There are so many preconceived ideas about translation that even people who need one don’t really always know what to do or what to expect when shopping for translation services.

Am I the right translator for your project?

If you’ve used a translator before, you know the drill.

If you haven’t, please read on…

In order to answer that question, you need to review the following points:

What type of text do you have in your project file(s)?

You need to identify your text in terms of type (creative, technical, commercial…), in terms of specialty or domain of expertise (graphic arts, tourism, agriculture, historical, IT…) and in terms of cultural background if applicable.

Why is it important?

Because no matter how good a translator is, the best results you’re going to get will be from translators who have personal knowledge or experience pertaining to the culture(s)/subculture, domain or type at play in your source text. Someone who works in the given language pair you’re interested in, who has all sorts of reassuring certifications and credentials, may be great for someone else’s project but not for yours. Personal experience, personality and cultural backgrounds are elements which might make the difference between a mediocre fit and a good translator/project fit.

• To find your best translator, don’t forget to give the relevant information and to ask the right questions.

• Requesting a sample from the translator you want to work with may be a good plan. I typically don’t accept to translate more than a two paragraphs when considering a project which consists of a text which is between 100 and 250 pages but other translators may feel differently.

• If you are not able to do it yourself, try to enlist a bilingual literate friend to help you assess the type of work you’re being offered.

To get a better understanding of what I could be doing for you, please read the About me section or visit my page on the professional platform ProZ.com.