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Automatic Free Translations Usually Just Don’t Cut It

Several people, myself included, wonder why if technology has advanced to the point it has, with computers that can win a chess game against the most capable and experienced player or make the most complex calculations, then why automatic translation basically doesn’t cut it.

You can go ahead and try Google translator (http://translate.google.com/translate_t#), or Babel Fish (http://babelfish.yahoo.com) or any of the many automatic translation services and programs available on the Web, and you will see that the results are usually far from what you would expect.

Automatic Free Translations Basically Don’t Work

The reason why computers are not good translators is basically because translation is not a logical process. Computers are great at adding numbers and performing any logical sequence or transaction. They are great at remembering stuff too, so as far as vocabulary goes, a computer is an unparalleled resource for any person wishing to know the meaning of a word or expression.

Unfortunately, languages were not born out of translating one tongue into another. Languages are living entities that grow and branch out every day. That is precisely the reason why languages such as Latin and Old English are called “Dead Languages” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_death (others are extinct languages (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinct_language, precisely because they have stopped “living”, they no longer have any native speakers and for that reason, have stopped growing, branching out, developing.

Many languages derive from another and for that reason they have a similar structure, sound, feeling and even vocabulary (for instance Spanish and Portuguese), however, if you speak Portuguese and you have never had any contact with Spanish, chances are you will understand basic things spoken very slowly but if you try to go on the street and listen to people talking among themselves you will probably end up without a clue of what they are talking about.

Because let’s face it… even within speakers of the same language, many times we are left completely dumbfounded. Have you ever tried to listen into the conversations of teenagers, or scientists, or even people from different nationalities… come on… are they even speaking your language?

Then Why Do They Bother Developing Translation Software?

Computers today are thought to have reached the intelligence level of a mouse. Hum… I haven’t seen that many mice dedicated to translation yet! However, scientists are expecting computers to get smarter and smarter every day. Even to the point that Sci-Fi movies and Isaac Asimov books might become a reality (if we don’t greenhouse the world to death before that).

So, the only way for automatic translations to become better is to continue existing and to continue attracting users (and funds for development).

However, let’s be honest about something. If you receive and email from a friend and you need help understanding its content, then a computerized translation is more than enough for you. It will certainly help you communicate and even have a little fun with the unexpected results.

Also, if you are browsing a website, usually choosing to translate it using Google or Babel Fish is enough to give you an idea of what you are looking at. And you have no idea how much help that is already! Can you imagine how many millions of people have access to information generated in different languages thanks to this free translation technology? These applications and services are truly building invisible bridges across cultures and languages… what else can you ask for?

And Why Would You Pay a Professional Translator?

(http://www.spanish-english-translation-costa-rica.com/translation-from-spanish-to-english.html)

Well, a professional translator (http://www.spanish-english-translation-costa-rica.com/translation-from-spanish-to-english.html) is a person who (usually) speaks natively at least one of the languages you need to translate to or from. Also, this person is very fluent in the other language and not only understands the words, but also the meaning and cultural nuances of the text you need to translate.

If you have a business proposal for a customer… you want to use the services of a professional translator (http://www.spanish-english-translation-costa-rica.com/translation-from-spanish-to-english.html). If you are signing a contract in another country and do not speak the language, you really want to hire a professional translator, or why not… a professional translator (http://www.spanish-english-translation-costa-rica.com/Verbal_interpretation.html) who may be present during the negotiation to help both parties communicate fluently.

Are Good Translators Hard to Come By?

Honestly… YES! A good translator is not just a person who speaks well two or more languages. A good translator loves language, enjoys grammar, plays mental games translating words and phrases (my new hobby is to watch a translated TV show or movie and figure out what was the original phrase that produced the translated result… sick… I know).

Good translators are perfectionists, are people who enjoy learning and gladly accept (and welcome) new knowledge. They say, “Shakespeare is as good as the person who translates his work”, actually many writers and poets are translators and voluntarily translate the works of colleagues they admire and look up to.

But I guess it isn’t practical at all to ask your translation candidate if he/she enjoys grammar and knowledge, and would gladly learn about your particular subject… or is it? In any case, references from satisfied customers (http://www.spanish-english-translation-costa-rica.com/trusted-translation.html) should help you; also, if you speak both of languages, requesting a sample document can also be useful. Otherwise, play it by ear, chat a little with this person or exchange emails… is he/she making grammatical mistakes on the communications? Is he/she misspelling already? That should tip you off about a sloppy translator.

What About Interpreters?

(http://www.spanish-english-translation-costa-rica.com/Verbal_interpretation.html)

Interpreters (http://www.spanish-english-translation-costa-rica.com/Verbal_interpretation.html) are also translators. Normally simultaneous (verbal or oral) translators (http:// http://www.spanish-english-translation-costa-rica.com/interpretation-definition.html) are called interpreters, because their work includes interpreting a communication between two parties. According to the dictionary, interpretation is the “action of explaining the meaning of something”, so an Interpreter (http://www.spanish-english-translation-costa-rica.com/Verbal_interpretation.html) is someone that not only translates the words he/she hears in the other language, but also explains to the listener what the speaker is actually trying to say. For this purpose, an interpreter will make use of his/her cultural background and experience to place into context the message of the speaker.

A simultaneous interpreter (http:// http://www.spanish-english-translation-costa-rica.com/interpretation-definition.html) works with the aid of special simultaneous interpretation equipment (http://www.spanish-english-translation-costa-rica.com/simultaneous-interpretation-equipment.html), which generally consists of a signal transmitter (cabled, radio frequency or infrared) and receivers in the hands of the listeners. The equipment will also include headphones and microphones for the interpreters to listen to the speaker and translate to the audience.

A consecutive interpreter will first listen to a few phrases from the speaker, who will then stop and allow the interpreter to repeat the message to the listeners.

In a whispering interpretation, the interpreter stays close to the listener and “whispers” the translation simultaneously as the speaker talks. Normally, when the listener needs to speak, usually the interpreter will use the consecutive interpretation technique, or if equipment (http://www.spanish-english-translation-costa-rica.com/simultaneous-interpretation-equipment.html), is available, simultaneous interpretation can also be performed.

How do you know if a good interpreter is working for you?

Well, usually only the audience can tell you if the interpretation is working fine for them. However, if it isn’t, don’t assume it is necessarily because you have a bad interpreter… maybe your conference style (http://www.spanish-english-translation-costa-rica.com/professional-conference-speaker.html) is not particularly well suited to their work.

You may be speaking too fast, or your rhythm may not be very even, or maybe you are not finishing your ideas properly. However, if you think you are keeping a steady flow of ideas at a reasonable speed, then watch the reaction of your audience. Do they seem bored? Are they laughing at your jokes? When you ask for participation or questions, do they respond in any way to you? That should be enough to tell you that something is wrong, either with the way you are explaining things or with the interpretation.

In the case of simultaneous interpreters (http://www.spanish-english-translation-costa-rica.com/interpretation-definition.html), and translators in general always ask for references, price (high or low) is not necessarily an indication of quality or experience.

Paying a Fair Price for Your Translation

And talking about prices… if free translation services are usually not the best for business purposes, then how much it costs to hire a translator or interpreter?

A translator or interpreter is a well-trained, highly qualified and educated individual. Good interpreters and translators are hard to find and excellent ones are simply rare. So you should expect to pay them similarly to highly qualified professionals, such as accountants, average lawyers or others.

Although there are also “diva” interpreters, usually members of closed associations, who will not only charge significantly higher that “informal” interpreters, but will also request working conditions that may be beyond your budget or capabilities. These types of interpreters have usually been “bred” by international organizations such as the UN and the OAS, which traditionally have had extensive budgets and preferential conditions for everyone involved.

In any case, a good “informal” interpreter can charge anything between US$25 and US$50 an hour. Rates depend very much on the country where you will be hiring the interpreters. American and European interpreters are in general more expensive than interpreters in Latin America, India, Africa, etc.

Also take note that simultaneous (or consecutive) interpreters (http://www.spanish-english-translation-costa-rica.com/interpretation-definition.html) will usually work in pairs, switching between them every 20 or so. This is normally the most professional way to perform an interpretation since the work involved requires extreme concentration and mental effort. However, if you will meet for just a few hours, you should be able to find an interpreter willing to work alone.

If you plan to take your interpreters to another country or city, please take into account that you will probably have to pay travel expenses, lodging and meals, similar to those of everyone else in your party, besides to their hourly or daily professional fees.

Now, for document translation (http://www.spanish-english-translation-costa-rica.com/translation-from-spanish-to-english.html), you should again expect a very wide range of prices depending on the country where you are hiring the services and the languages involved. It can go from as low as US$0.05 per word to as much as US$0.20. Rush projects will certainly cost you a lot more than assignments that can wait a few days.

In the case of written translations (http://www.spanish-english-translation-costa-rica.com/translation-from-spanish-to-english.html), try to avoid hiring a translation broker. These companies specialize in dividing your work into pieces and giving them to several translators who work on it at the same time. If you have a very big document and time is of the essence, then you may not have another option. However, if you have the time to give your work directly to a translator (and you trust him/her of course and have checked their references and experience), then you will probably save money, obtain a more consistent and better translation, and will be supporting one or more independent professionals.



By: Ondine Payne

About the Author:

Translista

With the advent of the Internet, our concept of time, space and physical distance have been dramatically affected and online translation jobs that flourish because of the Internet is one of the many new types of jobs that this age has created.

Translation jobs are in demand right now because of several reasons. Two of these reasons are: the need to tap highly competent translators from other countries and the necessity of outsourcing translation jobs so that business outsourcing groups will have more time to do things that are more important and pressing.

Translation jobs have been considerably extended in view of the great number of countries where translators are outsourced from.

Translation is challenging and enjoyable especially to people who find these interesting and financially and professionally rewarding.

In doing translation, a translator has to have the necessary tools like computer and dictionaries to get started. These tools are more like requirements to any translator. Persons engaged in translation jobs also have to designate considerable periods of each day because this kind of work also has pressures caused by deadlines and stringent standards. Persons doing translation also have to designate a specific workstation.

In terms of designating a workstation, a translator will have to allot effort and attention to this because it has direct impact on his performance not only in terms of speed but also in quality.

These are some of the tips that may be useful when you set up a workstation:

1. Allot a specific place for your workstation. This place should have proper lighting and ventilation so you can work as conducive as possible. There should also be sufficient area where you can put all your stuff that you use for translation.

2. Get a computer table that is spacious enough.

3. Provide shelves where you can organize all the materials you need like dictionaries and papers.

4. Have external devices ready and accessible like printers and scanners in case you need them.

5. Have a chair which is ergonomically designed to keep you comfortable.

6. Have a space where you can place water, beverage and small amount of food just to make sure that you have always something to drink and eat which are close to you particularly if you find it difficult to think and translate at a given time.

Maintaining a conducive and spacious workstation where you can work on your translation jobs will surely give a positive impact to your work. Giving attention to this and spending a little time for the attainment of this simple matter will never be a waste of effort.

Translation jobs are truly professionally and financially rewarding jobs that can bring you lots of enjoyment.

There are so many good things that translation can bring you. If you have not yet tried this job and you feel you have the capacity and knowledge… why not try it today? You can research some more about it so that you will be very much prepared to finish translation jobs with quality.

Indeed, your experience can be much more enjoyable if you prepare a relatively good workstation for your translation work.



By: Alex Baumm

About the Author:

Translista

When I founded our translation agency in 1989, I had just stopped working for a manufacturer of construction machinery.

I was looking for translation customers. I telephoned hundreds of them. It’s never an easy task. It’s very difficult to get past the switchboard – and email was hardly used at that time.

Then one day I thought “Why don’t I try the company I used to work for?” (I don’t know why it took me so long to think of that). So I contacted that company and received plenty of translation work.

Our translation agency expanded. It had its ups and downs, but it managed to weather three recessions (one in the UK, one in the USA and another in France). We were translating mostly engineering documents, service manuals and the like, for construction and agricultural machinery manufacturers, plus various engineering companies. It was still difficult to find enough new customers.

Then I suddenly realised that the reason why we got so much work from construction machinery manufacturers was because I knew the business and I had been able to build up a team of translators who had also been in that business. Our customers had confidence in us and we were supplying their needs.

What our customers needed were translators who had practical experience in the industry or profession concerned. Not just people who have a degree in the language concerned, but people such as engineers, doctors, programmers, bankers, accountants, lawyers, geologists, scientists and technicians, people who know the business and who also speak the languages concerned.

We then had to devise a procedure for finding such practical experts. It took time, but after all the tests were completed, we assembled a large team of translators who met our requirements. We know now that we can satisfy our customers and that they can be confident that the translation will provide correct information to their own customers.

The work of a translation agency in 2007 doesn’t stop at translating. Every sort of DTP program can be used and the right translation memory software is available to supply translations with harmonized vocabulary and harmonized phrases for repetitive actions.

People in your company who are responsible for your technical or commercial literature would be very interested to learn about translation memories, which are a good way to cut your translation costs and improve consistency in your documents.



By: John Hadfield

About the Author:

Translista

How do you know if your translator is a top professional, or a mediocre charlatan? Unfortunately, you don’t. If you don’t speak the languages they are translating, you’ll have a tough time differentiating between good and bad translation work. There are only a few things you can do to make sure your translator is professional.

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There are several key things to look for when hiring professional translation services. Whether you need to find a japanese translator or a korean translator , the options are enough to exhaust you. By just searching “japanese translator” online, you receive a lengthy list of individual translators and translation companies, all over the world.

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The first thing to look for is a native speaker: A native speaker is someone who grew up speaking the language you need. They spoke it as a first language, before learning any other languages. It is less important that the translator is a fluent speaker of your native tongue (we presume it is English). You want a native speaker who can easily spot errors. Sometimes a non-native speaking translator will work fine, and the bonus is that you can pay them a lower rate. But remember, they should have been living in a the country of the language for a minimum of ten years, and they should give you recommendations about their translating skills. They may be talented linguists even if they are not native speakers.

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Look for experience when hiring a professional translator. There are several types of translators to choose from; you want someone with a minimum of three years experience. Choosing a translation company instead of an independent translator is usually your best bet. A strong translation company will have a system for regulating the quality of translation work, with translation software helping them. Ask the company about their regulation system: How do they find errors? How many clients from your native country have they assisted? How much experience do their translators have with your native tongue? What translation software do they use? Ask these questions. There is much potential for error when translating documents, and you don’t want anything to go wrong with your sensitive information.

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Make sure you check the company’s privacy policy. Most professional translation companies have a strict privacy policy, just like banks. However, independent translators may not have a formal privacy code. A professional translation company knows that violating their policy could result in a lawsuit. An independent translator may be unaware of potential lawsuits. As small businesses they are less likey to spend money on legal help. If you do choose to hire an independent translator, it is best if you know her personally, and can trust her completely. Otherwise, you are safest with hiring from a translation company. If any problems arise, an office can’t escape as quickly as an individual can.

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In this global age where websites may have fourteen languages to choose from, you can’t be an expert in all of them. But you can hire someone who is. If you hire a translator with native or near-native speaking skills, who has professional experience, and a strong privacy policy, your translation will be a success.

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By: 10x Marketing

About the Author:

Translista

Anyone who is responsible for a company’s technical documents – operator’s manuals, service manuals, etc. – will be aware that what the end user wants is perfectly consistent vocabulary, to avoid any ambiguity. If it said “retaining bolt” in the previous page, why does it say “retaining screw” on this page? It is the same thing?

 

Recent years have seen great progress in the standardisation of vocabulary and phrasing in technical documents, and a great deal of that progress is due to the increasing use of translation memories.

 

You may have tried out some of the “on-line translation” systems available on the Internet. You will have seen that while it is often possible to understand more or less what the original text wanted to say, the language employed is usually not acceptable. You only have to translate a short text into a foreign language and then translate the result back into English to see what sort of a mess the translation is to the foreign reader.

 

Translation memory has nothing to do with that sort of “on-line translation”. Translation memories are used to record accurate translations made by qualified translators, so that the next time the same words are used in the original text, the translation memory will automatically produce the same translation. This provides consistency of vocabulary and phrasing.

 

Translation memories are used by translation agencies and freelancers for two purposes:

 

1. To save time in translation, since the translator does not have to type the sentence again. This saves money.

 

Like most service companies, translation agencies are selling time – the time that their translators take in typing out and checking a translation.

 

2. To ensure consistency, particularly in repeated sentences. This gives the reader confidence in the document concerned, since he or she sees identical phrases and vocabulary in various parts of the document. It also ensures consistency of vocabulary, so that no confusion can exist as to “Is this the same thing they were talking about on page 33 ?”.

 

When various companies started to produce translation memories in the 1990’s, they were mainly used by freelance translators to save time and to produce standardised translations.

 

Translation agencies, almost all of which use freelance translators when their in-house staff have too much work, then started to use translation memory systems for the same purposes. The cost of translation was sometimes reduced, since three categories of translation were used:

 

· Perfect match (when the sentence to be translated already existed in the translation memory – no action on the part of the translator – the computer translates the sentence automatically) This category is often paid at 20% or 30% of “per word” price.

 

· Fuzzy match (when the sentence to be translated is almost the same as a sentence in the translation memory; in this case the translator has to check it for differences). This is often paid at 50% or 60% of “per-word” price.

 

· No match (when there is no such sentence in the translation memory). This is paid at 100% of “per-word” price.

 

Among some of the bigger companies in the world it then became usual to work with translation companies or agencies who kept such memories on their behalf.

 

Translation memories are now often used by the translation agencies for their medium and small customers and the advantages as regards consistency are immediately apparent to anybody reading the technical documentation.

 

Companies working with translation agencies who use these systems also often enjoy lower prices for their translations.

 



By: John Hadfield

About the Author:

Translista

When our translation agency was founded in 1989, I had just stopped working for a construction machinery manufacturer.

I was looking for customers for translations. I telephoned to hundreds of them. It’s never an easy operation. It’s very difficult to get past the switchboard operator – and email was only just coming in at that time.

Then one day I thought “I’m going to try the company I used to work for” (I don’t know why it took me so long to think of it). So I contacted the company and we received plenty of translation work.

Our agency expanded. It managed to weather three recessions (one in the UK, one in the USA and yet another one in France). We translated mostly engineering documents, operator”s manuals, service manuals and the like, for manufacturers of construction and agricultural machinery, plus technical documents for various engineering companies.

It was still difficult to find new customers.

Then I suddenly understood that the reason why we received so much work from construction and agricultural machinery manufacturers was because I had worked in that business and consequently I had been able to build up a team of translators who had also been in that business. Our customers had confidence in our expertise and we were supplying their requirements.

What our customers wanted were translators who had practical experience of the industry or profession concerned. Not merely people who have a degree in the language concerned, but people such as engineers, programmers, doctors, accountants, geologists, lawyers, scientists and technicians and bankers, people who know the business and who also speak the two languages concerned.

We then had to come up with a procedure for finding such experts. It took time, but after all the tests were completed we had assembled a large team of translators with practical knowledge of the fields concerned. We knew that we could satisfy our customers and that they could be confident that our translation would provide correct information to their customers.

The work of a translation agency in 2009 doesn’t stop with translating. Every sort of DTP program is used and the most up-to-date translation memory software so as to supply translations with harmonised vocabulary and harmonised phrases for repetitive actions.

I’m sure that people in companies who are responsible for technical or commercial literature would be very interested to learn about translation memories, which can cut translation costs and improve consistency of vocabulary  in your documentation. Standardized vocabulary is very important in technical documentation intended for dealers, distributors or even end users, since it avoids any ambiguity by always using the same word for the same thing.



By: John Hadfield

About the Author:

Translista