Ordering translation services: where to start

When it comes to ordering translation services, do you understand exactly what your translation company is providing or, indeed, what you need? For example, do you need translation and review or translation and revision, and what do those services mean in practice? Is ISO certification a requirement?

Translation vs interpreting – to put it simply, translation is a written discipline and interpreting is the spoken word.

Revision – checking the translation against the original to ensure that it is complete and correct in terms of content, language, style and grammar. This stage of the process ensures that the translated text is a true and accurate reflection of the original source text.

Review – checking the translation in isolation of the original to ensure that it is correct in terms of content, language, style and grammar. This stage of the process ensures that the translated text functions as an independent text.

To decide which is right for you and each translation piece, ask yourself:

• What is the intended purpose of my document? Is it an internal memo or a technical manual for a piece of engineering equipment?
• Who is my audience? Is it other employees of the firm or a proposal going to a potential client?
• How and where will my document be seen? In an e-mail or printed 1000 times in full colour for distribution at major international exhibitions?

At LK Translations, we are proud to be one of the first language service providers in the UK to achieve certification to ISO 17100:2015 Translation Services – Requirements for Translation Services. We only work with translators who meet the stringent requirements of the standard and we are committed to delivering the very best quality on time, every time. Our various service levels allow our customers to select a solution that best meets their needs. As well as our translation services, we offer the service of translation with subsequent revision and/or review – in such cases the draft produced by a first translator is revised by a second translator with equivalent qualifications and experience, either as a standalone text in the target language or cross-checked against the original language document. Whatever level of quality assurance you require, you can rely on LK Translations to deliver a service that perfectly meets – and is designed to exceed – your needs and expectations.

Click here to read our “Jargon Buster” in full.