Follow these seven steps for an
efficient and cost-effective translation process.
1. Get Organized
A well-organized project will reduce
stress, save money, and deliver a solid translation. Before you begin:
- Review the original document to cut out parts that may not be
necessary or relevant to your target markets. This will improve your
materials and save time and money.
- Finalize the document before sending it for translation. Changes to
the source material during the process can be messy and expensive.
- Ask your provider questions! Make sure your document will be
translated by a native speaker who specializes in your field. Request to
see translator CV's and select the translator whose experience and
expertise best fits your job.
- Understand project specifications before sending the project to your
provider. If you do not understand, chances are your provider will not
understand either.
2. Be Generous with Information
It is crucial that your provider
understands as much as possible about the document's purpose. Useful
information includes:
- Audience: Is the document for internal or external use?
Will it be read by employees or customers? Is the audience sympathetic or
hostile?
- Purpose: Does your document persuade people to buy your
product or instruct them how to use it? Does it inform about an exciting
new technology or announce a new product launch?
3. Use Translation Memory
Translation Memory can be a valuable asset
for your company. Translation Memory:
- improves quality and consistency of your translations by building up
your preferred multilingual terminology and phrasing.
- gives direct discounts off your translation rates; because a TM increases with every
project, the more you translate, the more you will save through TM
matches.
4. Set Reasonable Deadlines
A reasonable deadline allows the translator
to craft a better translation and provides time for having the document
proofread by a second translator.
When setting a deadline for your provider,
keep these things in mind:
- A translator’s capacity is about 2000 words of
translation per day
- A proofreader’s capacity is about 8000 words per
day
- Highly specialized content requires extra time
for research
- Additional services, such as DTP work, require
additional time
5. Have a Flexible Budget
Understanding the market and its pricing
factors can help you understand what kind of quality to expect for your money.
Translation rates depend on any number of the following factors:
- Volume of Work: Clearly, a longer document will be more
expensive. However, large volumes of work could qualify for volume discounts.
- File format: Providers will charge more to translate
documents in formats such as InDesign, HTML or Framemaker than they will
charge for common applications such as Microsoft Word or Excel.
- Translation Memory: A mature TM will realize greater cost savings.
- Desired deadline: Tight deadlines could incur rush fees.
- Complexity of material: Translators in highly specialized
fields may charge a premium for their expertise.
- Country where provider is located: Translators will charge more in
countries with a higher cost of living. Therefore, translations into
Finnish, Japanese or Swedish will be more expensive than translations into
Chinese, Czech or Russian.
6. Provide Support Material
Providing the project team with reference
material will help them to choose the best terminology for your company and to
adhere to your preferred writing styles. Excellent examples of support material
include:
- previous translations
- websites
- screenshots, pictures, graphs
- company glossaries or dictionaries
- style guides
7. Be Helpful
You can play a key role in the success of
your project in the following ways:
- Answer questions as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. Good
translators usually ask good questions about the material.
- Provide reference material if a translator requests it.
- Offer deadline extensions if the project team is struggling to
finish on time.
Understand that unforeseen events can happen. Take a deep breath,
be patient and work through the obstacle together.
Sumber:
By Lauren Nemec
Marketing Manager www.translatus.com
Article previously published on “A World of Translation Work”
Translatus Blog.
