Guidelines to translator buyers – the path to a cost-effective quality translation

 

[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.

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