Plush Text Communications » Translation profession

Workplace Safety: How Translators Help Keep Your Employees Safe

Ashleigh — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 05:00:46 +0000

Today is one of the most important days of the year that many people have probably never heard of.

Here in Canada, it’s called National Mourning Day, and it has been recognized annually on April 28 since 1991. It’s a day that recognizes and pays tributes to the many workers who are injured or [...]

Q&A with an English-Spanish literary translator

Plush Text — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:00:18 +0000

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!

Q&A with an English-Spanish literary translator

Plush Text — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:00:18 +0000

On translation pricing, value and rock-bottom rates

Ashleigh — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:19:17 +0000

In the translation industry, it sometimes seems like translators are involved in an ongoing race to the bottom. Unlike accountants, lawyers and other professionals providing a valuable service, translators are often asked to quote lower and lower rates and do so in an effort to secure as much business as possible with the hope that they will eventually, somehow, be able make a living off the low, low prices they are forced to charge. This downward spiral means that translators are less and less likely to earn what they’re worth because the average price that clients are willing to pay for translations continues to decrease.

For first-time translation customers: 3 myths about translations that could cost you a lot

Plush Text — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:36:08 +0000

Quality? Price? Value? Experience? Service? Talk about an information overload! If you are a first-time buyer of translation services, it can be overwhelming the first time you go looking for a translator to translate your documents. You might not know what to believe or who to turn to for help. To give you a better sense of direction, we have flushed out the three biggest translation myths you should avoid so you don’t spend more than you bargained for.

10 tasks of translators

Plush Text — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 23:01:00 +0000

Although translators clearly do a lot of translating, we also do a lot of other things that aren’t necessarily as glamorous or as exciting as conveying the words of someone else into another language for a new audience to understand and enjoy the work. We have come up with a list of 10 things that translators do (besides translate), here it is!

Why you shouldn’t even think about hiring translators who don't translate into their native language

Plush Text — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:10:39 +0000

If you know two or more languages fluently or almost fluently, you may speak, write, or even think in your second or third language. However, even if you have a flawless understanding of your second language, you may not be able to translate into it. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you’re a translation client considering whether to hire a translator who translates exclusively into one language or a translator who claims to be able to translate into multiple languages.

Why you shouldn’t even think about hiring translators who don’t translate into their native language

Plush Text — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:10:39 +0000

Traits of Successful Translators

Ashleigh — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 01:29:42 +0000

Part language interpreter, writing specialist, subject matter expert, researcher, and detective, translators can sometimes seem like a different breed. We come from such a variety of backgrounds, nationalities, qualifications, and cultures that each of us is uniquely qualified. There is also this idea that translators are studious, even a bit geeky, with a passion for dictionaries, proper syntax and etymology. Despite this seemingly endless array of differences, successful professional translators share a number of common traits and qualities.

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

Plush Text — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:19:49 +0000

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.