By Nora Jennings
Spanish is one of the world's most widely spoken languages. It's the official language of Spain as well as most countries in Latin America. Moreover, it's spoken by communities of Latin American immigrants in countries like the USA and Australia. If your organization can address people in their own language, it will not only boost your corporate image and bring you more clients but it will also prevent misunderstandings because of language barriers. However, it's very important to choose the best candidate to translate English to Spanish.
The first requirement for a good translator in the language pair is that the person should be fluent in both languages. For a translator, it's always best to translate from the language he or she is less confident in to the language he or she speaks most fluently. In other words, you need to look for someone whose first language is Spanish.
You also need to carefully consider your target market. The variation of Spanish spoken in Latin America is quite different from that spoken in Spain. Moreover, there are regional variations and expressions that are unique to certain countries. If, for instance, your target market is mainly of Guatemalan descent, try and find a translator who either comes from Guatemala or has lived there for many years and knows the local expressions and culture.
Forget about trying to save money by using translation computer software. These programs are good for looking up separate words, like you would with a bilingual dictionary. However, they ignore context and phrases and give you an end product that is at best inaccurate and at worst completely unintelligible.
Translation is a very specialized skill. Just being able to speak the language does not make a person a good translator. Translators need to be able to use a wide range of reference materials rather than just a single bilingual dictionary. They should think about the text they're working with and pay attention to idiomatic expressions. They also need to be creative and good problem solvers.
Before choosing a translator, check that person's credentials and work experience. In many countries there are organizations that regulate the translation industry and to belong to these organizations, candidates must past very stringent translation texts. Appointing a member of a professional organization is your safest bet but it's also a good idea to look for someone who works in the publishing industry.
A great way to check that the person really can do the job is to ask him or her for a sample translation. Just a paragraph or two will be enough to give you an idea of their level of skill. Ask a variety of Spanish speakers to read the sample and tell you whether they find it readable and accurate.
A great way to separate the wheat from the chaff is to look at the rates the different candidates quote. Low rates are often an indication that the person is an amateur with no idea of the going rates for translation work. Don't be tempted to go with the cheapest person because, like with everything else in the world, you get what you pay for.
The first requirement for a good translator in the language pair is that the person should be fluent in both languages. For a translator, it's always best to translate from the language he or she is less confident in to the language he or she speaks most fluently. In other words, you need to look for someone whose first language is Spanish.
You also need to carefully consider your target market. The variation of Spanish spoken in Latin America is quite different from that spoken in Spain. Moreover, there are regional variations and expressions that are unique to certain countries. If, for instance, your target market is mainly of Guatemalan descent, try and find a translator who either comes from Guatemala or has lived there for many years and knows the local expressions and culture.
Forget about trying to save money by using translation computer software. These programs are good for looking up separate words, like you would with a bilingual dictionary. However, they ignore context and phrases and give you an end product that is at best inaccurate and at worst completely unintelligible.
Translation is a very specialized skill. Just being able to speak the language does not make a person a good translator. Translators need to be able to use a wide range of reference materials rather than just a single bilingual dictionary. They should think about the text they're working with and pay attention to idiomatic expressions. They also need to be creative and good problem solvers.
Before choosing a translator, check that person's credentials and work experience. In many countries there are organizations that regulate the translation industry and to belong to these organizations, candidates must past very stringent translation texts. Appointing a member of a professional organization is your safest bet but it's also a good idea to look for someone who works in the publishing industry.
A great way to check that the person really can do the job is to ask him or her for a sample translation. Just a paragraph or two will be enough to give you an idea of their level of skill. Ask a variety of Spanish speakers to read the sample and tell you whether they find it readable and accurate.
A great way to separate the wheat from the chaff is to look at the rates the different candidates quote. Low rates are often an indication that the person is an amateur with no idea of the going rates for translation work. Don't be tempted to go with the cheapest person because, like with everything else in the world, you get what you pay for.
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