Don’t leave Google Translate alone with your idioms

Posted on 22. Apr, 2010 by Admin in Blog

An idiom is a phrase, a common saying, or a string of words, that gains its meaning from the combination of all of its words. Take away one of the words, and the phrase may suddenly lose its meaning. Because of their linguistically complex and colourful nature, idioms are almost never translated literally or word for word.

One of the real difficulties that automated translation systems (and not unsurprisingly, foreign-language speakers learning English) face is interpreting and understanding the real messages conveyed by certain language constructs. Idioms often lack context and it’s difficult for both computers and new language learners to understand what’s really being said.

Q&A with an English-Spanish literary translator

Posted on 10. Mar, 2010 by Admin in Blog

A few months ago, we sent out a call on Twitter asking for a literary translator to talk to us about some of the specific details of the literary translation field. We were lucky enough to get Maia Figueroa Evans to heed our call and graciously offer to answer a few of our questions about working as a literary translator in the world today.
The content of our interview follows. Please note that none of her answers have been edited or amended. Please feel free to comment and join in the conversation, whether you’re a translator who specializes in literary texts or any other kind!

15 Things I Wish I’d Understood Before I Used an Online Translator to “Translate” My Business Report

Posted on 23. Nov, 2009 by Admin in Blog

Here are fifteen things I wish I had understood before I tried using free machine translation software to translate my company’s business communications. Please don’t make the same mistake I did. Invest in professional translation services and get the work done right the first time.

5 Tips for Maintaining Confidentiality in Your Translations

Posted on 12. Nov, 2009 by Admin in Blog

Since translators often have access to confidential and sensitive information, we thought we would examine the issue of confidentiality and what it means for our translation clients and their documents. According to the International Organization for Standardization, confidentiality means “ensuring that information is accessible only to those authorized to have access.” Confidentiality is a key component in information security and information security, regardless of the context, is an area that translation companies and translators must dive into as a routine part of their jobs.
Here are our top five tips to help you maintain confidentiality in your translations.

How-to Translate Your Brand Successfully (Part 2 of 2)

Posted on 26. Oct, 2009 by Admin in Blog

Picking up where we left off last week, when the translation involves more than just a translation of the text itself, other considerations like graphic design, typesetting and cultural adaptation may come into play, especially for documents written in one country and produced or translated for another. With that in mind, hire translators who live in the target country. We have spoken about the importance of hiring translators who live in the same country as your target audience before and it’s always a good idea to consult a variety of language specialists who live in the same vicinity as your target customers. If you have native-language speakers of the language you are translating into working for you, they can also be a valuable asset to your translation campaign.

Looking for a New Job? Need to Translate Your Resume Into Another Language? (Part 1 of 2)

Posted on 29. Sep, 2009 by Admin in Blog

In the same way that it’s not unusual to tailor your resume or CV to different industries, the same is true when it comes to translating your resume or CV into another language. You should consider how much customization you might want or need from your translator. And since translating a resume is unlike any other form of translation, there are certain things you need to know before you hire a translator to translate your resume or CV.
We have put together a two-part series to help our inspired job-seekers get the most out of translating their resumes and CVs into other languages. The series will run today and tomorrow. We hope you enjoy the first part!

Top 11 Ways to Make Your Translator’s Life Easier

Posted on 11. Sep, 2009 by Admin in Blog

Whether you are completely new to the translation world or an old hat who deals regularly with translators and translation agencies of all sizes, you might be curious about some ways to help you build a stronger relationship with your translator and make the process more efficient.
We have compiled a list of the top 11 ways clients can help make the translation process just a little bit easier.