tools such as machine translations, some have argued that these technologies will eventually replace the human translator. Are human translators really essential for the translation process, or can their labor be simplified and processed by a machine?

Researchers have been working for decades in order to establish computer systems capable of translating from one natural language to another. These systems do so by essentially deconstructing the components of the text such as the punctuation marks, recognized idioms, single word terminology, and sentence structure and then reconstructing these elements in the target language by applying specific linguistic rules and “learning” from already existing translations.

This all sounds promising, but we are forgetting that languages are filled with ambiguities and complex rules that not even a computer can successfully resolve. As all translators know, the process of translation involves much more than simply replacing the source word with the target language word. This process involves using cultural, grammatical, syntactic and semantic knowledge in order to interpret the real meaning and ensure that it makes sense to native readers.

Machine translations offer an attractive package for users, ensuring instant turnaround times and a systematic and consistent approach when handling translations. However, we must consider that while the process of human translations is much slower in this sense, only humans can determine the suitability of a translation for a particular audience and make linguistic and style choices based on experience instead of a database.

How many times have we heard one of our clients say that? Though this simple phrase may be the first step towards a profitable and lasting working relationship, as professionals, we need to gather much more information from the client in order to properly do our jobs and ultimately provide the client with the highest quality product.

So, let’s go over some of the key questions:

1. Does the translation require certification?

If the translation requires certification, this will be itemized as a separate service with an additional charge, since a translator who is duly certified will translate and certify the document with the corresponding expenses.

2. Is the document a rush translation?

In order to provide quality translations, a minimum amount of time is required, considering the hustle and bustle of the business world today. However, many times the client may need the translation outside of working hours or over the weekend, which also may be added as an extra expense to the bill.

3. Does the file have any special formatting issues?

When the original document is sent in a special format (other than Word or Excel), or is a Website, the translation may require Desktop Publishing (DTP) or IT services to maintain the original format. Even when the original document is in Word or Excel, Desktop Publishing may still be required in order to preserve the image formats, business logos, numbering, bullets, etc.

4. Does the client have a glossary with their language preferences based on previous translations?

When a client frequently requires translations for recurrent subjects, they may have a glossary prepared for their language preferences, such as the translation of their logo, key words for business policies, etc. This glossary will be extremely useful so that all translations from the company maintain the same linguistic style.

5. Should the translation take into account any special cultural considerations?

Some clients may have translation preferences regarding the measurement system for a specific country, regardless of the target language for the translation. For example, a client may require a translation from English to Spanish but would like for the translated text to have the measurement system of the country where the document originated.

6. Is the language into which the document will be translated considered a “rare” language?

When a language is not spoken by a significant population, there are fewer translators available, which may be reflected in the delivery time and costs.

7. Does the document have reference material?

It is always helpful for the translators to have reference material while they work, or even previous translations in order to have a better idea of the company, its products and the business image that this company projects.

When it comes time to translate a document, finding the right service provider can be tricky. So how do you find the right translation agency to fit your needs? We have compiled a list of points to consider when preparing your document for translation, aimed at helping you to better understand the service you require. So here it is….Quick Guide for the Translation Buyer Part 1:

1. What kind of document do you need to translate? Is it legal? Scientific? Financial?

Some translators or translation agencies only work with specific content, and legal documents, for example, many times need to be translated by a certified translator, which may narrow down your search.

2. Which language(s) does your document need to be translated into?

There are many agencies that only work with a handful of languages or a particular flavor of a language. For example, if your document needs to be translated into English for use in the United States, you may want to consider finding a translator/agency that is specialized in that particular flavor of English.

3. Where will your document be used and who is the target audience?

It is important to think about your target audience so as to help the translator convey the proper tone and writing style for the document. A document to be used in court has a different style than a document used on the internet for marketing purposes, so communicating these needs is essential for facilitating the translation process and ensuring the highest quality of your document.

4. Does your document require any special services such as formatting or certification?

Evaluating this aspect will greatly narrow down your options, as many agencies and translators do not provide these services. Larger agencies are equipped to handle an array of formats and have a team of desktop publishers on staff who are prepared to work with complex document formats. Many agencies also have the resources available to certify your document. A simple internet search of agencies will help you find a one-stop solution for your translation needs.

Stay tuned in for more helpful tips for the translation buyer. In the meantime, if you are interested in finding out more about the translation services offered by Trusted Translations, click on the following link: http://www.trustedtranslations.com/services.asp

Welcome to the official Trusted Translations blog! In this blog, you will find tips, advice, and all kinds of information both for translators and translation buyers regarding  localization services and business, education, entertainment, financial, government, legal, manufacturing, and technical translations, including user manuals and website translation, as written by translators, project managers, DTP specialists, localization and globalization experts, and all those involved in the exciting field of professional translation. We invite you to learn more about the many different facets of this field and keep informed of the latest news and updates about Trusted Translations.