A good translator has studied translation. He must master his art to perfection and love what he does. There are many countries where you can study translation at university. Indeed, translation studies is about the study of foreign languages and their culture.
Take the time to find out if your translator has experience. He must be able to justify this over time. A good translator can translate texts in any field: legal, economic, social, from the language of the document to the language into which you want to translate your text.
The right translator is not necessarily the most expensive
Although price is a very important factor in choosing a good translator, it is not decisive. Don’t get me wrong: a translator does not sell off his work, he gives the right price. In this area, the pricing depends on the translator. However, there are a few remarks to be made.
The price can be calculated per word and this is the method preferred by many translators. The price per word is determined by the technical nature of the text to be translated. Indeed, the translation of a contract or that of a user manual requires more work than that of a postcard.
You must therefore revise your budget upwards to find a professional translator . Its services are the promise of a good quality translation . The good translator will always refuse a low income project. Be careful, don’t get fooled!
Compare the offers of several translators
Find out about several translation agencies and compare the offers to have a wide range of possibilities. Some translation agencies or freelance translators are competent for certain projects, but not for others. It is therefore preferable to compare the various offers in order to know which translator to work with on an ad hoc basis and with which to form a long-term partnership.
Besides, reputation is crucial. Find out about the reputation of the translators you wish to choose from. To do this, you just have to rely on the internet and more specifically on the opinions left by previous customers.
Depending on the industry, terminologies and expressions can be specific and subtle. It is therefore necessary to be attentive to the target language. For example, you need to choose a translator who knows the difference between Mandarin and the other 23 Chinese languages.
Also check the translation references of the translator you wish to use. He must have similar interests to your target audience and master the culture, habits and customs of the region. With the familiarization and knowledge that the translator has, he will produce texts with a natural, spontaneous and non-school rendering.
Your readers must think that your content was made by a native of the target country and not translated. The rendering is always more pleasant to read, and the information is therefore better assimilated.
A good translator is an equipped translator
It is clear that when a translator is not up-to-date, or does not have good work practices, he rarely delivers a job well done. Good translation agencies work with translation assistance tools that have a specific role in the quality of the text. A good language translator has these tools.
A CAT tool , for example, allows you to control several points that are related to punctuation, numbers, dates, typos, but also consistency. Moreover, a well-equipped translator works on any type of complex file.
What tools do professional translators use?
Revision is a key step in professional translation. Through this service, a check is made to know if the text is coherent as a whole and if all the contents have been effectively translated. The review also makes it possible to know whether the customer’s instructions have been respected. The good translator therefore pays a lot of attention to these points..
Not all documents are easy to translate, but when you choose the right profile, you get flawless results. The Traduc.com agency makes sure to provide you with quality services. She is rigorous in the choice of her translators and has several positive opinions and feedback to her credit.
A good translator works meticulously
The good translator works very professionally. He knows how to translate complex words and sentences. You can take the organization of the translator as a selection criterion. Is he working on several files at the same time?
Warning: the pro translator does not use an automatic translator
In your quest for the right translator, you will meet people who call themselves translators or individuals who believe they are good translators, but that is not the case: these people use automatic translation software which does the job their place. The result will never meet your expectations. So make sure that the translator you hire does his translations himself.
Keep a good translator forever
Have you found the rare pearl? Keep it! It is always more interesting to collaborate with a translator who already knows your requirements and who knows what results you expect. Take this into account when choosing your translator.
You save time and energy when you work with someone regularly. In fact, consider choosing a full-time professional translator who can bond with you.
Work with translators who have a field of specialization. A translator specializing in a specific field is more apt to work correctly than a person who is general and who can accept any contract or any type of text.
Professional translators can master a few subjects, but it is almost impossible for them to know everything about everything. So be careful, don’t get fooled!
Conclusion
When you find a translator who combines these three characteristics, apply some of our advice: compare offers and prices before starting to work with the one that best meets your needs. Are you looking for a professional translator for your translation project?