Spanish to English
Document Translation * Desktop Publishing * Terminology Management
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Client Education
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Certified Translation vs. Certified Translator
A certified translation
is simply a translated text accompanied by a signed (and frequently notarized) statement that the translator, to the best of his ability, has provided a true and accurate translation of the text from one language into another. It is an assurance to the client that the translator has done the work himself, rather than outsource it to a third party, and that the translated text is his best effort.
It is not necessary to be a Certified Translator in order to provide certified translations.
A Certified Translator
is an individual who has earned an internationally recognized credential in the field of translation. In the United States, the American Translators Association (ATA) issues certification to translators who pass a rigorous translation examination in a specific language pair and a specific direction--for example, from Spanish into English but NOT from English into Spanish. The vast majority of professional translators in the United States do not hold such a credential.
What is Terminology Management?
Organizations use consistent terminology when building a brand. Consistent terminology helps customers to associate experiences with the brand, and to decide whether to purchase the product again, to try other products offered by the brand, or to try a different brand. Similarly, industries and professional fields use consistent technical terminology. Consistent terminology creates a common vocabulary for an industry or for an organization, streamlining communication and potentially changing the vernacular.
Consistent terminology must be translated consistently. It is possible for an individual translator to maintain consistent terminology in a one-time project; however, it is unlikely that a large team of translators working on a long-term project will reliably select the same terms and phrasing for their individual translations. A system of terminology management is necessary for translation teams to achieve and maintain consistency.
Terminology management traditionally consisted of client-issued lists of translations for brand-specific terminology, as well as industry-specific glossaries and specialized dictionaries. With the arrival of computer assisted translation tools (CAT tools), translators have begun to rely on electronic terminology databases, or termbases. Termbases are created for specific clients and run on software that is compatible with CAT tools. A terminological entry in a database provides the definition, context, grammatical information, and the specific term in all of the target languages as well as the original source language. The entry may also indicate possible translations that should not be used
in a specific project.
I've never hired a translator before...
The American Translators Association
has published this guide for buying translations and translation services. Click the image to download.
