 Frequently Asked Questions
:: Who are our translators?
Our translators are natives of the official language into which they translate. Thanks to the Internet and information technologies we have professional translators in different countries translating into a variety of different languages. To complete the cycle of quality control, the translation is subject to an editing process and finally, style revision before being delivered to the client.
:: What type of translations do we do?
- Any topic, both general or specialized.
- They can be low volume translations or large projects.
- Mainly in the combinations English-Spanish; Spanish-English and French-Spanish, but don?t hesitate to ask about translations in other languages.
:: How is the delivery time calculated?
The delivery time is calculated depending on the size of the project to be estimated, and according to the work load at the time the estimate is requested. If urgency is required, the delivery time can be reduced and an extra fee will be applied.
:: Which programs and formats can I send?
We accept any format.
:: How can I pay?
Currently, payments can be made by bank transfer.
:: How can the client help to get the best possible translation?
Ideally, the clients could be of great help with the translation if they:
- Provide a reasonable time frame depending on the type and quantity of pages to be translated.
- Give the translator documents that may be useful to the project (previous texts or translations, literature on the subject, glossaries, etc.).
- Specify in advance the terms and abbreviations belonging to the internal vocabulary of your company.
- Deliver the texts to the translator in electronic form.
- Designate a contact person in the company that can respond to any questions that might come up during the translation process.
- When possible, submit documents that are complete, definitive and revised.
- Indicate to what type of audience the translation will be addressed, as well as the purpose of the document (informative, disclosure, etc.)
:: Do I need a professional translator or can any bilingual person do my translations?
Competence in translating is much different than having bilingual competence. A bilingual person does not necessarily have the same competence in translating as a professional translator, that is, in the knowledge, abilities and skills to translate. Translating isn’t just making another version of a document word for word, literally. It is necessary that the meaning of the translation be the same as the original document, and that the terminology used corresponds to that used by professionals in the corresponding field. Furthermore, translating involves taking into account the context, cultural adaptation, an appropriate use of country specific expressions, etc.
:: What is the difference between translation and interpretation?
Translation is a process in which a written message is transferred from one language to another. Interpretation is the process of transferring an oral message from one language to another, and involves a high level of preparation and experience by the interpreter, as well as other characteristics and abilities, such as:
- Complete command of the target language (the language into which he/she will be working).
- In-depth knowledge of the passive languages (the languages from which he/she will be working).
- Vast experience and general culture.
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Strong analytical and synthetical capability to prepare for the theme of the conference and memorize related terminology.
- Capablity to adapt to each speaker (speed and accent).
- Physical and mental endurance.
- Excellent memory and the reactive ablility to quickly find the exact equivalents of technical terms, as well as remember the elements of a sentence and reorder them according to the syntax of the active language while listening to the next sentence being spoken.
- Absolute discretion and confidentiality.
:: All translations are the same. Why do the prices vary?
Not all translations are the same and their price varies depending on the level of specialization of the document to be translated (standard, commercial, technical, or legal), as well as the destination language to be translated into. A technical translation usually costs 10% more than a commercial translation, which in turn costs 10% more than a general or standard translation. Furthermore, other factors come into consideration, such as last minute orders and less-commercial languages, among others.
:: What type of interpretation service should I contract?
There are different types of interpretation and their uses depend on the type and scale of the event being organized, on the number of participants, and the availability of technical equipment. Among the principal categories of interpretation, we offer:
a) Liaison Interpreting, in which the interpreter acts as the ‘liaison’ between two people or small groups, translating from one language to the other in both directions. This service is recommended for small debate groups, commercial, factory, touristic, or technical visits, negotiations, etc.
b) Consecutive Interpretation, The interpreters take notes in the room and orally reproduce the speech when the speaker has finished talking. This may require one or more interpreters. It is not necessary to have an interpretation booth or any other special installation, except a microphone in the case of a large audience.This service is recommended for committee meetings, bilateral negotiations, interviews, press conferences, outdoor speeches, closing acts of seminars, etc.
c) Simultaneous Interpretation or Conference Interpretation, is used in conferences and congresses with the use of an interpretation booth. Interpreters normally work in pairs in small soundproof booths where they listen to the speaker through headphones and make the translation into the target language simultaneously. This method allows the translation of various languages at the same time without losing the time that would be involved with a consecutive interpretation. Normally, the simultaneous interpretation is done when there is only one speaker and a large number of listeners, such as in congresses, conferences, courses, shareholder meetings, and similar events.
d) Chuchotage (or whispered interpretation), is a very personalized service in which the interpreter whispers to the client. Aside from the technique, it requires the strong capability of the listener to hear the interpreter above the background noise.
:: What is the difference between an automatic translation done by translation software and a human translation done by a professional translator?
Automatic translations are usually used to quickly get the “general idea” of the contents of an email, a website or a letter in another language. This type of translation allows the reader to understand the contents of the document in order to evaluate its importance. No translation software to date has been able to replace a professional translator. Don’t put your communication with a potential client or target audience at risk by allowing ambiguity to enter into your intended message, or communicate an erroneous or even offensive message. Find a professional translator.
:: When does the translation process begin and how long does it last?
The translation process begins once the work contract has been signed and the required initial deposit has been made. The duration of the translation process depends on the characteristics of each project. In all cases, the translation period and the delivery date will be previously established in the signed work contract.
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