Additions and Alterations
Any additions and alterations to your translation may incur revision costs. Before submitting your document to the translator, we strongly suggest you wait until your document has been finalized. Then, once your document has been translated and stored in translation memory, simple alterations like changing your copy from ‘distributor’ to ‘dealer’ within a previously translated sentence means it’s no longer an exact match; meaning it will be presented for translation revision. Again, you must expect to pay for this service.
Turnaround Time
The turnaround time for translations depends on the length of the document, the technical difficulty involved, and the language/dialect required. Don’t leave your translation until the last minute! Build in enough time to allow for the completion of this part of your documentation process. Keep in mind that good translators are always in demand, so it’s highly unlikely that they’ll be available to start on your translation project straight away.
Provide All Reference Materials
The more information you provide your translator, the better. It’s not going to cost you any more to provide all your reference materials when you submit your text to be translated, but this extra information can only help your translator do a better job. Valuable information includes glossaries, copies of any existing translations, product catalogs, lists of industry terms, drawings, and anything else you can think of that might help clarify what is being translated. Make sure that you, or someone who speaks for your company, is always available to promptly answer any questions your translator may have. Keep in mind that the more information you provide the translator, the more accurate and better quality your translation will be.
Proofread Your Source Documents
Before submitting your source document for translation, proofread the text for sentence structure, grammatical errors, and typos. Also check names, numbers, and units of measurement. Having your source text finalized prior to the translation process can avoid major delays.
Document Format
The original documents you submit to your translator for translation must be compatible with their translation capabilities. Excel or PDF documents are great for print or screen viewing, but they’re totally inadequate when it comes to translating. If possible, provide your translator with DOC/RTF documents.
Translation Glossary
Remember that your terminology may not always be familiar to someone not working within your business sector, so it’s very helpful to both you and the translator if you create a multilingual glossary of specific industry terms and crucial text – just to ensure consistency during translation.
Have the Translated Document Reviewed by a Native Speaker
To ensure accuracy, we strongly suggest that you speak to your translator about having your translated documents reviewed by a native speaker of the target language. You may know someone within your business or personal life who speaks the target language, but that doesn’t mean they’re qualified to review the translation of content that took three industry professionals and two legal consultants to write, and a team of professional translators to translate!
Payment for Services Rendered
And finally, when it’s time to pay your translator, please do it on time. You probably really appreciated having your translation delivered on time, so likewise, your translator would really appreciate being paid on time!
