| | | | | typist who sends it back by email after typing it. The |
| As an owner of a translation agency, I have to think | | | | translation is then proof-read by the original translator |
| about what our customers want. | | | | and afterwards by another proof-reader before being |
| Some 20 years ago, when our agency was first | | | | sent to the customer. It is possible, using this method, |
| formed, I decided that Quality, Delivery and Price would | | | | for a translator to produce over 10,000 words in a |
| be the watchwords. | | | | day's work and this is very useful when unscheduled |
| Quality : Amost all customers want good, accurate | | | | large translations are urgently required. |
| translations, so that was the prerequisite I set for our | | | | What all our customers do insist on is that we keep to |
| translation agency. No one would want a translation | | | | the deadlines they set. |
| which was not accurate. | | | | |
| However, there could be gradations as far as the | | | | Oxford Translation makes extraordinary efforts to |
| finished product was concerned. | | | | ensure that deadlines are kept and we have built up a |
| | | | | fine reputation for our on-time deliveries. |
| Translating a few words for an advertising slogan | | | | Price : Of course, our customers want to receive an |
| requires much more thought about the translation of | | | | accurate translation at a reasonable price. We have |
| each of those few words and a far longer time spent | | | | made considerable efforts to keep our prices down to |
| per word compared to the time spent per word in | | | | a level which is equal or lower than the competition |
| translating a technical report, where only very concrete | | | | and we have also found that the use of translation |
| terms and concepts are to be translated. | | | | memory programs such as Trados or Déjà Vu can |
| As long as an experienced translator of a technical | | | | provide lower prices for our customers. |
| report has the required technical knowledge and the | | | | |
| technical vocabulary in both of the languages | | | | These translation memory programs (Trados and |
| concerned, he or she can produce a competent | | | | Déjà Vu) have nothing to do with the instant |
| translation which will accurately convey the entire | | | | translation programs that you can find on the Internet. |
| meaning of the original source text and that translation | | | | Those instant programs are not context sensitive so |
| can be provided in a relatively short time. | | | | they can provide very strange translations. You only |
| Of course, all translations, technical or otherwise, have | | | | have to translate something from your native language |
| to be proof-read by another translator to ensure | | | | into another language and then translate the result |
| accuracy and improve style. | | | | back into your native language to see what sort of a |
| Delivery : Customer's requirements vary enormously. | | | | mess the instant translation programs produce. |
| Sometimes a translation is required as part of a | | | | The Trados and Déjà Vu programs memorize |
| carefully organized schedule. Sometimes the translation | | | | sentences of the original text and their translations so |
| is required very urgently, for example, to allow the | | | | that when those sentences occur again in the same |
| company concerned to bid on a large tender. | | | | text or in another translation, the computer can |
| While we do have in-house translators, we also need | | | | translate them automatically. The original translation |
| freelance translators so as to be able to cope with | | | | was produced by a human translator and was |
| unexpected demands. Those translators are tested | | | | corrected by him or her, so you can be sure that the |
| and are given small translations at first and then | | | | translation supplied by the memory program is |
| increasingly large ones as we become more confident | | | | accurate. |
| of their competence. | | | | Charges can be significantly reduced for translations |
| The more experienced of our translators now dictate | | | | where memory programs are used. |
| into a digital recorder, send the translation by email to a | | | | |