You can help, too

Ask what you can do for your translator.

Your translator brings a wealth of experience, expertise, and business judgment to every project. But you may be surprised to learn that what you bring to the table is just as important as what the translator brings to the table.

What can you do to make sure you get the best trans­lation service?

  • ell the translator what you need the document translated for. Translators can and will tailor their services to meet your needs — but you need to tell them what those needs are.
  • Schedule jobs as far in advance as possible. Any service provider can better meet your needs if they know what to expect. Avoid the hassle, expense, and risk of rush jobs.
  • Send the translator an editable file to work from. Using editable copy is now standard procedure. Source copy on paper or fax, or PDFs with images instead of searchable text, can drive up the price.
  • Send the images. Translators work with meaning and concepts, not just words. If graphic infor­mation is useful to the reader, it will be useful to the translator. Never send parts lists without drawings. (Is that Scheibe a washer, a spacer, a disk, a plate, a web, a blank, or a wheel?)
  • Listen for questions. You may be the only one with the answer (internal company terminology, shop talk, customer-specific terminology or abbreviations).

And when your project is complete, let your translator know what you thought of his or her work. A profes­sional critique, with terminology and reference pointers, will benefit your future projects.