Best Translation Services Companies

Translation refers to the transference of written text from one language to another. The sole aim of this process is to communicate the original tone and intent of the note, taking into consideration the cultural, regional, and socio-political differences between source and target languages. The source language is the original language in which the document is written, whereas the target language indicates the resultant language in which the material needs to be translated.

• As discussed earlier, translation deals with the conversion of written documents such as brochures, signs, books, websites, etc. On the contrary, interpretation deals with the interpretation of spoken words from the source language to the target language. 

• A translator is paid either per word, per hour, or on per-page basis, while an interpreter charges by the hour or by the day.

• Generally, translation projects are not required to deliver instantaneously; hence the translators get time to use added accessories such as dictionaries, grammar tools, etc. However, an interpreter needs to be extremely attentive as they need to listen and interpret simultaneously in unison with the original speech.

Due to globalization, the need for translating texts into multiple languages has increased drastically. There are mainly five types of translation services required by different industries. They are:

1. Legal Translation:

Legal translation focuses on different types of legal documents like summons and warrants, registration certificates, corporate statutes, and remittance drafts, court proceedings, etc. The best translation company recognizes the numerous underlying contexts of the reports along with the intended socio-cultural aspects and the politico-legal aspects. This is essential to make the document legible by the recipient party.  Hiring expert legal translation services providers can help the client create an error-free and reliable legal text. Translators must know the industry-specific jargon, as simply replacing a word with another or even a word for word translation can completely change the meaning and the tone of the document. Moreover, since these texts are considered as binding in the eyes of the law, a simple error or mistranslation can render the entire translation untrustworthy and useless.

2. Medical Translation:

Medical Translation deals with scripts associated with the healthcare territory. For instance, medicine labels, instructions, clinical paperwork, research papers, patient records, and reports, etc. Medical document translation is essential for medical practitioners to efficiently deliver the necessary treatment to the patients communicating another language. It also plays a vital role while reviewing medical histories of the ailing to provide them an accurate and safe medical service. Professional translation services help build a bridge between the doctors and their patients by interpreting the result charts as well as any undertaking that the sufferer might have to sign. Medical translation services also come handy when someone traveling to another country falls ill since the hospital can translate documents explaining the patient’s discomfort and promptly start the treatment. Besides, certified translation solutions can help prevent life-threatening mistakes in allotting medication dosages and prescriptions. Hence, it is imperative that the translation services providers are experienced and thorough in the process as well as possess the knowledge of the medical terminology.

3. Technical Translation:

Technical translation refers to the translation of product manuals, user guides, instruction materials, help texts, training booklets, etc. for the manufacturing, engineering or development fields. While dealing with technical content, translation service companies must possess a good understanding of the subject matter as it requires the interpretation of technical terms. Moreover, technical translation is complicated and requires the utmost attention since a minute error may result in manufacturing defects or system shutdowns. Hence, the translator must know the specialized terminologies related to the field in both the source and the target languages. While selecting a professional translation company, businesses must analyze their proficiency in their particular industry as well as make them understand the company's goals, their tone, and the overall industry guidelines. 

4. Financial Translation:

In simpler words, financial translations manage documents related to the finances, economy, and banking, etc. such as bank records and audits, account statements,  ledger books, bonds, equities, etc. Since different countries have separate guidelines relating to formatting, numbering, and financial lingo, businesses must opt for a solution that provides universal translation services. Partner up with a professional translator who possesses the knowledge of the economic vocabulary and phrases as well as signs corporate non-disclosure agreements (NDA) to warrant the confidentiality of your documents. The translation company should be up-to-day with the newest financial instruments and innovative concepts established in the market daily. Moreover, it is imperative to pay attention to the fluctuating currency values and exchange rates.

5. Literary Translation:

Literary translation involves the translation of literary texts such as poems, prose, drama, novels, etc. It is a more complex form of translation as it deals with the expressions and emotions of the writer as well as the characters portrayed in the article. The translator needs to express the correct tone of the text, whether it is happiness, sadness, humor, etc. Moreover, they need to correctly depict the figures of speeches intended, such as alliteration, hyperbole, simile, etc. It is also essential to stay true to the literary style of the author. They need to portray the number of connotations associated with each phrase and maintain the nuance of the text.

The following are the top challenges in translation faced by language specialists:

1. Idioms and Phrases:

Translating idioms and phrases from one language to another can be extremely complicated since it needs to be compliant with the target language. Idioms and phrases often mean an entirely different thing even in the source language. Therefore, translating it for word to word can result in a baffling statement. For instance, the idiom "raining cats and dogs" explains that it is raining heavily. Translating this phrase accurately to another language will not depict the exact expression.

2. Compound Words:

Compound words refer to a combination of multiple words that has an entirely different meaning. Translating a compound word by individually interpreting each segment can result in an incorrect definition. For example, consider the word "throwback," which means "to have characteristics of a former time." It comprises the terms throw and back, if individually translated, do not indicate the same thing.

3. Accuracy:

Different languages have different accuracy levels. This means that one language can have one word to describe a particular thing, whereas the other language can have many terms to describe that specific object. For instance, the people of the Inuit region of Canada have 20 different words to describe "snow." Hence to correctly denote the essence of a text, translators must adopt the accurate wordings.

4. Names and Titles:

There is an ongoing debate amongst translation providers on whether to translate the names and titles or not.  It depends on the way each country/language identifies the term. Consider Canada, which has both English and French-speaking communities. There the English name of the states is not translated in French and instead are just pronounced that way. Whereas, ‘Ivory Coast’, a country in West Africa is called ‘Cote d'Ivoire’ in French. To tackle this issue, the certified translation services constantly refresh their understanding of the source and target language to deliver an optimal result.

5. Cultural Relevance:

Cultural issues arise from the difference in cultural values, such as names of food, festival, etc. To eliminate this problem, translation companies need to localize their solutions. To cite an instance, the majority of the world follows the DD/MM/YYYY pattern to write the date. Meanwhile, the USA employs the MM/DD/YYYY pattern. This can cause confusion while dealing with deadlines and time-restricted projects.

The translators must keep in mind the following points to avoid the above-mentioned translation mistakes:

1. Avoid Translating Word for Word:

Translation projects demand that the translated document reflects the contextual meaning of the original text in an accurate sense. However, translators must avoid literal translations. Word to word translation may produce more gibberish than fulfilling the actual purpose. Since every single language possesses its unique syntax style, verb placement, sentence construction, etc. word to word translation can confuse. For example, translating the phrase "Handwashing Recommended" word for word in French gives "Il se conseille de se laver les mains," which means "It is advised to wash their hands." Whereas, it should have been "Il se conseille de lavage à la main." Another instance is that in the German language, the word motherland does not exist, and instead, fatherland represents the actual feeling.

2. Watch Out For Incorrect Tone:

Every text holds a specific technique of documentation. However, if the translators are unfamiliar with the authentic style, the translated document could be extremely faulty. To cite an instance, UK-based HSBC Holdings' previous tagline was "Assume Nothing." However, when interpreted, it became "Do Nothing" in many countries, contradicting the campaigns' goal completely. Moreover, the tone of a legal document entirely differs from a medical transcript or even an advertisement. It is therefore vital to comprehend the nuances of different languages to do justice to the text. Certain words may depict contradictory meanings like the English word "strike," which means to hit as well as to miss. Translation companies must communicate with their clients to understand what message they wish to deliver to their audience. This brings us to the next critical translation mistake.

3. Maintain Effective Communication:

Both the translation service provider and the client need to build an open communication channel to obtain the desired result. The client end needs to be transparent regarding their requirements, targeted market/audience, as well as industry guidelines (if any). Meanwhile, the translation service companies need to outline their translation procedure, expertise, experience, along with specific tools employed by them. The recipient must also provide information regarding the tone of the company, corporate identity, etc. Lack of communication can lead to complications like inaccurate layout, no attention to detail, improper checks, etc. These errors can also cause difficulty for prospects to understand and interact with the business, limiting customer engagement, or even impacting loyalty.

Getting assistance from certified translation services can bring in several benefits in a business:

1. Access to Experienced Translators

By subcontracting the translation requirements, the translation partner ensures that a qualified native translator manages the process. Companies can pick the right language translator from the vast pool of available candidates. These candidates possess experience in the relevant field and can maintain the authenticity of the work while optimizing the entire interpretation process.

2. Meeting Deadlines

A professional language translation company is dedicated to decreasing the turnaround time of the translation process. By building a steady communication channel, the professional translators can timely receive critical recommendations and feedback. These experts can promptly resolve any errors and work on the suggestions to deliver an accurate translation of the document within the pre-decided time period.

3. Cost-Effective

Correcting translation errors in the later stage can be extremely costly and time-consuming. However, with the assistance of online translation service providers, service seekers can gain the freedom to analyze and shortlist the right candidate within their budget. Moreover, they can reap the benefits of the professional tools and software used by the translation services company and attain high-quality translation solutions.

4. Aids Business Expansion

When planning on expanding brands and products in different countries, companies must localize their solutions to reach their targeted audience better. This can be achieved by hiring the best translation company that can convert websites, product manuals, advertisements, etc. in the regional language. Dedicated translation solutions can also handle the intricacies of the source and target language and can aptly handle cultural and local influences.

5. Manage Extensive Workload

Businesses may require to translate large volumes of documents from one language to multiple languages. Language translation companies can manage these massive workloads efficiently since they have teams of experts working with them. These experts can help streamline business translation solutions.

Organizations seeking translation solutions must ask the following questions before finalizing the deal with a language translation company.

How Do You Decide Upon the Cost of Translation Projects?

Different translation companies have distinct payment structures. The charges are calculated per-word or per-document. The translation service provider may charge for the project on the basis of either source word or target word. Translating texts from one language to another can cause a change in the number of words, resulting in fluctuation of the final cost. It is advisable to decide on the payment terms in advance to avoid any confusion or conflicts in the future. 

Do You Offer Proofreading Services?

Proofreading is an essential part of translation solutions. This ensures that the final document is error-free and maintains the tone of the original paper. Having a thorough proofreading service helps eliminate any flaws that were previously missed. Certain translation services providers offer proofreading services at an added price. Be advised to inquire about the cumulative cost of the entire solution.

Do You Have Any Certification?

While sorting for the best translation company, it is imperative to ensure that the service provider follows a high level of quality control. There are a few certifications that can testify the excellence of the company, such as ISO 13485:2016, ISO 9001:2015, and ISO 17100:2015 certifications.

The numerous advantages of incorporating translation solutions have inspired organizations to hire the best translation company or top online freelance translators who can efficiently and accurately convey unique business ideas and proposals for global clients. Therefore, it is vital to explore and assess the above list and find the ideal translation services company for the success of your translation project.

The companies that received a rank in the above list underwent investigation based on GoodFirms' exclusive research methodology that considers various qualitative and quantitative determinants. These featured professional translation companies have been identified based on their portfolio, market penetration, experience, domain expertise, as well as support service. The other valuable parameter considered by the expert research team is the reviews and recommendations offered by the prior clients highlighting the high-points of the service provider. After a thorough analysis, our critics found that the above-mentioned translation companies provide unmatched solutions to clients worldwide.