Many clients over the years have felt disappointed with the lower standard of language services because they failed to hire professional translators. It is a challenge to understand a person who does not speak your own language. This becomes additionally challenging when the person who is translating your documents is not trained professionally because it will lead to translation work with not so precise use of the language.
The folly of using non-professional translators
Although translation has been used since the second millennium BC, some people still believe that anyone who speaks another language is capable of being a translator. Thus, there are many people who are still using the services of relatives, friends, co-workers and other people for translation work. They do not realize that such a practice can lead to embellished words, as well as altered and omitted words. In some cases, the person doing the translation could show their bias, which in turn could alter the intended meaning of the content.
Although it would be okay to ask a bilingual person you know to do simple translations, it is not advisable to continue with this practice particularly if the document that needs to be translated is to be used for official communication. The person could falsely believe in his or her abilities and hide their weaknesses and attempt to translate content that could deliver the wrong message.
Being helpful to a person in need is not bad and that doing the translation is better than not doing it especially if the need is immediate. But the consequences of not using a professional translator might be costly.
Alteration in the intended meaning, omissions and deletions lead to inaccurate information. If the translation is for business, it would lead to poor brand representation which can cause irreparable damages to someone’s business and the formation of solid business relationships. A poor translation can lead to the loss of trust, customers, business partners and company revenues.
When you need translation services, one of the things you have to ask yourself is this: Is it worth the savings to use a non-professional translator for your business, legal, medical or manufacturing? If your answer is no, then you should look for a professional translator or a translation agency to translate your vital information.
Advantages of using a professional translator
If you operate an organization or business that needs content to be converted from and into other languages, it is beneficial to invest in a professional translator. There are several benefits to working with a professional language services provider. Aside from getting high-quality translation, you can save time and money and even make more money.
Here are some of the notable advantages of using a professional translator.
1. Translation quality is ensured
Document translation can be straightforward or quite complex. It depends on the subject. If it demands precision such as law, science, engineering matter or as important as medical records and findings, you’ll know that quality translation is quite critical. For such subjects, it is vital for the translator to clearly deliver the technical or complex concepts in their own specialized terminology.
A friend, colleague or employee who can speak both the source and target languages may be a good person to use as a translator. You have to ask yourself, however, if the person actually has the professional proficiency in the needed languages. You have to determine if the person has the right skills to accurately translate the content.
Even if they are well educated, professional translators have received formal education in linguistics to attain a high level of proficiency and have knowledge of the languages and its standards.
Aside from the formal training, most professional translators have years of experience and the more experienced they are, the better they are at professional translation. They have the consistency, knowledge, insight and the right tools to ensure that your translation is of very high quality, as this is how they build their reputation and the reason why clients trust them.
2. Culturally correct translation
Hiring a professional translator ensures that you will have an organized, grammatically correct and easy-to-read translation. As a native speaker, a professional translator quickly picks up cultural or local references and influences. Most languages have slight derivation depending on the region. A professional translator can immediately identify these and add them to the translated material.
3. Consistent translation
Consistency in translation work is one of the major benefits of working with a professional translation service provider. You might not believe the fact that even today there are still translators who provide bad translations. You as the client should realize that inconsistency in your communication has the potential to damage your company’s reputation. It could mean business losses.
If you are a global company, it is critical to be very consistent in your communication in different languages. A professional translation service provider is able to manage the assets of your brand like the specific tone and terminology to ensure that the messages you want to deliver to specific audiences reflect the meaning of the original source.
A professional translation provider will not quit on you. Even if the translator who works on your account is not available, the assets of your brand are with the agency, so the consistency of your communication is maintained.
3. Specialized translation
Sometimes clients require specialized translation. This means the content is for a specific target audience, which needs the services of a subject matter expert. For example, the document is about healthcare, law or information technology that has its specific terminology and language. In this case, a specialist is needed. Within a company, the translation requirements may vary. Translating marketing materials and product information is different from translating contracts, business proposals and official reports. If you hire a professional translation agency, you will have the peace of mind in knowing that the agency will be able to manage your particular translation requirements without losing accuracy and consistency by using your specific technical terms.
4. Right resources
Professional translators and translation agencies have the right equipment and resources. When you hire a professional translation agency you gain access to its pool of professional translators and subject matter experts. You do not have to invest in the specific tools needed for translation. Moreover, you are ensured to benefit from their expertise, their experience and their extensive insider knowledge of your industry niche and specific target markets.
5. Efficiency in meeting deadlines
Timely delivery of translated materials is very important in business. There will be times when you need to have content translated at a specific time. Professional translators are aware of the immediacy of your need. Their expertise and experience help them quickly translate content and deliver them on time, without you having to breathe down their necks in order for them to speed up their work. Give them a deadline and you are guaranteed to receive the translation on or before your deadline.
6. Extensive knowledge of the language
When you’re running a company or an organization, relying on professionals is a given. So for your translation requirements, it is vital to have professional translators to work on them rather than using machine translation or amateur translators. You have a reputation to keep and a business to protect, so it is critical for your company to be consistent and reliable in delivering messages and communication. Professional translators are native speakers. Their knowledge of the language is more extensive and they are aware of cultural differences. They are able to use culturally appropriate language based on the sensibilities and preferences of the intended users of the translation.
7. Accuracy of translation
While consistency is a bit similar to accuracy, some differences exist. Accuracy in translation is very critical to maintaining the integrity of the message, especially if the materials deal with specific subjects. It is something that should not be compromised. For professional translators, they are not only after translating into the requested language; they follow other requirements, ensuring that the symbols, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and other elements are properly and correctly written.
Professional translators are very good writers. They not only transpose the text into another language. They also see to it that the nuances of the language, the variances in dialectal differences, the cultural preferences and even the level of understanding of the target audience of the translation are appropriate.
8. Hiring a professional translator saves you time and money
You can concentrate on your business while the language services provider takes care of your translation requirements. It also saves you money because you can be sure that you made a wise investment decision and found a partner who will enable you to accurately and properly speak to your various target audiences in their own language.
The human translators of Day Translations, Inc. are all professionals. They have the proper training and experience to provide the best translation service for any type of document. They are native speakers who are located in-country, so they are fully knowledgeable about local culture. They undergo regular skills and linguistic training and continuing education to make sure that they are up to date with the latest developments in translation techniques and technology. For the most accurate document translation, call us at Day Translations. We are open 24/7 every day of the year to provide you with the best translation service possible. Contact us by phone at 1-800-969-6853 or send us an email at Contact us any time. We normally respond within a few minutes.