five steps to achieving correct and true translations
Contents
1. A translation error is an objective intersubjectively verifiable error fault or incorrectness of content translation or of terminology orthography punctuation or style This concept explicitly excludes subjective preferences of terminology and style or retroactive changes to the meaning or structure of the original source text SAE J2450 has seven error categories Each one has two subcategories serious and minor Each of these subcategories is assigned a weight or value Wrong term serious 5 minor 2 together 7 points points points Syntax error serious 4 points minor 2 points together 6 points Omission error serious 4 points minor 2 points together 6 points Grammar error serious 4 points minor 2 points together 6 points serious 3 points minor 1 point together 4 points Punctuation error serious 2 points minor 1 point together 3 points 7 M Miscellaneous serious 3 points minor 1 point together 4 points Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap X Translations Translation Results Caveats APEX Translations Category weighted scores are then totaled and divided by the number of words in the document Apex Translations Inc guarantees its translation to be a complete true and accurate translation that does not exceed an error score of 0 002 For further details regardi2. ex translations FIVE STEPS TO ACHIEVING CORRECT AND TRUE TRANSLATIONS April 15 2014 www apex translations com ap X Translations INTRODUCTION Apex Translations Inc provides quality technical legal medical and business translations to clients throughout the world We focus on providing cost effective professional translations efficiently and on time We have the experience and credentials to translate the most demanding and complex texts from and into most European and Asian languages Any company seeking to operate in foreign markets should be aware of the fact that language is crucial to success Contracts product and service manuals brochures advertising campaigns and everything else related to corporate communications must be shaped and tailored to suit each different culture where commercial operations are targeted Like an organism language is more than the sum of its parts Its function is to convey meaning within a context and it uses symbolism to accomplish that This is why some scientists have defined culture as specific systems of symbolic interaction Correct accurate and true translation is a specialized science developed through years of experience Word for word translation does not convey the intended meaning of a text adequately into another language Meaning hinges on context At Apex Translations Inc we translate the meaning of a text not the text word by word Additionally translat
3. Does the provider have a personal data privacy security policy in place Is the provider listed with the Better Business Bureau BBB APEX Translations Apex Translations Inc has the resources capacity and project management capability to deliver not only complex and demanding translations but also large and or multi language projects including websites The Apex Translations Inc Privacy Notice can be accessed on the web at http www apex translations com rivac rivacy frame html The Apex Translations Inc standing with the BBB can be accessed on the web at http www bbbonline org cks asp id 104030112255940256 Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com APEX Translations STEP 5 REVIEWING THE TRANSLATION RESULTS What is a complete true and accurate translation Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat Cat a u Bb U NM error APEX Translations Spelling error Apex Translations Inc applies the principles of the SAE recommended practice J2450 Translation Quality Metric as the method for determining a complete true and accurate translation The metric allows an evaluator to tag errors in a translation and compute a weighted numeric score that represents the quality of the translation It is through this metric that Apex guarantees its translations
4. 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap X Translations Identify the Intended Audience Stakeholders and Document Style APEX Translations Prepare the translation to have a maximum impact for a particular audience Consider v v v v How many people will be reading the translation Will adjustments need to be made for register For example what is the educational level and or age range of the audience Will the translated document be read by individuals such as legal or medical professionals or by laypersons with a basic school education For what particular countries nationalities is the translation intended This is particularly important for languages with regional variations such as Spanish Portuguese or French What language do your readers speak For example Spanish for Spain is different than Spanish for Mexico While British English and American English are similar they have their differences Translation results can have embarrassing consequences if they are not prepared for the intended audience In what language is the source document written What is the desired language combination Define the international image you want to project through the document style Style refers to pronunciation word choice phrasing and sentence length all based on the intended audienc
5. and puns which often play to the subconscious mind appealing to emotions values and moods rather than to critical thinking The author s intent must be understood and the intended meaning must be re worded in another language for another culture This talent requires translators who do not just know another language they must have a feel for the context being translated Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap EX Translations APEX Translations The translator must be able to find an equivalent context and a linguistic match for what the source text is trying to express Other cultures and languages use different symbolism and metaphors In American English for example blue has the emotional connotation of sad unhappy The French term for blue bleu has the connotation of stupid silly inexperienced bad The German term for blue blau has the connotation of drunk stoned The translator must find the images symbols metaphors and puns that express in the target language what the source text is trying to express This task requires people who are intricately familiar with both the cultures and the languages involved in the translation If you think that technical translations are inherently immune against these kinds of ambiguities think again The German term Achse may ha
6. info apex translations com ap X Translations Does the provider use translation software APEX Translations Telephone US For example legal documents such as summons letters depositions evidence documents decisions contracts wills or patents may have to be translated from or into another language These translations need to be true to their originals and reflect the weaknesses errors false conclusions inconsistencies or other flaws of the source documents as this information may be crucial A good legal translator not only translates from one language into another but also translates from one legal system into another and from one cultural tradition into another This means that the translator must in addition be an expert in legal matters as well as be an expert linguist At Apex Translations Inc we choose highly skilled professional translators who are also subject matter experts in their fields For example translators who are also medical professionals i e medical doctors or nurses will translate medical translations This approach assures that quality is built into the translation as early in the process as possible For more information on how we select our translators please request a copy of the Apex Quality Assurance and Quality Control Practice Machine Translations MT may occasionally be sufficient to get the gist of a document but they perform extremely poorly when it comes to con
7. translates about 3 000 words per day This applies to most European languages For character based Asian languages the daily average is 2 000 words Add to this the time required for a second translator to edit and proofread the translation approximately one third to one half the translation time Y The length complexity language combinations and nature of the document cause translation time variations Complex documents and less common languages require more time Y Any additional requirements that require more time and or processing such as special formatting proofreading foreign language typesetting editing graphic design printing etc Y The added value features built into the translation process such as proofreading of the translation Finalize Your Not finalizing a document before translation leads to delays and additional costs as translators have to re work the Befor Document Berore document The more versions of the document that exist the Submitting It For more likely errors will result Surcharges usually apply when Translation v Changes are made to a document while it is being translated Y Changes are made to the document after it has been translated Y A document has been compiled by different entities various footers headers inconsistencies etc that lead to formatting and style problems APEX Translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634
8. 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap X Translations ANALYZE COSTS IN TERMS OF QUALITY You are likely to find a wide range of prices quoted for translations Quality translations depend on educated experienced knowledgeable and skilled professionals using the correct tools in the correct way which all costs money The cheapest translation may turn out to be the most expensive for you in the end so do not choose a translation provider purely because of the price they offer It is far better to choose a company based on the quality they provide Analyze Cost vs The added value of the highest caliber translators project Quality management quality control file conversions editors proofreaders consultants standardized presentation of multilingual projects etc has a price tag but can save you hours of work For example purchasing a cheaper translation that is not done by a native speaker of the target language reflects in the quality of the translation Assess Quality Get an accurate idea of the work that translation providers can perform by obtaining a sample translation Run the sample past a trusted language sensitive native speaker for an Translation opinion In addition talk with the translation provider Do they listen Do they sound competent Are they open minded and flexible Through a Sample There is nothing in the world that some man cannot make a littl
9. What does not need to be translated Documents often contain graphics screenshots or other items that do not always require translation In addition brand names or slogans are often left in the original language for marketing purposes The translation provider will need to know in advance if any part of the text does not need to be translated Establish document consistency Savoir pour pr voir Pr voir pour pr venir To know in order to anticipate To anticipate in order to proact Auguste Comte APEX Translations Inc Telephone US 1 800 Y Does the document need to be consistent with documents previously translated If there are already established translations of technical terminology marketing slogans product names etc it is important to convey these to your translation provider in order enhance consistency minimize revisions and reduce completion time If there are prior translations please consider making them available to the translation provider 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap X Translations v Will the translated document refer users to other documents If so other documents may also need translation Translating a group of documents is usually more cost effective than translating them individually For example If you wish to have a software user manual translated y
10. also make sure that translators who do not permanently live in their native countries and cultures return there periodically to stay current with the development of their native languages For more information on how we select our translators please request a copy of the Apex Quality Assurance and Quality Control Practice A sample translation gives you a perspective of translation quality and style and allows you to run the sample past a trusted language sensitive native speaker for an opinion before placing an order Understanding quality and style up front assists in the assessment of project costs Upon request Apex Translations Inc provides a FREE sample translation of your text before you place an order provided your source text contains at least 3 000 words This sample translation is typically 150 source words in length and is usually completed within 24 hours Checking a provider s references will allow you to ask questions regarding the provider s commitment to the quality and correctness of the translation as well as their expertise professionalism security procedures etc Apex Translations Inc serves a broad spectrum of clients including small and large corporations law firms medical institutions government agencies small businesses and individuals Some of our best advertising comes from our customers While formal references and client lists are provided upon request potential clients may also access our c
11. or failure of the translation project Designating a translation manager who will be the company s point of contact for questions along with a cross departmental team to implement the translation planning organizing and communicating processes helps organizations understand what goes into a quality translation The translation manager ideally should have in depth knowledge of the text being translated and be able to explain terminology and context Translation managers and cross departmental teams offer the following benefits Y Allow everyone to stay in the loop so translation providers are not left to reprioritize schedules and resources at a moment s notice Help establish a standardized method of submitting documents Provide one avenue of information coming from the client to the translation provider and vice versa resulting in greater translation consistency Allow those involved with the translation project to build relationships resulting in higher quality translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com APEX Translations Gather Materials Ensure You Have the Technical Software System to Send and Receive the Translation APEX Translations Reference material allows translation providers to better understand your organization and its products services and can be an invaluable tool for
12. takes the local language and culture into consideration while retaining the client S message and content At Apex Translations Inc translators are our assets Apex carefully hand selects the most accomplished and accredited translators who are top professionals in their respective fields and who are native speakers of the target language With each project their goal is to provide translation services that ensure accuracy correct grammar and style In addition all of our translators are fluent in their respective target languages combined with at least ten years of translation experience For more information on how we select our translators please request a copy of the Apex Quality Assurance and Quality Control Practice In order to translate intended meaning within the correct context a translator must not only be fluent in at least two languages confining himself to translating only into his native tongue he or she must also be a subject matter expert in the topic he is called upon to translate In addition he or she must be culturally competent Translators with subject matter expertise are more likely to produce a better translation They are effective bridges between the subject matter and the languages in which they work better able to render the message of the source text Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail
13. the translator Reference material is also very useful for maintaining consistency in word choice style and terminology in order to tailor the translation to meet expectations Types of documents to gather in both the source and target languages include Y Visual material pictures schematic drawings videos DVDs brochures web presentations etc Y Existing translated material For example proper names company names and references to other literature previously translated as well as previously translated versions of the current document or other materials with which the translation should be coordinated v Background materials manuals user s guides etc v In house glossaries or translation preferences for specialized terminology Special terms acronyms and abbreviations that may be specific to the product or company will often require an explanation in order to provide an accurate translation Translators are expected to use the preferred translations supplied in glossaries Apex Translations Inc will continue to develop client glossaries at no charge Your system must be enabled for the language into which you are having the document translated For example a client translating a document from German to Chinese would need an Asian language dual byte enabled system and the proper font otherwise the client will not be able to view the Chinese script Windows 2000 NT and XP are already dual byte enabled Older system
14. 1 3 Do you just need a summary or gisting 2 1 4 Do you just need a for information only translation 2 1 5 What does not need to be translated 2 2 Establish document consistency 2 2 1 Does the document need to be consistent with documents previously translated 2 2 2 Will the translated document refer users to other documents 2 3 Determine document characteristics 2 3 1 Are the documents classified 2 3 2 Isa certified translation required 2 3 3 Are there any legal issues to be resolved 2 3 4 Does the document contain any protected parts 3 Identify the intended audience stakeholders and document style 3 1 Prepare the translation to have a maximum impact for a particular audience 3 1 1 How many people will be reading the translation 3 1 2 Will adjustments need to be made for register 3 1 3 For what particular countries nationalities is the translation intended 3 1 4 What language do your readers speak 3 1 5 In what language is the source document written APEX Translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth E mail info apex translations com L L1 DL LI rt Dpnnrnrnnn nt 00 g O USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 APEX Translations 3 1 6 What is the desired language combination 3 2 Define the international image you want to project through the document style 4 Plan ahead Don t put yo
15. 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap X Translations TRANSLATION CHECKLIST Completed Step 1 Planning Strategically amp Tactically 1 Think international at the time of document inception O 1 1 Write the original document with the intent that it may eventually be translated into a foreign language Consider 1 1 1 Cultural differences 1 1 2 Culturally specific references O 1 1 3 The effects translation will have on document layout 1 1 3 1 Text expansion or reduction O 1 1 3 2 Text embedded in graphics O 1 1 4 Country codes for telephone and fax differences in the international writing of dates and times measurements decimal points decimal commas paper sizes etc 1 2 Author the source text in a software program that is universal and multi language friendly O 1 3 Check with the appropriate in house staff i e engineers technical writers to ensure that foreign adaptation of the source text is possible L 2 Decide what needs to be translated 2 1 Determine the purpose of the translation 2 1 1 Is it for publication O 2 1 2 Is ita highly specialized document in the field of technology science commerce law etc APEX Translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap EX Translations 2
16. 902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com APEX Translations Summary For Example A translation provider completed its translation and sent the document to the Client in MS Word Later the provider received an irate call from the CEO indicating that it was a horrible translation The provider requested a copy of the translation to which the CEO was referring To the relief of the translation provider the printed document the translation provider received did not match the one originally sent to the client Upon further investigation it was found someone in the Client s office had rewritten the text which thereby botched the typesetting as well Some of the translation issues identified by Apex Translations Inc that are incorporated within each of the 5 Steps to Achieving Correct Accurate and True Translations may be difficult to implement depending on the logistics of your organization However the importance of organizations employing a systematic process to ensure competent translations which will invariably lead to improvements in quality cost and delivery is becoming increasing evident within the competitive international marketplace At Apex Translations Inc we hope the steps to achieving correct accurate and true translations presented in this manual will assist you in those efforts APEX Translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800
17. Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap EX Translations facilitate the planning organizing communicating and reviewing of the translation process The translation issues identified by Apex Translations Inc are incorporated within the following steps Step 1 Planning Strategically amp Tactically Step 2 Organizing amp Communicating for Quality Step 3 Analyzing Costs in Terms of Quality Step 4 Choosing a Translation Provider Step 5 Reviewing the Translation Results APEX Translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com APEX Translations STEP 1 PLANNING STRATEGICALLY amp TACTICALLY Planning strategically and technically for document translation involves anticipating your organization s future environment in the international marketplace In order to succeed in foreign markets a business must attempt to communicate with its targeted customers as well as with its sales and service representatives from their frame of reference This includes choosing the right language and communicating with cultural competence Planning purposefully and precisely for document translation can help you shape and tailor documents to suit the various cultures where commercial operations are targeted as
18. ally competent APEX Translations Telephone US And here is the back translation of the Spanish text into English The automatic translations TA can once in a while be sufficient to obtain gist of a document but they are made extremely badly when it comes to transport the exact meaning In fact the automatic translations lack to a large extent the correct grammar the style the structure of appropriate oration and the reconocible syntax The translations generated by computer programs so are slanted that are often faster re to translate a text that to correct it The automatic translation of the sample down demonstrates the insufficiencies of the automatic translation We used the best and most capable machine translation software currently available and this is certainly not a very difficult text Would you want to see your product information translated with Machine Translation software and project this bizarre image of your company to your customers or service personnel Before initiating foreign business opportunities such as joint ventures or partnerships or before negotiating with a foreign firm it is imperative to understand cultural nuances local business practices and of course the language Translators must be able to find an equivalent context and a linguistic match for what the source text is trying to express Many texts use culture specific and often sub culture specific symbolism metaphors
19. ations and apostillizations Apex s certifications notarizations and apostillizations are accepted by foreign governments and their local embassies consulates United States government agencies and courts and educational institutions and universities At Apex Translations Inc we understand the importance of proprietary information being treated as CONFIDENTIAL If requested Apex will sign a non disclosure agreement in order to assure the confidentiality of the document to be translated All documents will be stored in a secure environment and no proprietary information will ever be released to any person or entity that is not bound by our non disclosure agreement Upon request the original documents can be returned to the client An error mistake is any objective intersubjectively verifiable error fault or incorrectness of content translation or of terminology orthography punctuation or style This concept explicitly excludes subjective preferences of terminology and style or retroactive changes to the meaning or structure of the original source text Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail infoeapex translations com APEX Trensiations Does the provider have quality control procedures in place APEX Translations Apex Translations Inc warrants the correctness of its translations and corrects mistakes or e
20. ausing text embedded in graphics to present significant problems Text expanding outside of the space allotted impacts other elements of the document layout It is better to place text that requires translation into text boxes within the application or keyed to the graphic rather than embedded in the graphic v Country codes for telephone and fax differences in the international writing of dates and times measurements decimal points decimal commas paper sizes etc Y Author the source text in a software program that is universal and multi language friendly Y Check with the appropriate in house staff i e engineers technical writers to ensure that foreign adaptation of the source text is possible Decide What Determine the purpose of the translation For example a contract calls for precise translation whereas advertising copy Needs pd calls for artistic flair Consider to be Translated v Is it for publication Translations for publication need to meet the needs of a particular audience These texts use culture specific and often sub culture specific symbolism metaphors and puns which often play to the subconscious mind appealing to emotions values and moods rather than to critical thinking The author s intent must be understood and the intended meaning must be re worded into another language for another culture Additionally publication documents usually require additional linguists for proofreading Y Is it a high
21. ble Rush work usually incurs a surcharge due to the need to pay overtime costs Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com APEX Translations STEP 4 CHOOSING A TRANSLATION PROVIDER In addition to the products services an organization offers nothing is more important than effectively communicating with potential partners or clients Preparing key documents such as presentations sales and product literature technical reports or financial statements in the language of the country in which you wish to establish your presence is a vital step towards success You need to entrust your project to a translation provider that has the experience expertise and training to properly convey your message in the target language Resist temptation Translation is a full time job It is time consuming and labor intensive and requires years of training and experience as well as the skills and ability to translate accurately from or yourself or to into other languages Oral fluency does not guarantee smooth have an in house stylish writing Inadvertently using the native language in an awkward or sloppy manner may have embarrassing consequences and reflect on your company s image Consider to translate it employee who is known to have IAN v Who will edit the in house employee translation some proficien
22. cy v Will you recognize your own mistakes in the target language translate it Quality is never an accident it is always the result of intelligent effort John Ruskin APEX Translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap X Translations Avoid Using Language Departments of Universities Develop an ongoing relationship with a translation provider Does the provider use professionally qualified translators working in their native language Using students from language departments may be cheaper but they most likely will not have the experience expertise and training to properly convey your message in the target language Determine your current investment in the product or service as well as the time spent creating the document to be translated and then consider Y Did you use students to develop the product or service Y Did you use students to create the source document v Would you use students to prepare your financial documents or create your advertising campaigns v Would you consider having your open heart surgery performed by a second year medical student because he or she would charge less A good translation company can manage your project from translation through editing desktop publishing and proofreading In choosing a translation provider use t
23. ditional TCs To ensure consistency of style and terminology within a translated document it is always a best practice if possible to use the same translator Apex Translations Inc typically uses only one translator per source language to ensure consistency of style and terminology For larger more complex projects and or when working under significant time constraint we will employ one or more additional translators to complete the project In these cases special measures are taken to use common glossaries common databases and the expertise of a translation coordinator all to ensure consistency of the document APEX Translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com APEX Translations Will the provider certify their translations Will the provider maintain confidentiality of classified documents Does the provider guarantee the correctness of their work APEX Translations A certification is a separate document attached to the translation It states that a competent professional translator has performed the translation and guarantees the translation is true to the original Surcharges usually apply for this service Apex Translations Inc will certify its translations upon request Certifications can be issued in most languages In addition Apex provides notariz
24. e and the company image to be projected Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com APEX Translations Plan Ahead Don t Put Yourself or the Translation Provider Under Time Pressure Many clients underestimate the amount of time needed to produce a top quality translation If translation is part of your project or implementation plan allow enough time for it to be produced Haste makes waste in the translation industry as well as everywhere else Inquire about the cost and time needed to produce the translations you require ahead of time For Example We have had people ask if we can translate approximately 3 million words in less than six weeks A translation of this magnitude can be accomplished by using a large team of translators However if the subject matter is nuclear physics and the target languages are Hindi Urdu and Punjabi it may simply be impossible to find enough truly qualified translators Failure to plan is a plan for failure US Military APEX Translations Telephone US Thinking time or money can be saved some organizations may resort to using less qualified translators such as language students or people with insufficient linguistic and subject matter experience We can hire ten students of Russian and let them do it Would you want a medica
25. e worse and sell a little cheaper and he who considers price only is that man s lawful prey John Ruskin APEX Translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap EX Translations Consider Current Weigh the current investment in the product or service against translation costs Remember translation quality will reflect on the corporate image you wish to project Touting the Product or superiority of your product or service with bizarre language Service belies your claim Here is a paragraph from the product manual of a leading golf equipment manufacturer The equipment a training golf club was apparently manufactured in Asia Investment in Congratulations for your new practise club With the encl tool you can fix the flexibility for beginners is better you screw it a little stronger and for advance more easier that you can get a good golf swing It is forbitten to hit any balls with this practise club otherwise you have not any warranty From a consumer standpoint would you be assured that you bought a quality product after reading this Would this translation reflect the image you want to project of your company and product Be Realistic in Compare projected cost to the average hourly rate you would pay an attorney for a standard document For example assume the typica
26. he following questions to access their ability to deliver a correct accurate and true translation A native speaking translator is one who grew up within that language and culture and one who is intricately familiar with all facets and levels of writing and speaking that exist within that language It does not mean that the person must have been born in a certain country or that his or her parents must have been natives of a certain country or nation nor does it mean that the person must be a citizen of any specific country or state APEX Translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap X Translations Does the provider use professionally qualified translators working in their subject matter fields APEX Translations A native speaking translator translates from the source language into his or her own language For example native English speakers translate from foreign languages into English Additionally they must understand the nuances of both the source and target language and furthermore they must understand the source language culture as well as their own This is usually accomplished by living in both countries for an extended period as well as by visiting their native countries often The translator s goal is to provide a correct accurate and true translation that
27. ion takes into account the culture of the location or region where the translated text is targeted While it may be acceptable to say things in a certain way in one culture it could be offensive to use the same metaphor technical term or colloquialism in a different culture For example speaking about male and female connectors may be considered as a crude and inappropriate sexual metaphor Translation is not interpretation Written documents are translated Spoken language is interpreted Translating and interpreting require different skills and talents and often the best person to translate a written document from one language into another is not also the best person to interpret spoken language and vice versa There are many issues to consider before translating a document into another language Addressing these issues before beginning translation can significantly reduce the time and cost of the project otherwise for a non linguist obtaining a translation can become a source of frustration The better the project is planned organized and communicated the easier and the more cost efficient the entire process will be The purpose of this manual is to identify using a systematic process the issues Apex Translations Inc feels clients should consider before during and after the translation process Additionally the manual also provides a translation process checklist to APEX Translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1
28. l rate for a European language translation Estimates e g German Italian etc of a standard document using a translator in the field who is a native of the target language is 17 cents per word Additionally assume the translator can translate this document at an average of 1 500 words a day Assessing Cost Mathematically then 1500 words day times 0 17 225 day for 1 language 31 875 per hour 8 hour Compared with the hourly rates of other educated experienced knowledgeable and skilled professionals this rate now appears quite moderate APEX Translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap X Trensiations Consider the Requested Delivery Time APEX Translations Discounts are not usually applicable to the translation industry Translation is a time consuming process requiring attention to detail As document translations increase so does the need for more people such as project managers additional translators etc causing costs to increase not to decrease The more translators and target languages a project involves the more it will usually cost to translate it This is why unlike in industrial production higher production volume does not necessarily translate into lower production or unit cost Standard rates normally apply when the turn around time is reasona
29. l student in his third semester to do open heart surgery on you Remember translation quality will reflect on the corporate image you wish to project The more translators need to be deployed to perform your translation the more difficult it becomes to protect the quality and homogeneity of the translation More complex project management can overcome this hurdle but more complex project management also means higher cost Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap X Translations STEP 2 ORGANIZING amp COMMUNICATING FOR QUALITY Miscommunication translation projects channels necessary and lack of preparation organization are often to blame when go wrong The time taken to develop the internal communication in organizing for the translation process will reduce cost stress and time but more importantly it will result in a higher quality translation Assign the Coordination of the Translation Internal External Processes to a Specific Manager and if necessary a Cross departmental Team It is not a question of how well each process works the question is how well they all work together Lloyd Dobens and Clare Crawford Mason Thinking About Quality APEX Translations Telephone US The job of communicating with the translation provider is an important one and can mean the success
30. lation on time At Apex Translations Inc we understand the importance of on time delivery and we take our delivery commitments very seriously Our proposals state the agreed upon delivery time Apex also has the resources to respond to urgent requests Typical turn around time for a 2 000 word document is 24 hours or less At Apex Translations Inc all incoming and outgoing emails and documents are scanned with anti virus software which is updated daily with new virus definitions To further protect against computer problems our backup system maintains a duplicate of all documents and emails that we receive and send to our clients including completed translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com APEX Translations Will the provider be able to maintain the formatting and style of the documents Does the provider offer formal job proposals job quotes APEX Translations At Apex Translations Inc our translators translate directly into the source document and in most cases we are able to maintain the formatting and style of your document This includes any tables text boxes footnotes etc that may exist in your document We can also translate directly into spreadsheets presentation documents and of course into virtually any available word processing applicati
31. lient testimonial list at http www apex translations com testimonials testimonials frame html Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail infoeapex translations com APEX Translations Does the provider employ a Project Manager Does the provider use more than one translator on a project Project managers serve as liaisons between the client and the translator It is the project manager s responsibility to communicate with the client improving ambiguities in the source text The project manager coordinates large projects and asks questions throughout the project The more inquisitive the project manager the better the translator understands the client s business philosophy strategy and products and the more effective the translator s texts will be In addition project managers ensure that the client s glossaries are used for the translation Apex Translations Inc uses Project Managers for larger more complex projects for multilingual translations and or when working under significant time constraint especially when it may be necessary to use several translators each translating a portion of the same document Since no two translators translate in exactly the same manner it could then become necessary to use the Project Manager PM also as a Terminology Coordinator TC and or to use one or more ad
32. ly specialized document in the field of technology science commerce law etc Complex areas must be translated with conceptual exactness and terminological precision and every comma needs to be in the right place APEX Translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap EX Translations Y Do you just need a summary or gisting Some translation agencies offer these approximations and usually charge by the hour for it The result is not a correct accurate and true translation furthermore it is inherently risky to ask a linguist to decide what is important or not in your legal or technical document We recommend against this approach In any event if you are trying to sell or persuade if image is important or if a correct accurate and true translation is required you should not compromise on a gisting or summary approach If you just want to distill the essence out of documentation let the translator do what he or she does best the translation then have a legal medical or technical expert do a summary Do you just need a for information only translation For information only translations are by definition superficial and imprecise translations that usually result in an arbitrary and capricious document For this reason Apex does not provide for information only translations
33. ng this SAE document and its associated metrics and acceptance thresholds or if you wish to review a more detailed description of our quality procedures please request the Apex Quality Assurance and Quality Control Practice Manual If in house reviewers criticize the translated document do not automatically assume the translator provider delivered a poor quality translation In many cases the source language text may lack the desired quality and or contains ambiguities and inconsistencies If we find errors inconsistencies or ambiguities in the source language text we will report them to you when we deliver the translation Beware of in house well meaning non linguists changing an otherwise effective document translation Often in house editors or a company s foreign marketing or sales representatives dislike the overall style tone and pitch of a text or they feel that it just simply should have been written in a different manner They then edit the translation and blame the translation provider for what are actually shortcomings of the source text These editors are often blissfully unaware that their edits amount to a re write of the source document which is something a translator must never do Make sure in house people understand the difference between editing a translation and re writing the source text Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9
34. od Give the source files a name that will have meaning for both you and the translation provider When referring to the source files in correspondence use the exact filenames Inform the translation provider of any special file naming conventions you or your technical personnel may have for target language files A correct accurate and true translation takes time it is labor intensive Unrealistic turnaround times can place a project in jeopardy can increase project costs and can compromise quality For example a 10 000 word document in a European language requires about five days for translating editing and proofing Of course special circumstances may require faster turnaround Your translation provider may be able to accommodate your rush request but inquire first before committing yourself and your colleagues staff and project management to a time schedule that may not be realistic Consider the following indicators in estimating a reasonable delivery time Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap X Translations Y The time it took to initially develop the document Y The average number of text pages a professional translator can produce in one day varies from 8 to 15 the average number of words translated varies from 1 000 to 3 000 An experienced translator usually
35. on If the source document is a fully editable electronic document authored with a software program that lends itself to translating formatting can be preserved at or near 100 percent By contrast if the source document is a document that cannot be edited electronically or if the software program with which it was authored is not conducive to language translation the formatting may vary At Apex Translations Inc providing you with cost effective translation services is critical If you have several documents you wish to have translated you will receive a comprehensive proposal that includes a summary containing a list of all filenames the applications with which the files will be created e g MS Word etc and the associated word count for each file that will be used as the basis for billing If you are interested in the translation of a complete website we will analyze the entire website or only the web pages that you wish to have translated and provide you with a comprehensive proposal The document summary or website summaries will serve as the basis for a firm cost estimate including turnaround time which will be provided to you at no cost within hours of your request Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap EX Trensiations Can the provider handle multi language translations
36. on of this German translation into English Machine translations M Ue can be sufficient occasional the core of a document but they to receive accomplish extremely badly if it comes to conveying the exact meaning Machine translations largely correct grammar kind suitable sentence structure and recognizable syntax actually lack The translations which are produced by computer programs are to be back translated thus skewed that it is frequently faster a text as it to repair The example machine translation following shows the inadequacy that machine translation Here is the Spanish translation Las traducciones autom ticas TA pueden de vez en cuando ser suficientes conseguir el gist de un documento pero las se realizan extremadamente mal cuando viene a transportar el significado exacto En hecho las traducciones autom ticas carecen en gran parte la gram tica correcta el estilo la estructura de oraci n apropiada y el sintaxis reconocible Las traducciones generadas por programas de computadora son as que sesgado que es a menudo m s r pida re traducir un texto que corregirlo La traducci n autom tica de la muestra abajo demuestra las insuficiencias de la traducci n autom tica Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com APEX Translations Is the translation provider cultur
37. ou need to make sure that the software itself is localized in the same manner as the manual If the software program has already been translated the manual translator will need to translate the manual relative to the software translation otherwise the translation of the manual will set the terminology for the later localization of the software program If this is disregarded what the user will read in the manual might be different from what the user will see on the screen Determine document characteristics Y Are the documents classified Classified documents require a translation provider having the appropriate security clearances and or confidentiality procedures in place vy Isa certified translation required Translations of documents for government authorities or other official bodies like immigration offices and universities passports CV references etc generally require a certification Y Are there any legal issues to be resolved Some documents for example might involve proprietary rights such as copyrights and use of trademarks These legal issues need to be identified and resolved before translation Y Is the document password protected If so plan to convey the necessary password information to unprotect it An editable electronic document is essentially translated by replacing the source text with the target text If the document is password protected it will more difficult to translate it APEX Translations Inc
38. ource file for example in MS Word Illustrator Quark etc needs to be made available to the translation provider v Is the source text authored in a software program that is universal and multi language friendly Many Desktop Publishing systems do not work well in a multi language environment If the document was created in a Desktop Publishing DTP environment it is important to determine whether the translation should be done within the original file format or in MS Word format which would allow the translated text to be inserted into the document in the appropriate layout by company staff When the translation is done in a table format with the source and target languages APEX Translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap eX Translations Set a Reasonable Delivery Turn Around Time APEX Translations side by side insertion is greatly facilitated Even without knowledge of the foreign language company DTP staff can easily and quickly place the translated text correctly into the desired layout v What tools and applications will be used including versions Y What are the source files and formats It is vital that information on the files be conveyed such as whether they were created on a PC or Mac platform v Whatare the translation output formats and final delivery meth
39. rrors that clearly and unequivocally are committed by Apex Translations Inc at no charge to the client No translation will be released by the Production Manager for delivery to the client until and unless its error score according to SAE J2450 is under 0 002 For more information on our translation quality control procedures please request a copy of the Apex Quality Assurance and Quality Control Practice Apex Translations Inc assures quality of its translations by applying quality assurance quality control and the project management principles of ISO 9000 For quality assurance we assure quality by choosing highly skilled translators who are best suited for a specific project are native speakers of the target language and have been carefully selected after having been evaluated using our own rigorous battery of tests and interviews This approach assures that quality is built into the translation as early as possible in the translation process For quality control we are continuously improving our production process with the goal of preventing errors We also exercise a measure of post production control We apply the principles of SAE recommended practice J2450 Translation Quality Metric as the method for measuring our translation quality For further details regarding this SAE document and its associated metrics and acceptance thresholds or if you wish to review a more detailed description of our quality procedures plea
40. s may not offer this capability Additional considerations include Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap EX Translations Y Is your software compatible with the translation provider s software Pay special attention to fonts If the document s layout requires special fonts make sure to provide them to the translation provider If the fonts are not available the provider may be able to substitute similar ones For languages that use non Latin characters you may need to configure your computer to read the foreign script and or install the proper fonts for the language Apex Translations Inc provides fonts free of charge to their clients provided they have at least a Windows 2000 or newer operating system Y Are there special formatting and conversion requirements The best format for any document is electronic source files in an editable format PDF files are like electronic faxes and cannot be edited or overwritten or only to a very limited extent The translation of a PDF file is usually done in MS Word and the layout and formatting of the translation may differ from the layout and formatting of the original Fully editable electronic documents are normally translated in the same format as they are provided Should it be necessary to maintain the exact formatting and layout the original s
41. se request the Apex Quality Assurance and Quality Control Practice Manual Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com APEX Trensiations Does the provider offer pre delivery proofreading Will the provider guarantee on time delivery Does the provider have security procedures in place that prevent document loss and prevent documents from containing viruses APEX Translations Before delivery translations should be carefully proofread by a language sensitive native speaker to ensure stylistic and orthographic correctness and if promotional copy that the document is idiomatically effective Proofreaders check grammar syntax punctuation and style before delivery At Apex Translations Inc we exercise a measure of post production control Each translation goes through final reviews by a qualified linguist and native speaker of the target language During both translation and review electronic systems are deployed to check spelling punctuation grammar and syntax according to the rules of the target language Strict adherence to this process is key to achieving excellent translations For more information on our quality control procedures please request a copy of the Apex Quality Assurance and Quality Control Practice Manual Part of reputable translating is delivering the trans
42. urself or the translation provider under time pressure Step 2 Organizing amp Communicating for Quality 1 Assign the coordination of the translation internal external processes to a specific manager and if necessary a cross departmental team 2 Gather materials 2 1 Visual material 2 2 Existing translated material 2 3 Background materials 2 4 In house glossaries or translation preferences for specialized terminology 3 Ensure you have the technical software system to send and receive the translation 3 1 Is your software compatible with the translation provider s software L D DL L1 dg O 3 2 Are there special formatting and conversion requirements O 3 3 Is the source text authored in a software program that is universal and multi language friendly 3 4 What tools and applications will be used including versions 3 5 What are the source files and formats O APEX Translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 E mail info apex translations com Fax 1 815 461 9916 APEX Translations 3 6 What are the translation output formats and final delivery method Set a reasonable delivery turn around time Finalize your document before submitting it for translation Analyze Costs in Terms of Quality Analyze Cost vs Quality Assess Quality through a Sample Translation Consider Current In
43. ve to be translated as axis axle or shaft depending on the technical context The German term Gleichstrom may mean DC current in electrical engineering but equal flow rate in chemical engineering After World War II the Germans ate cornbread and corn cake for many years due to a misunderstanding by a clerk in the German Department of Agriculture Korn in German means grain The concept includes those types of grain eaten by Germans such as wheat barley or rye corn is not one of them Corn is called Mais and it is used to feed pigs When the German government asked the American government to send Korn to feed the starving population the clerk who drafted the letter in English wrote corn Many Germans believed that they were given pig feed by the Americans to humiliate them The story about the translation error made it into high school curricula in an attempt to wipe out the myth Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com APEX Translations Will the provider offer sample translations so quality can be assessed Will the provider offer references APEX Translations At Apex Translations Inc all of our translators go through rigorous testing and credential checks to assure they understand the cultural nuances of both the source and target language In addition we
44. vestment in Product or Service Be Realistic in Assessing Cost Estimates Consider the Requested Delivery Time Step 4 Choosing a Translation Provider 1 Resist the temptation to translate it yourself or to have an in house employee who is known to have some proficiency in the target language translate it Avoid Using Language Departments of Universities Develop an Ongoing Relationship with a Translation Provider 3 1 Does the provider use professionally qualified translators working in their native language 3 2 Does the provider use professionally qualified translators working in their subject matter fields 3 3 Does the provider use translation software 3 4 Is the translation provider culturally competent 3 5 Will the provider offer sample translations so quality can be assessed 3 6 Will the provider offer references APEX Translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com OOO OOdddo O O OOdddg USA ap EX Trensiations 3 7 Does the provider employ a Project Manager O 3 8 Does the provider use more than one translator on a project O 3 9 Will the provider certify their translations 3 10 Will the provider maintain confidentiality of classified documents O 3 11 Does the provider guarantee the correctness of their work O 3 12 Does the pro
45. veying the accurate meaning In fact Machine Translations largely lack correct grammar style appropriate sentence structure and recognizable syntax Translations generated by computer programs are so skewed that it is often faster to retranslate a text than to correct it The sample machine translation below demonstrates the inadequacies of machine translation We have machine translated the preceding paragraph from this document written in red font into German and Spanish and then back into English Here is the translation into German Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com APEX Trensiations Apex Translations Inc does not recommend or use Machine Translation software APEX Translations Maschinelle bersetzungen M U k nnen gen gend gelegentlich sein den Kern eines Dokumentes aber sie zu erhalten durchf hren extrem schlecht wenn es zum bermitteln der genauen Bedeutung kommt Tats chlich ermangeln maschinelle bersetzungen gro korrekte Grammatik Art passende Satzstruktur und erkennbare Syntax Die bersetzungen die durch Computerprogramme erzeugt werden sind also skewed da er h ufig schneller ist einen Text als zu zur ck bersetzen ihn zu beheben Die Beispielmaschinelle bersetzung folgend zeigt die Unzul nglichkeit der maschineller bersetzung Here is the back translati
46. vider have quality control procedures in place 3 13 Does the provider offer pre delivery proofreading 3 14 Will the provider guarantee on time delivery O 3 15 Does the provider have security procedures in place that prevent document loss and prevent documents from containing viruses O 3 16 Will the provider be able to maintain the formatting and style of the documents 3 17 Does the provider offer formal job proposals job quotes 3 18 Can the provider handle multi language translations O 3 19 Does the provider have a personal data privacy security policy in place O 3 20 Is the provider listed with the Better Business Bureau BBB Step 5 Reviewing the Translation Results 1 Translated document s meets the requirements of being a complete true and accurate translation APEX Translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com
47. well as to avoid problems leading to additional costs Think Write the original document with the intent that it may x eventually be translated into a foreign language Consider International y g guag v Cultural differences in symbolism metaphors puns At the Time of o a humor sarcasm irony colloquialisms clich s and Document idiomatic expressions Inception Y Culturally specific references that are not relevant to potential target audiences these references should be generalized or omitted Y The effects translation will have on document layout such as o Text expansion or reduction Translation text quantity varies from one language to another Some languages have either fewer or more words than the source text For example Spanish takes up only 5 to 10 percent more space than the corresponding English but Greek may need up to 35 percent more space plan your document layout with the appropriate white space o Text embedded in graphics The translation of graphics can be more complex and problematic than text English for example when translated Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people William Butler Yeats into most APEX Translations Inc 201 West Water Street Suite 1 Plymouth NC 27962 USA Telephone US 1 800 634 4880 INTL 001 252 791 9902 Fax 1 815 461 9916 E mail info apex translations com ap X Translations other languages expands by up to 20 percent c
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search