Consider when Hiring Translation Companies

It does not matter if you need a patent translation, or have to mail simple business correspondence to countries that are unfamiliar with English; spend ample time researching your options. Whenever you are investigating translation companies, keep these important issues in mind. Failing to do so can lead to disappointing results and misunderstandings. Grave translation errors have been known to cause devastating setbacks to a business.
Issues to Consider When Ordering Document Translation Services

Request Proof of Certification – Do not fall victim to amateur translators. It does not mean that just because an individual knows a few languages that they should be working on complicated translations. Aside from language skills, a professional translator is also familiar with the topics they have to address. These experts have obtained numerous certificates, degrees and diplomas. Ask to see them before placing a work order.
Long Performance History – While it is true that everyone should be offered a chance to prove their capabilities, it is better to stick with recognized translation companies that have represented their industry for many years. These ventures can provide the necessary references to prove to you that they can handle any translation task, even those that encompass technical terminology.
Ask for testimonials – How do you know that a translation is perfect when you do not speak the language? If you did, you would not need a translator, right? The safest way to ensure that you are hiring the best translation supplier in the industry is by requesting recommendations from loyal clients that needed the same type of service. Contact these individuals or firms. Inquire if the statements you received are indeed true. During this investigation, also ask if any problems occurred with a translation. How bad was it? How was it corrected? Did it ever happen again? Translators are human. Even if they are backed up by translation software, errors do happen!

2.) If a translator is "certified," or holds a "related degree," does that ensure you will receive a good translation?

No. For example, there is not necessarily a relationship between a translator's talents and simply holding a membership to the American Translators' Association, though translator accreditation does provide some idea of their commitment as a professional translator.

MultiLing's patent translators must:

Be native speakers of the target language and reside in their native countries. In-country translation is essential because proximity to culture and language enable our translators to maintain their linguistic abilities. In addition, our translators must be accredited and have several years of experience in the translation industry.

Have at least an undergraduate degree or the equivalent in language translation, linguistics, or the applicable technology. Many have a master's or doctorate degree.

Have expertise in the area pertaining to the project, a technical degree in the relevant subject area, substantial experience, and knowledge and training in specialized terms used for patent translation.

Keep abreast of terminology and technical developments in their specific field of expertise through their involvement in research and the study of industry literature.

Be trained in translation memory software and MultiLing's processes. Because so many translations are done piecemeal through patent agents, few patent translators have the necessary expertise in the use of translation memory. Our specialized teams continually receive training to make them as effective as possible.

Because of our extensive experience in patent translation, all of the necessary infrastructure is in place to enable us to respond immediately and efficiently to your patent translation needs. We adapt our previously established, experienced patent translation teams to meet your needs. For several languages, we are able to begin translation as soon as terminology is validated.

3.) Then what makes a good translator?

It is not a "certification" or "accreditation" alone. Nor is it being bilingual. Rarely, can bilingual individuals express themselves in a given subject equally well in both languages. And many excellent translators may not be, or need not be, fluent speakers (verbal) of the source language (the language of the original text being translated). The key skills of the translator are the ability to understand the source language and the culture of the country where the text originated and render a faithful translation into the target language.

4.) If you are not a language expert, how do you know if you received a good translation?

You won't. We have viewed hundreds of translated websites, and we have found that the quality varies from deplorable to very good. Most are low-good to poor since so many are very anglicized and unnatural sounding to an educated speaker.

5.) Does the size of the translation agency matter?

Yes. For our purposes, we are going to call "large" any company that is raking in $10 million or more a year. The consistency of translation quality tends to vary quite a bit among these larger companies. Why? Because they outsource to armies of freelance translators. In many cases, they divide jobs into many smaller parts and distribute them among translators in different places, and then they coordinate the translators by e-mail. The quality of the work produced by these individuals can vary greatly regardless of glossary building for the project, or attempts to flatten the differences through editing. You can often notice changes in style from one translator to another.

If a larger company is selected, you may find that you have different project managers and different translators for each project you entrust to them. This leads to impersonalized service and a lack of an intimate understanding of small, albeit important client specific details. The lack of such detail could undermine your business efforts. While services at large agencies may be highly organized and their person on the other end of the line is a cheery MBA, the actual product you are buying, the translation, may not have the same consistency and uniformity of style that can be found at smaller agencies.

Do note, however, that some large companies produce good work - it just seems to vary a bit more than what is optimal.

6.) Do slick websites mean I will get a good translation?

Absolutely not. It means that the business is investing in its online marketing scheme. It has no relation to the actual translation you will hold in your hand. You have examine to business more closely.

7.) Do phrases like "unsurpassed technical accuracy, unparalleled linguistic clarity, and uncompromising overall quality" carry much weight?

No. These are personal guarantees. It is up to the client to investigate further.

8.) Does the use of "native speakers" ensure a good translation?

No. "Native speakers" does not ensure good translations. Many are steeped in American culture and produce very anglicized translations, even if they live abroad. The stronghold of English in media, science, and entertainment undermines the lexical and phonological development of other languages. Sociolinguistic studies show that the influence of English is higher among the poor and working classes who are often excluded from demanding and rigorous educations in their own language. More often than not, from these strata come the translators employed by a number of translation agencies because they are less expensive workers. Large translation agencies and small translation agencies are likely to hire from this pool of workers.

9.) So, what does make for a good translation agency?

What makes for a good translation agency may be invisible to the client.

A team of translators assessed directly by scholars for competency and talent
Well-paid translators and editors
A management team dedicated to operational efficiency and quality control
Realistic time schedules to ensure translation accuracy and consistency
Friendly, flexible services to accommodate specific requests
Commitment to fair and reasonable pricing
A team that is run not by businessmen, but by linguists who have an obvious love for language