TEP, DTP, QA\u2026 Struggling to decipher your LSP\u2019s quote? Here\u2019s a guide to find out what you\u2019re paying for.<\/p>\n
When it comes to getting professional translation help, lots of companies are in the dark about how it all works and the expenses involved. They might think it’s as simple as swapping words from one language to another. Well, far from it!<\/p>\n
Translating is about capturing the true meaning, context and cultural nuances so your message resonates with your audience. This requires skilled linguists, quality assurance measures, project management, and the use of advanced tools and technologies.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s shed light on how translation services are quoted, shall we?<\/p>\n
– Complexity of the subject matter<\/strong><\/p>\n Imagine having a biotech patent application for China translated. Your translator must know the ins and outs of that specific industry and be familiar with legal jargon.<\/p>\n For specialized fields such as law, healthcare, or finance, language service providers (LSPs) hire subject matter experts like lawyers, physicians, and economists to handle translations.<\/p>\n These professionals deserve to be paid fairly for their services. So, the more complex the document, the more it can impact the overall cost. Having said that, your investment is worth it for a high-quality and smooth translation job.<\/p>\n – Languages<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s cheaper to have a text translated into Spanish or English than into Finnish or Hebrew.<\/p>\n Where does the difference lie? The former are common languages, where finding a translator who can do the job should be fairly easy. The latter are rare languages, which means qualified translators are bound to be scarce.<\/p>\n It\u2019s all about supply and demand. When demand exceeds supply, prices<\/em> tend to<\/em> rise, right? And translation services are no exception.<\/p>\n – Project due date<\/strong><\/p>\n Translation projects can be subject to tight deadlines. And LSPs will go the extra mile to deliver on time. But shorter turnaround times do have an impact on your costs.<\/p>\n Now, did you know how many words a professional translator translates per day? On average, 2,500 words.<\/p>\n If you need a shorter turnaround time, there are two possible scenarios:<\/p>\n Either way, there will be extra costs involved, which may result in rush fees.<\/p>\n – Source file <\/strong><\/p>\n By now, you know translators produce 2,500 words a day on average. But this amount will drop if they struggle to pull the data from your document.<\/p>\n Imagine the translator receives a poorly scanned document including handwritten text. Deciphering hardly legible content is a very time-consuming task that will slow down the translation process.<\/p>\n So, it\u2019s in your interest to provide your source file as a Word document to avoid any extra charges.<\/p>\n – Output format<\/strong><\/p>\n Translators are often expected to respect the original format. Easier said than done!<\/p>\n Take a corporate presentation in PowerPoint in English. Translating it into Spanish will lead to the text expanding by 20%. And that\u2019s not the worst-case scenario. In German, the expansion rate may be as much as 35%.<\/p>\n Translators will have to rack their brains to find the right words to convey your meaning while fitting into your format. So, choosing your output may come with extra costs.<\/p>\n \u2013 Translation, editing and proofreading (TEP)<\/strong><\/p>\n LSPs leave nothing to chance when it comes to ensuring your translation is accurate and error-free. Here\u2019s what a quality assurance (QA) process looks like:<\/p>\n This thorough quality control by three pairs of eyes may also be included in your quote.<\/p>\n \u2013 Translation tools<\/strong><\/p>\n LSPs may use translation tools for your project. Technologies such as computer-assisted translation (CAT), terminology management and machine translation speed up the translation process.<\/p>\n This means quicker turnaround times and lower costs for you, even when you cover the costs incurred for software licenses.<\/p>\n – Project management<\/strong><\/p>\n A project manager is the glue that holds the translation process together. From project scheduling and planning to resource allocation and coordination with the client.<\/p>\n They save you time, hassle, and costs you may otherwise incur because of poor management. Plus, they conduct a last quality check before delivering the finished product.<\/p>\n When you work with an LSP, this service is factored into the overall translation quote.<\/p>\n A glossary contains key terminology extracted from the source files you provide. These terms are translated and imported into a translation memory tool, after you review them and approve them. Maintaining a glossary is key to ensuring consistency from project to project.<\/p>\n DTP involves formatting all target language materials (i.e., text and graphics) to match the original documents. After producing the new files, LSPs review the layout of the target materials against the source.<\/p>\n Take, for example, a user manual translated into Japanese. You may have your in-house team of desktop publishers. But do they speak Japanese? And would they know how to divide a word at the end of a line?<\/p>\n While DTP adds some extra charges to your project, it prevents costly mistakes.<\/p>\n Understanding what goes into a translation project is the key to making an informed decision. Each company may have its pricing scale, but make sure that all quotes contain equal services.<\/p>\n At Montero Language Services, we make sure that the scope of the quote matches the service you need<\/strong>. Nothing more, nothing less.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why we\u2019ll ask you a few questions before providing you with a quote:<\/p>\n\n
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\u2013 Which other services may you find in your translation quote?<\/h2>\n
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\u2013 How do you compare quotes from different LSPs?<\/h2>\n