Frequently
Asked Questions
RP
Translate have collected and assimilated some information that
we hope will help you on a variety issues. Please feel free to
browse through...
I did ‘A’-level French. Why can’t I translate
it myself?
Why can’t I use a free on-line translation?
What is editing and why is it important
to me?
How much will it cost?
How long will it take?
Source & Target: what do they mean?
What is typesetting and why do I need
it?
Who owns a translation?
Translation is an extra expense my business can
live without...
Why do you need translation?
Anyone with knowledge of a foreign language can
translate
If you can speak a foreign language you can translate
into it
I did ‘A’-level French. Why can’t I translate
it myself?
The expression ‘talking my language’ implies considerably
more than a working
knowledge of the grammar and vocabulary. It’s incoporating
the little nuances
of the industry, of the local customs and protocols and of the
regulatory needs
of your customer.
Why can’t I use a free on-line translation?
Machine translation is freely available on-line, but does not
always produce the
required results. This is because the memory used can only access
words in the
way they were originally input, so there is no understanding of
phrases or words
which the machine does not recognise. Go to www.babelfish.altavista.com/tr
and type in ‘It’ll be a long time before machines
can translate as well as a human
being.’ Ask it to translate into Italian, then translate
the resulting Italian back
into English in the same way. (‘It’ll it is a much
time before that the machiens
they can translate like pure a human’). This is why machine
translation isn’t a
suitable alternative!
What is editing and why is it important to me?
Editing is the process which adapts a text stylistically to make
it read smoothly
and be comfortably fit for the purpose for which it is intended.
For example, an
editor will amend a marketing document to redress the balance
between
features (statement of how a product works) and benefits (the
benefit to the
reader of buying the product).
When it comes to translating, a translation is only as good as
its source text.
Some documents require little editing, such as technical manuals,
but other
documents require much more editing, such as marketing documentation
or
website content, as it is essential that these documents perform
their function
in the target language as they would in the original.
How much will it cost?
The cost of a commission is dependent on several factors: the
language, number
of words, nature of the text, verification, layout of final product,
timescale and
the service provider. Make sure you get a firm quotation before
agreeing to any
work, and that the quotation covers all the areas that you require
(translation,
proof-reading, typesetting, artwork).
How long will it take?
As with cost, the time required for a commission is also dependent
on several
factors: the language, number of words, nature of the text, verification,
layout
of final product and your service provider. Make sure you get
a firm
commitment from your chosen supplier that they can supply your
work within
the timescale you require before proceeding.
Source & Target: what do they mean?
The source language is the language from which you require translation.
The
target language is the language into which you require translation.
Localisation: what is it and what does it mean to my company?
Localisation is the linguistic adaptation of your texts and products
for release
into a foreign market. Correct localisation requires research
and consideration
of technical, cultural, legal, regulatory and industry-specific
factors. Successful
localisation of a given text or product will enhance your sales,
increase your local
profile and ultimately ensure greater global success.
What is typesetting and why do I need it?
Typesetting is the computer-generated layout and design of a given
text to
produce the finished product ready for printing. With company
brochures,
contracts, advertising information or instruction leaflets, the
presentation can be
as important and impactive as the content. Wherever presentation
is significant,
text should be professionally typeset to produce the greatest
impact.
Who owns a translation?
Copyright may not automatically pass from the translator or language
provider
on payment for that given commission. This means that you may
not own the
text and cannot legally reproduce it even if you have paid for
it. Check the terms
and conditions of trading for your language service provider carefully:
these
should contain full details of copyright and any potential infringements.
Translation
is an extra expense my business can live without...
Not if you want to improve your interests with companies
abroad. You spend time and money on your documentation so why
skimp when it comes to someone else's? Misunderstandings and mistakes
cost far more to correct post-production and they can make your
company appear unprofessional. Employing the translation experts
at the very beginning could end up costing you far less in the
long run!
Why do you need translation?
Although online business is expanding with new markets opening
every day, one key barrier to conducting business overseas is
communication. But is a translator really essential to solving
your communication problems? Below are three popular misconceptions
about translation, which could cost you time and money.
Anyone with knowledge of a foreign language can translate.
Translation requires far more than the ability to understand a
language. The translator must be able to produce text in a style
and vocabulary suitable for a particular purpose and target audience.
To produce a smooth, accurate, translation the translator must
be able to understand and convey the cultural differences of the
source and target languages. Experience and in-depth knowledge
of the source language societies and cultures and can avoid the
cultural and linguistic mistakes of a non-professional translator.
If you can speak a foreign language you can translate into it.
You may be tempted to cut costs and ask a source language speaker
in your company to translate the document. This really is a false
economy; a translation should read as though it was written in
the target language. No matter how proficient the non-native speaker,
they still may not have the fluency of a mother-tongue translator.
Translations produced in this way tend to be at best stilted but
can often be wildly inaccurate.
To
find out more - just ask
us
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