Foreign Language Translation Services

It is not at all unusual for communication to take place across cultures. Often, people who speak different languages have to do business together, exchanging correspondence or chairing meetings. In this multicultural, multi-linguistic climate, finding good translation services is vital. Competent foreign language translation services are a major asset to your business.

Finding a good translator

There are many ways to locate a translator. Embassies and colleges with foreign language departments are one place to start. A number of services also offer translation online, and others give referrals to translators. However, working with online translation is problematic. Machine translation, or translation via computer, can produce disastrous results and misunderstandings. If you are contracting for a translation online, make sure that you are working with a live person.

Referrals

As in many businesses, personal referrals are a way to guarantee the best service. If you know someone who has used a translation service before, ideally in the language you need translated, ask for a recommendation. Would they employ this service again, or were there problems? If a friend gives a hearty recommendation to a particular service, you may have found your translator.

Questions to ask

When interviewing a translation service, there are several questions you may want to ask. How long have they done business? What native languages are represented, and how much experience with second languages do the employees have? Do they offer simultaneous spoken translation or confine their work to written documents? Do they have any particular technical expertise in fields that have specialized vocabularies, such as biotechnology or information technology? And, finally, you need to ask for references and samples of previous work.

Finding a good translation service may seem time-consuming, but the alternative is disastrous if misunderstandings and arguments ensue because of amateurish mistranslations. Take the time to locate an experienced and professional translator with expertise in a field relevant to your needs.