Finding the right partner for document translation starts with asking the right questions. Here are the questions a professional translation company receives most often, together with the answers.
How much does document translation cost?
One of the most important and most frequently asked questions concerns the cost of translating documents. It is a wise question, because budgeting for document translation in advance prevents last-minute costs, delays and lost revenue.
Because the cost depends on factors specific to each project, a definitive price for translating a document cannot always be given in advance. Projects are generally assessed by word count, and the price sometimes varies from one language to another. For example, the most common languages cost less than rarer ones, because of the large number of qualified translators available for projects in widely used international languages.
The price depends on the type of document and the quality level chosen. On the page Translation pricing – how it is calculated you will find the calculation method explained, and for an exact quote we recommend sending us your document.
Always choose a company that works ethically, does not “inflate” prices and will offer you discounts for repeated sections.
When you ask a potential partner for a price estimate, it is important to provide a test page, which gives the company information about the type of material to be translated, its complexity and density, and the language pair involved. This way the estimate will be as accurate as possible.
Can my documents be translated into any language?
Another important and frequent question concerns the languages available for document translation.
Closely related to language availability is the question of translation accuracy. Which languages are available, and how can we make sure the translations are done correctly?
Always choose a qualified, professionally certified and experienced translation partner who translates from almost any language, with native translators who have expertise in a wide range of fields, including scientific, technical and medical texts.
Rely on a company that, besides highly qualified translators, uses project managers who oversee the translation of your document from start to finish. Their job is to make sure all quality processes are followed, so that your project is carried through to the end, accurate, complete and delivered on time.
Choose a company certified to ISO 17100:2015 and ISO 9001 that provides translation and localization services of the highest quality and guarantees that the translation of your documents will convey exactly the intended message.
Is machine translation useful?
Machine translation cannot compare with the skills of a qualified, experienced human translator. Machine translation services cannot handle the number of languages, the technical level or the nuanced messages that most document translation projects require. One of the most frequent questions about document translation concerns exactly this difference between machine and human translation.
Machine translation cannot consistently take into account context, nuance and genre-specific voice. Only a person with a complete understanding of the specialized language and the industry-specific terminology involved can convey your original message effectively and accurately.
Although some companies try to save money by using machine translation for important translations, they often end up with documents full of grammatical errors, mistranslated terminology and language that can confuse, offend or potentially harm the recipient.
For high-level documents such as product manuals or medical files, which must be accurate, it is very important to choose a company that specializes in human translation.
Technological tools such as translation memory matter a great deal in supporting the translation process. A translation memory is an electronic database that stores words, phrases, statements and even paragraphs already translated by a professional human translator, specifically for your company. But everything must still be reviewed by qualified human translators, so that you can be sure the translations are correct in every context in which they appear.
Text that repeats throughout the source document – or across several documents – does not need to be retranslated for each occurrence. This saves substantial time and helps speed up the translation process, which in turn helps you save money.
How long does the translation process take?
The translation process can vary in length depending on several factors, such as the length and complexity of the text, the language pair, the level of specialization, and the workload of the translator or translation agency. It is important to understand that quality translation takes time and effort to ensure an accurate, consistent final result.
Here are some of the factors that can influence how long the process takes:
Length and complexity of the text
Naturally, a shorter text will be translated faster than a longer one. The complexity of the terminology and of the structure of the text can also influence the time needed for an accurate translation. Specialized texts, such as medical, technical or legal ones, may need more time for research and to ensure a correct, consistent translation.
The translator’s or agency’s workload
A translator or agency handling a large volume of projects may have a longer turnaround time. It is important to set a realistic deadline based on the translator’s availability and workload.
Computer-assisted translation tools
Translators may sometimes use computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools to improve the efficiency of the translation process. These tools can help manage glossaries and translation memories and ensure terminological consistency. Using them can speed up the translation process, especially for texts with similar or repetitive content.
Collaboration between translators and editors/reviewers
In many cases, a higher-quality translation involves a review and editing process. If the translation needs additional checking to ensure accuracy and consistency, this can lengthen the translation process.
Meeting deadlines
The length of the translation process can also be influenced by the deadline set by the client. In general, it is important that the translator has enough time to produce a quality translation, but in urgent cases an experienced translator can deliver a translation in a shorter time without compromising quality.