Experts in their field
An expert translator or a translator with expertise you ask? What's the difference? Well, it will depend on your requirements, of course, not to mention your budget and deadline but when you hand over your translation project, you will want to be assured not only of your translator's ability to work with the language pair you require but that he will also have the competence to deal with the subject matter of your source files. And, not only the competence to deal with the subject matter of your source files but also with the file formats themselves. All of these aspects today fall within the remit of a qualified, professional translator.
There are some basics to translator selection to adhere to, so that you don't fall at the first hurdle. Initially, a translator should always only claim to translate into his mother tongue. Individuals claiming to translate to and from multiple languages should be given a wide berth. Secondly, the ability to speak or read another language does not automatically give someone the ability or necessary skill to become a translator. The capacity to write in your native tongue, with precision and style, and a commitment to detail are paramount. Think carefully before entrusting your translation project as the end result could potentially affect your business and livelihood. Many 'experts' look good on paper...
A professional translator will be a native speaker of the target language you require. If they reside is the relevant country, all the better. An in-country translator will have more chance of keeping his finger on the cultural pulse and will keep abreast of new colloquialisms or language innovations that could bring an all important degree of finesse to his work, particularly where creative copy is concerned.
This type of expert translator is representative of one employed by a reputable translation services agency. He will have at least five year's experience in a professional translation capacity and will hold recognised translation qualifications or membership of internationally recognised translation bodies. The quality of his work will be constantly reviewed based on feedback received through the proofreading process and from client appraisal.
So, there you have your expert translator. Now you need a translator with expertise. Your documents will require not only someone with the relevant language skills but also someone who knows what the documents are about and how to transfer this knowledge, in a manner suited to the target audience, to the completed translation. There can be no doubt that the translation of contracts will be best done by those translators with a legal background, be it a qualification or experience in a legal environment. Similarly, with medical and pharmaceutical documents, there is an essential need for expertise in the subject matter. Mistranslation or inaccuracy could be costly in both instances.
With the multitude of technological developments, innovations and changes in the way we work, communicate and live our lives, translators must stay up-to-date with current trends. Modern society also has an impact on the demand for particular languages as well as the type of material and file formats required.
Website translation and localisation is an obvious relatively new demand that springs to mind but today's global market means that a PowerPoint presentation might be needed for a meeting abroad, a PDF user guide required for a multi-national product, an InDesign file for a foreign marketing campaign, JavaScript strings for a technology project….
Delivery of the complete package is what is often required in today's fast moving world: the document translated, formatted or art-worked and delivered in the electronic format of choice - ready to go. This is the reassurance you can get with a service that recruits only the best and most experienced translators - not only translators by trade but those with a proven track record in specialist fields of knowledge - delivering expertise as well as a first-class end-product.