Professional Translator or Translation App?
When it comes to translation, if you want a job done properly, there’s only one way to do it: professional human translation.
In our globalised world, investing in high-quality translation is one of the best decisions you can make for your business and its international growth.
Contracting a professional translation service, as opposed to using a translation app to do it yourself, is key to building stronger relationships with current overseas clients and branching out to make new ones. And here’s why…
The benefits of contracting a professional translation service
When your company needs to have business documents translated, is searching for a marketing translator, or requires any other type of translation services performed to a professional standard, a translation app just isn’t going to cut it.
In fact, using a translation app has been known to cause many misunderstandings, even when trying to communicate with friends from overseas, let alone in a work environment.
While translation apps and machine translation tools can offer convenience, they tend to struggle with nuance and taking context into account.
The resulting translations can be too literal and risk leaving clients with a negative impression of your company. Experienced human translators, on the other hand, allow you to connect with international clients.
This makes them an extremely valuable resource.
What a professional translation service offers
To illustrate the value of the service provided by professional translation agencies, we will give you an insight into our company, BeTranslated.
BeTranslated is an established translation agency that has managed to maintain many long-term client relationships, whilst steadily gaining new clients.
Our team comprises experienced project managers, themselves qualified translators, and a vast network of experienced translators based around the globe.
The remote nature of our teams allows us to streamline costs and to pass those savings on to our clients.
It also means that if we are working on a large project with a tight deadline, we can use timezones to our advantage and have linguists working around the clock.
Our translators, who are all highly experienced, only translate into their native language.
As well as being experts in certain languages and regional dialects (we have different translators for European and Canadian French, for example) they are also specialised in other fields. Meaning that your IT content will be translated by a linguist specialised in tech.
This system leads to sensitively rendered, accurate translations.
BeTranslated’s specialised services
As BeTranslated is lucky enough to work with a substantial network of translation experts, we specialise in a wide range of subject areas.
These areas include but are not limited to the following:
- B2B translation
- website translation
- business and finance translation
- high-tech and IT translation
- industry and construction translation
- travel and tourism translation
We translate all types of commercial documents and contracts, marketing material, website content, and social media, plus much more.
The service that you will receive
We provide our clients what translation apps cannot:
- personalised service
- a native speaker, from a worldwide team of specialists
- experts with knowledge for your specific business sector
- precision and accuracy
- competitive rates
- high-quality material
Languages BeTranslated covers
Due to the international nature of our agency, we provide translations in most languages, however European and Asian languages are the most common, and we specialise in the following language combinations:
If you are considering working with BeTranslated on a translation project in any language combination, get in touch to see what we can do for you.
How we save you time and money
We deliver ready-to-use content that has been translated and proofread by a team of professionals.
We always meet deadlines, and you can be sure that there won’t be any app-translated errors such as ‘driving down arteries’ instead of ‘driving along main roads’, or ‘flirtatious farms’ instead of ‘attractive properties’. Your business’s reputation is safe with our professional service. We’ve got you covered.
For more information or a free, no-obligation quote, get in touch today. You won’t be disappointed.
Choosing The Right Translation Service Provider For You
Do you need a document translating but don’t know how you go about it? There are many solutions. Here is a brief guide to the different types of translation service providers, that could help you choose who to entrust your business content to.
Freelance translators
Many translators decide to set themselves up in business as freelancers. These professionals try to carve out a place in the translation market on their own. In this category, you might come across three scenarios:
A freelance translator who will take on your project directly
This professional works alone. You can contact them directly, sending your documents and providing instructions about the translation.
Note that freelance translators often also work for translation agencies.
A freelance translator who subcontracts to other colleagues
Some freelance translators, overwhelmed with work, choose to subcontract to trusted colleagues in exchange for a small commission.
They will act as an intermediary, usually proofreading their colleague’s work before sending you the final version.
A freelance project manager
Unlike a translator subcontracting to a colleague, a freelance project manager no longer translates. They act solely as intermediaries. Their address books are long lists of professional translators who specialise in a variety of fields and work in different language combinations.
Translation agencies
A translation agency is a company that can take charge of your project from A to Z. Translation companies differ in terms of size and mode of operation:
Small agencies
In this category, two or three people work together to create a small translation agency. They are often former colleagues or collaborators specialising in a particular field who choose to set up their own business.
Translators’ networks
This concept is the basis on which BeTranslated was created: several professional translators pool their knowledge and experience to create a network based on trust and quality.
This is a different way of managing a small agency. Generally, the members of this type of network still produce their own translations. They always proofread all the translations that pass through their hands.
Medium-sized agencies
This type of agency might have five to twenty employees, who will include not just project managers but also specialists in desktop publishing, web formats, and localisation.
They work in the same office, know each other personally and meet every day. Everyone has a specific role and represents a key element of the translation process.
Medium-sized agencies are usually created by professional translators who know their way around the industry and entrust projects to fully qualified independent translators.
Large agencies
Here, at least a hundred employees work together at several offices spread around the world. The scenario here is quite different, and the larger agencies may not even be created or managed by professional translators or people with experience in the industry.
The “business” side tends to take priority over the human aspect and professional fulfilment.
Mega-agencies
Unlike small agencies, these huge corporations, such as SDL or Lionbridge, are real translation factories. Located in many countries, they manage hundreds of projects every day and divide tasks between their large numbers of employees.
They have huge networks of translators working in every conceivable language combination and specialising in particular fields. This enables them to manage many different projects, regardless of the subject.
Translation service providers – it’s up to you!
From freelance translators to mega-agencies, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to translation service providers! The final decision to entrust your documents to one over another is up to you, depending on your needs and expectations.
Every provider has a different approach, so think about the type of service you want when making your choice.
Have you ever used the services of one of these types of providers? Were you happy with the service? Share your experience with us!
And if you’re looking for a reliable translation agency with experienced native translators, get in touch with BeTranslated today for a free, no-obligation quote.
The Best Translation Schools and Universities in Belgium
What training courses are there in Belgium for future translators? As you can imagine, this is not a profession that can be blagged – it requires solid foundations.
In Belgium, translation schools are flourishing all over the country, training hundreds of professional translators every year.
In recent years, translation training in Belgium has become an academic subject taught in universities over five years (a bachelor’s degree in three years and a master’s in two).
This is due to the Marcourt decree, which stipulates that all master’s courses in translation and interpreting should be university degrees.
We have drawn up a list of the main Belgian universities teaching translation.
Translation schools in Brussels
Institut Libre Marie Haps – Faculty of Translation and Interpreting
The Institut Libre Marie Haps trains its future translators and interpreters in the heart of the European quarter. This institution’s reputation for excellence makes it a great choice for students wanting to enter the profession.
The bachelor’s degree in translation and interpreting has recently been taken over by the Université Saint-Louis, though teaching still takes place at the Marie Haps building.
The master’s, meanwhile, is offered at the Louvain-la-Neuve site at the Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL).
Institut supérieur de traducteurs et interprètes (ISTI) – Department of Translation and Interpreting
ISTI, part of the ULB (Université libre de Bruxelles) since 2015, offers a complete translation and interpreting curriculum in no fewer than 19 languages. As well as European languages, students can choose more exotic tongues such as Chinese, Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian.
Vertaalkunde – Erasmushogeschool Brussel (EhB)
This Flemish university, affiliated with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), also offers a course for Dutch-speaking students wanting to specialise in translation.
Translation schools in Flanders
Vakgroep Vertalen, Tolken en Communicatie – Universiteit Gent
Students can also opt for this prestigious university. The reputation of the University of Ghent is well-established, and it is considered the best university in Belgium by the Shanghai Ranking.
Centre for Translation Studies (CETRA) – Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven is another pillar of the Belgian university system. This Dutch-speaking Belgian university is one of the biggest in the country.
Translation schools in Wallonia
Translation and interpreting – Haute École de la ville de Liège and Université de Liège (ULg)
The Université de Liège offers a course awarded jointly with the Haute École de Liège. During the bachelor’s course in the first three years, students take classes at both institutions (ULg and HEL), before focusing on either translation or interpreting during their master’s at ULg in the Place du XX Août.
International Interpreters’ School (EII) – Université de Mons (UMons)
The Mons EII enjoys an excellent reputation in the worlds of translation and interpreting. Students graduating from this school have a solid qualification with which to launch into their working lives.
An unusual feature of this university is that students are offered an introduction to a third foreign language, including Arabic, Chinese, Greek, Hungarian, Swedish, or Norwegian.
Louvain School of Translation and Interpreting – Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), Louvain-la-Neuve
The Université catholique de Louvain should not be confused with the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. The two institutions are entirely separate. Unlike KUL (listed above), UCL is in Wallonia and offers teaching in French. UCL has organised two new master’s courses in translation and interpreting since 2015. The bachelor’s takes place in Brussels at the Marie Haps building (ULB).
Since the start of the 2017-2018 course, the master’s also began to cover Belgian French sign language.
As you can see, would-be translators and interpreters have no shortage of choice.
Belgium has evolved in parallel with the translation market, encouraging more and more young language enthusiasts to pursue this career. Every year, many professional translators graduate from these universities and set off in conquest of the translation market in Belgium and abroad.
What do you think of these universities? Do you know of any others that should be added to our list? We are interested in your opinion! You can also take a look at our full list of university translation courses worldwide.
If you’re looking for talented translators such as those who have attended these institutions, look no further than BeTranslated, an experienced translation agency with reliable linguists.
Get in touch today for more information or a free, no-obligation quote.
How Do I Find the Right Translation Service for My Needs?
For many companies or individuals that find themselves in need of a professional translation service, the prospect of choosing the right high-quality translation provider can be rather daunting.
If your content is being translated into a language that you yourself don’t understand, there is an element of trust, as you aren’t able to verify the quality of the work yourself.
The abundance of information online can be overwhelming for those working with translators for the first time.
Perhaps you’ve come across terms like CAT tools and localisation while browsing through translation agency websites and been left feeling confused, but all is not lost!
Our simple guide to what to look for when hiring a translation service will help you find the right translator for you.
Be specific about your language requirements
Let’s start with language combinations. Many translation agencies specialise in specific languages, such as European languages like French and Italian or Asian languages like Korean and Japanese, whilst others that have a larger pool of translators offer a seemingly endless list of language combinations.
It is crucial that your translator is specialised in the right regional dialect for your needs. For example, if your company is branching out into the Latin American market, working with European Spanish translators is not going to be appropriate.
Be specific with your translation agency about the regional details of your target audience, and make sure that they have linguists who are experienced with the dialects your project requires.
Look for translators specialised in the appropriate subject
Linguistic knowledge is just one piece of the translation puzzle; your translator should also be knowledgeable about the subject of the text to be translated.
If you need a contract translated, you should work with a legal translator experienced in contracts, whereas a marketing translator would be a more suitable choice for your publicity content.
Working with a specialised translator will ensure you receive a high-quality translation.
When researching translation service providers, focus on those that specialise in the type of translation you need, and feel free to ask them about their previous clients, which will give you a better idea about the kinds of translation they have experience doing, and the profiles of their translators.
Read reviews with a critical eye
Once you’ve narrowed your search down to translation agencies that are experts in your subject area and language combinations, it’s time to focus on their reputations.
Take a good look at their website and social media pages, particularly focusing on customer reviews and feedback. Read the reviews thoughtfully, with a clear idea of the kind of company you’re looking for.
Do you need an agency that can turn around translations very quickly? Or would an agency with a reputation for strong communication with the clients suit you better?
Also, pay attention to the types of clients they have worked with; are they similar to your company?
Approaching this information with a clear idea of your own needs will make it much easier to process what is relevant to you and your needs.
Consider requesting a sample translation
Providing a translation agency with a short sample text (around 300 words is standard) for them to translate, which you may or may not be asked to pay for, is a great way of checking the quality of the work and confirming if they are the right fit for your translation needs.
Be realistic with what to expect from a free test translation; don’t expect a translator to translate pages and pages of text for free, especially if the job on offer is a small project.
That being said, many translators are happy to provide short samples, and it’s a useful step in finding the right high-quality translation service.
Be clear on the service that you expect
Ask for details on what the translation company offers, and be clear about what you need. Will you require extra services such as proofreading or localisation?
Don’t be afraid to ask the agency for details of their service, for example, is proofreading performed by a second qualified translator?
This is recommended as human error is natural and the more eyes on a text the better.
The bottom line is that clear communication will lead to a better working relationship and, ultimately, a better final product.
As an experienced translation agency with highly-qualified translators located around the globe, BeTranslated could be the right translation service provider for you.
Check out our past clients and some of our translator bios to get a clearer picture of the work we do. If you still have questions or are interested in a free, no-obligation quote, get in touch!
We look forward to working with you.