[balanced price and value*] |
Effective translation requires time and skill. While machine translation
of various types can often provide a reasonable idea of the meaning, they cannot create an effective
human equivalent of the source text, one that reflects all the layers of
meaning and correctly resonate with the reader or listener. Thus, the price of
quality human translation can seem relatively high. However, the price of poor translation is even
higher, notably in terms of lost customers, wasted marketing efforts, law suits
and even death (for medical texts). To help translation buyers enjoy both a
reasonable price and a quality translation, I present some practical steps for receiving
value.
A Getting documents ready for translation
1. Finalize the document – Changes applied to the document during the
translation process waste time and create chaos. The buyer will pay for them
one way or another.
2. Prepare any required reference materials – If you wish the translator to use specific terminology or layout, provide the instructions
before the translation begins. Mid- or post-translation changes significantly
slow down the process and can create inconsistencies.
3. Format issues –Documents in Word do not require pre- and post-translation
processing. If you have no choice but to provide a PDF document, make sure it
is clear. Interpreting poor quality PDFs takes time, which will be reflected in
the price.
B Choosing the translator
1. Specialist – If your material has a specific purpose and
audience, select a translator with that background in terms of academic
knowledge and/or experience to properly do the translation the first time. Massive editing or retranslation by another translator
adds significant costs.
2. Don’t be cheap – If the price is too low to believe, it is too low.
Translators that demand reasonable rates for their time generally have the
skill and motivation to the handle the text properly. Your neighbor that just
finished high school, albeit with high grades in English, while willing to work
for a low fee, most probably will not provide you with a usable product.
3. Practical deadline – Professional work takes time – Plan the
documentation schedule so that the translator has sufficient time to both
prepare the first draft and QA it. 1500-2000 words a day for a full-time
translator, subject to variation based on the type of the text, is a ball-park
figure for the translation phase. Add QA times of up to the translation time for long documents.
C Post-translation
1. Knowledgeable editor – The purchaser must clearly review the translation
but that task should be done with person quite knowledgeable in the target
language. Nothing wastes more time than an editor that adds grammar and syntax
mistakes to a translation or, even worse, incorrect terminology.
2. Communication – Prompt communication leads to fast results. If the
buyer and translator need to clarify any issues, same day correspondence, allowing
for time zones, is vital if the buyer wishes to receive the final version on
time.
Most buyers are not rich enough to buy poor things, as the expression
goes. To receive the best value for a translation, prepare the document
properly, select the appropriate translator, pay properly and manage the
post-translation process efficiently. In this manner, the translations will be
effective and costworthy, in short, a true bargain for the buyer.
* Picture captions help the blind fully access the Internet.