Translation = Quality

 

Quality is what a prospective client should look for in a translation agency or a freelance translator. The quality of the final product should be the No 1 definitive factor of a prospective translation project. A cheap and quick translation may be alluring but in the end its Return on Investment may be quite lower than expected.

Quality is based on

■  In depth Knowledge of the subject matter as well as language matters
in both source and target language 

   ■  Relevant Termbases and Translation Memories 

   ■  Dictionaries, Corpora, language resources

 

And last but not least, meticulous proofreading of the “finished” translation, checking the following:

 

►  Syntax ►  Grammar ►  Comprehension  ►  Meaning

►  Layout ►  Coherence ►  Concordance

Proofreading is something many of the big agencies avoid in order to cut down the cost, or in other cases, the charge extra for it. However, would you buy an unrefined or unfinished product out of a shelf or to use in your everyday life just to cut down your cost of living, regardless of the possible dangers or consequences? Would you sell it to your clients (pretending that it’s poor quality balances its low price?)? Are you prepared to lose a prospective client due to language failure? 

 

Quality Assurance

■   Use of CAT tools in order to ensure a consistent and flawless translation process. 

■   Own various translation memories as well as termbases per language and per field created from previous projects or relevant corpora. Maintain and keep up them up to date. 

■  For each of your clients keep a dedicated translation memory.

And proofread, proofread, proofread!!!!

 

The appeal and success of one’s products or services
in a foreign country is as good as his language provider’s skills.