How To Make The Translation Process Less Labour Intensive
Practical tips for start-ups in the translation business
Although in fact it ended only two decades ago, the era of handwritten or typewriter translations is one that most of us are not nostalgic about – if they remember it at all. To any modern-day translator, versed in – and addicted to – the cut-and-paste functionality of the latest word processing software, it is almost unimaginable there was ever a time in which translations were produced with a pencil and an eraser, or with a typewriter and correcting fluid. Having said that, there is no denying that the translation process has remained extremely labour intensive.
PCs are obvious and indispensable tools in the modern translation business. The computerisation of our business has enabled us to become far more productive and to produce more polished texts which, thanks to the immense body of ‘googleable’ reference material, are probably also more sector-authentic than our output of, say, fifteen years ago. Even so, not all business owners are aware that in addition to advanced word processing software, a host of other tools have become available to make the translation process more efficient. Here are a few tips.
1. Make sure to get digital versions of as many reference works as possible. Many dictionaries, encyclopaedias and the like are also available on CD. This will save you the trouble of leafing through weighty tomes, and help you find the term you need with a few clicks on your mouse.
2. Get hold of high-quality terminology database software (TRADOS or another reliable brand). Even though it will take some time to build up your customised databases, once they have reached a critical volume they will help you use customer-specific terminology consistently and retrieve it in no time at all.
3. Ask your client about his lay-out requirements. Especially in the case of documents in exotic formats, it would be a pity and a waste of time if you went to the trouble of copying complex lay-out features while your client would in fact, for editing purposes, have preferred a plain lay-out.
4. Try to find out if your client has already produced documents similar to the one you are translating and, if so, ask if you can have a copy. This will prevent you from reinventing the wheel, and will ensure consistency with the client’s existing terminology.
It is interesting to note, finally, that while all sorts of tools have helped us speed up the process, the actual translation process itself has so far not been computerised to any significant degree. Most of the efforts aimed at automating the translation mechanism are focused on reproduction rather than creation. Translation is, and will probably remain for a long time to come, a purely cognitive skill that is performed inside the translator’s brain and that no amount of software can replace.
Fester Leenstra is co-owner of Metamorfose Vertalingen, a translation agency in Utrecht (The Netherlands). After having worked for several translation firms in paid employment, he took the plunge in 2004 and incorporated his own company.
For further details about Metamorfose Vertalingen, visit:
http://www.metamorfosevertalingen.nl
http://www.scandinavie-vertalingen.nl
http://www.medisch-vertaalbureau.nl
The Most Common Complaints about Translation Services
Within past years modern electronic communication has created extensive business opportunities for freelance translators. They are able to reach clients from all over the world and perform their jobs at their own convenience. It appears to be a dream profession, but yet so many translators report that it’s challenging to keep their previous clients, and that the number of clients they served has diminished. One would like to know why this takes place.
First of all, one need to be aware that nowadays there is a great competition on the market, and clients are very selective. So how do I make sure that clients will return to me, not to my competitor? There are clients who constantly need translation services, and they actually prefer to use the same translator for many different projects. They will only cooperate with you again if they were satisfied with your previous services. It is also to your advantage to be familiar with complains the clients have made about translation services in the past. The most common ones are:
1. The project was not finished on time.
2. The translator demonstrated poor language skills: grammar, spelling, punctuation, omitted words, etc.
3. The translator misunderstood the formation of the translation project. He/she used different font, style. He/she did not translate the images. He/she did not include tables, etc.
4. The translator showed poor communication skills. He/she was not flexible enough. He/she has never notified when a problem occurred during the translation process.
5. The translator was hard to reach at his/her office. He/she did not provide adequate mailing address and all the documents kept returning to the sender.
6. The translator turned out to be not reliable. He/she assured he/she knew the dialect of the language but did not demonstrate this skill. He/she advertised himself/herself as a legal translator but never certified his/her work. When returning the project he/she did not include the original seal. He/she never corrected his/her previous mistakes even though he/she promised to do so.
7. The translator was not culturally sensitive. He/she presented himself/herself as a native speaker but did not know all the aspects of the culture.
8. The translator never returned money. He/she admitted that the translation was poorly done and promised to recompense but never did.
9. The translator did not respond well to constrictive criticism.
In order to stand out from the competition, and have your previous clients come back to you, one ought to perform self -evaluation after each translation project. Be critical about your skills and ask your clients for feedbacks. Even the negative ones might provide you with another perspectives and ideas on how to improve your skills and develop your professional growth. Sometimes constrictive criticism leads to a positive change. And positive feedbacks guarantee good promotion, trust among clients, and more projects. Good luck.
The author Marian Marcinkowski is the President of VerbumSoft. He is the owner of http://www.translatorsbase.com and http://www.directfreelance.com
Translatorsbase.com it is a global provider in translation solutions, providing translation services via network of professional freelance translators and translation agencies located around the world.
Directfreelance.com it is a directory of freelance professionals searchable by category, specialization and location. Freelancers can find here jobs posted on daily basis.