Whenever you contact the staff at ASIST Translations to begin a new project, here are a few of the basic questions you may want to explore. Please take a moment to review these, in case you need to tap your internal resources to obtain the answers you require.
- What language(s) do you require? Equally important, in what specific countries will this translation be used? For instance, the Portuguese in Portugal is not the same as the Portuguese in Brazil.
- Has your company or organization translated materials into this language in the past? Will it be important to match any existing translated terminology? Are there existing translations or a glossary available for reference?
- Is there anything in your source English text that requires explanation—for example, terms that are specific to your products, industry or company? If so, can you provide a glossary or definitions in text form?
- Has your source English text been proofread from a translation perspective? That is, does it contain English idioms or terms that don’t translate? Are there examples, procedures or toll-free numbers that wouldn’t be applicable outside the USA?
- Do you plan to involve personnel in your foreign offices for review of the final translation? If so, we can provide you some guidelines to streamline this process. This is especially important when multiple languages are involved.
- What file format will you be providing, and how do you want the translation returned? Often, files sent to us are so huge, data compression has to be used by the client. We can accept zipped files and stuffed files in most cases. We also have an ftp site for receiving and sending large files.
- Will page layout be required using this translated text? Will ASIST be doing this for you, or will we be performing final proof on the layout once the translated text has been placed into it? If ASIST is creating the foreign language layout, we will need to know about any existing layout files, the application to be used and its version, as well as computer platform (PC or Mac). And there’s always the matter of those pesky fonts and graphics.
Considering the answers to these questions beforehand will help create a smooth, efficient process for the successful completion of your translation projects.
ASIST Translation Services, Inc. is a full-service translation agency located in Columbus, Ohio. We provide translation, interpreting, proofreading, voice recording and media production, localization of interactive and Web content, and specialized language services to clients around the world…