The Translation User's FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions)

What is a "good" translation?
Will machine translation eventually replace human translators?
Is a bilingual individual automatically qualified to translate between his or her languages?
Should I choose an individual translator or a translation company for my translation project?
A translation bureau I contacted claims that they have 500 translators and that they handle all languages and all subject matters in house. Is that true?
What should I look for in a translation bureau?
Am I better served by a small or a large translation company?
What can I do to ensure quality translation of my text?
How is the cost of a translation calculated?
Is a more expensive translation necessarily a better one?
Why does my large translation project take so long to complete? Can't you just put more translators to work on it?

Q: What is a "good" translation?

A good translation is simply one that conveys the original message fully and accurately across the linguistic and cultural barrier that separates the writer from the intended reader. Good translations are produced by highly skilled individuals, deeply rooted in both the source and the target cultures, who are familiar with the specific lingo of the subject matter at hand. Good translations are also the result of carefully coordinated teamwork between translators, editors, and proofreaders to ensure accuracy and completeness.

Q: Will machine translation eventually replace human translators? 

While translation was one of the first intended applications of computers over 50 years ago, the inherent complexity of language has so far frustrated all attempts at high-quality fully automatic machine translation (HQFAMT), despite the spectacular innovations in hardware and software since those early days. While machines have been successfully used to aid translators in repetitive tasks and to translate simple texts or "laundry lists" of words, even the most expensive and sophisticated computer systems have not been able to produce translations of acceptable quality of more demanding texts without extensive pre- and post-editing by human experts. See the section "How Good Is Machine Translation" on our page "Anybody Can Translate" for a comparison of machine translation (by one of today's most advanced software packages) and human translation. Most experts agree in that this situation is unlikely to change substantially in the foreseeable future.

Q: Is a bilingual individual automatically qualified to translate between his or her languages?

Speaking two or more languages does not qualify one as a translator. Translation is an acquired skill of expressing ideas, formulated within the framework of a particular culture and within a specific field of human activity, in another language so that the message conveyed to the new audience remains unchanged. This skill is acquired over many years of practice after the individual has acquired the necessary basic language skills.