You Hold the Key to the Quality of Your Translation

You, the translation buyer, hold the key to the quality of the translation you will be getting. In addition to making the right decision in selecting a reputable translation provider (like Accurapid), you can contribute in many ways to the quality of the final product.

If possible, keep translation in mind when the text is written. Make sure to have a clear and error-free original. A well-written original text is the most important single factor in ensuring a good translation.

Avoid or explain in-house abbreviations and jargon.

Avoid ambiguities. (Note the intentional ambiguity of the previous point. If it had to be translated into another language, would the translator know if "in-house" refers to both "abbreviations" and "jargon" or just to "abbreviations"?)

Avoid culture-bound references, e.g., to baseball, American history and geography, or American TV shows. (Non-American translation buyers should avoid references specific to their culture.)

Avoid puns. They are usually not translatable and, if they are, they may not be appropriate in the target culture.

Determine the intended target group for the translation: European Portuguese is not suitable for Brazil, and Canadian French is not suitable for France; a text written for specialists will not be understood by a layman, while a text written on the layman's level may offend the expert.

Provide the translator with the best possible copy of the text to be translated. Good copy quality is especially important when the text contains numbers and proper names that cannot be guessed from the context.

Appoint a contact person in your organization who can answer specific questions the translator or the editor may have during their work.

Schedule sufficient time for quality translation - don't expect a text that took two months to write in your language to be translated into Thai in two days.

Allow for expansion of the text in the translation. Depending on the languages involved and the subject matter, your text may expand 50% or even more in the translation.

Provide the translator with context whenever possible. Previous correspondence in the case of business letters or the entire text in the case of excerpts, clearly marked "For Reference Only," help the translator to get a better "feel" for the subject and ultimately to do a better job.

Don't have the translators re-invent the wheel. Give them any written material you may have in the target language in the field concerned. For translation work intended to be used by your foreign subsidiary or representative, involve them in the translation process by having them approve a glossary of industry-specific terms. Remember that different terms may be used for the same concept in different industries and even by different companies within the same industry.

If your text has illustrations, give them to the translator even if they contain nothing to translate. Illustrations can help the translator resolve ambiguities you may not be aware of.

Give the translators feedback on the work completed. It will help them keep your specific requirements in mind next time around.

Build a long-term relationship with your translation provider, based on mutual trust, respect, and cooperation.