There are hundreds of languages spoken around the world and in today’s globalized economy it is essential to communicate effectively with suppliers, customers and business partners abroad. To facilitate this communication process, translation services have sprung up all over the world. But what are the criteria for high-quality translation services?
Professional translators deal with a wide range of specialized topics. As a result, individual translators must specialize in a given field and become highly proficient in their chosen area of expertise. Translators working for a translation company in Calgary, Montreal, Toronto, or Vancouver must demonstrate an excellent understanding of their chosen topic, as well as being linguistic experts in their chosen language pair.
Here is a general guide to the quality requirements involved in professional translation:
Professional translators are highly-trained language professionals who have advanced academic training in languages and/or in a technical subject. Many years of in-depth study are needed to become truly proficient in translations. Language is a highly subjective and complex field, and the basics of linguistic science such as grammar, punctuation, and spelling form only a small part of language proficiency.
On top of that, translators must choose a field of specialization in which they will work. The most requested subject areas are business translations (which may include documents in the fields of sales, marketing, accounting, finance, insurance or administration), legal translations, technical translations (which cover a wide range of specialized topics including engineering, science and manufacturing), medical translations (also covering documents related to the pharmaceutical industry and biotechnology) and many more. Again, it takes several years to gain the expertise in a specialized subject to be able to translate competently in one of these specialized subject areas.
Translation is also an art, and in order to convey a message most effectively in another language, a translator must also be highly proficient in creative writing. Professional translators should only translate into their native language, as their natural level of proficiency will be higher in their native language.
Stylistics and cultural awareness are additional factors that are crucial in determining a translator’s linguistic ability. Many concepts mean different things or have different connotations in different cultures. A high level of cultural sensitivity and knowledge is needed to correctly convey constructions from one language to another. Naturally, stylistic competence is also required to create a natural translation in the target language.
The goal of any translator, whether working for a translation company in Calgary, Montreal, Toronto, or Vancouver, is to create a document that retains its full meaning with all its nuances, details, and connotations in the foreign language. The audience reading the document should not be able to tell that they are dealing with a translated document; the text must appear as an original document created in the target language.
Finding a good translation service in Calgary, Montreal, Toronto, or Vancouver means making sure that the company carefully screens, tests, and selects its professional translators. Translations are a sophisticated service, and business success often depends on proper communication with clients and suppliers abroad. Be sure to carefully select your translation service.