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TW Languages member of IOE and listed as a translation expert

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TW Languages is business member of the Institute of Export and listed on www.export.org.uk  as an ‘expert‘ in offering business and website translations as well as support and advice on international communication.

The Institute of Export is a long standing professional membership body representing and supporting the interests of everyone involved in importing, exporting and international trade.

TW Languages is always pleased to offer support and advice regarding translation and overseas communication and have had numerous calls from IOE members.

Recently a member contacted us for guidance as they were baffled by all the information they had received. They were new to exporting and become inundated with information. Having recently signed up to a UKTI programme, they were receiving funding; using translation services but didn’t know if the rates were competitive; as well as having access to material as a member of the IOE.

We were able to provide some structure to the myriad of information received, as well as an analysis of translation costs to ensure the rates they were paying were competitive. We also gave indicators as to what to consider when selecting translation and interpreting services.

To summarise we were able to help them “see the wood for the trees” and have a greater understanding that they “know what questions to ask” to get the information they require.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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British readers lost in translations as foreign literature sales boom

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If like me you enjoy reading translated novels you’ll appreciate that translating a novel is not only a skill but an art!

Popular Scandinavian authors including Jo Nesbø and Stieg Larsson are driving growing domestic demand for translated books.

British readers are devouring foreign fiction in record numbers amid a mini-boom in translated novels, inspired by the success of Scandinavian authors such as Jo Nesbø.

Surging interest in foreign literature in recent years has been sparked partly by the success of Scandinavian fiction – notably Stieg Larsson, whose Millennium books have sold more than 75 million copies in 50 countries, and popular television dramas such as The Killing.

In 2012, Hesperus Press, a tiny British firm, sensed potential in a comic Swedish novel that went on to become a European publishing phenomenon after major British and American companies rejected it. Hesperus bought the rights to Jonas Jonasson’s The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared, which went on to sell more than 500,000 copies.

Chris White, fiction buyer for Waterstones, said that, blockbusters apart, there are “plenty of translated titles we’ve discovered recently which have sold in their thousands”. He singled out The Collini Case, a legal thriller by Ferdinand von Schirach, one of Germany’s top authors, which has sold 29,385 copies – “more than the last John Grisham” – eclipsing some homegrown novels that barely sell a few hundred. “The perception of translations isn’t what it was perhaps 10 years ago,” he said. “They are just treated as great books.”

Full article:  http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/aug/24/british-readers-translations-foreign-literature-sales-boom-stieg-larsson-jo-nesbo

 

 

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Not a good idea to use the internet to translate foreign contracts

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Business technical translations produced at TW Languages include contracts, you will know when dealing with lawyers, barristers etc., that the terminology used is specific to this industry and therefore legal translations are costed accordingly.  It’s always an apprehensive time signing any contract and even more so if the contract is in another language. We usually suggest to our clients that the translated contract can be in a format that is side-by-side with the original source contract. This will ensure that all parties will be on the ‘same page’ when discussing the finer detail of the contract.

The following article highlights some of the implications when the ‘smallprint can be missed if using the internet to translate a contract.

Overseas homebuyers are running into problems because they try to cut costs by using the internet to translate foreign contracts. Those who don’t want to pay for an official translator are increasingly relying on online services to help them understand legal documents in Spanish, French or Greek.  But these services are only meant for rough translations, and can mean users miss nasty bits of smallprint.

Lost in translation: Misunderstandings in contracts could end up costing homebuyers more than expected.

Some buyers who signed Spanish contracts lost their homes because they were built on illegal land. Foreign property expert Simon Conn says: ‘Some people might think they can save money by using a free translation service. But misunderstandings in the contracts could end up costing people a lot more.’

In one example the Spanish word ‘censos’ appeared in a document. This normally means ‘survey’ but here meant ‘leasehold’, so the buyer was locked into a contract completely different to the one they had wanted.

The above article is from MONEY MAIL (published: 09:11, 28 May 2014 | UPDATED: 09:24, 28 May 2014)

 

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Translation of long German words: a phrasebook for show-offs

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5 phrases that visitors to Germany might use to impress the locals, ranging from 41 letters to 80 letters!  No wonder translating into German is challenging! Not necessarily needed for the business traveller!

Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz

63 letters  Translation – officially out of use since 2013, this means “law for the delegation of monitoring beef labelling” – When to use it? While quizzing the hotel chef about his sauerbraten.

Donaudampfschiffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän

41 letters  Translation – Danube steamship company captain- When to use it – earn your place at the captain’s table as your cruise ship sets sail from Passau.

Donaudampfschifffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft

80 letters  Translation – Association for Subordinate Officials of the Head Office Management of the Danube Steamboat Electrical Services – When to use it – after a dozen schnapps with the aforementioned captain.

Massenkommunikationsdienstleistungsunternehmen

46 letters  Translation – companies providing mass communications services – When to use it? While looking for a biergarten in which to watch the big football game.

Sozialversicherungsfachangestelltenauszubildender 

49 letters Translation: a trainee assistant social insurance broker – When to use it? While discussing Bayern Munich’s footballing dominance, for example: “This year’s Bundesliga title race was as boring as a Sozialversicherungsfachangestelltenauszubildender”.

A great article from Oliver Smith, Telegraph’s Digital Travel Editor (to read the full article go to the following link) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/germany/10966002/Long-German-words-a-phrasebook-for-show-offs.html

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Is Google translate being policed?

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Is Google translate being policed? The answer is No. No one checks or reviews the results of the input of translation. Google translation database is built through crowdsourcing, anyone can add their interpretation of a translated text.

The overall concept of Google translate is excellent and an immediate tool to get the gist of a translation. But it can be ‘pot luck’ which languages produce more accurate translations, with no consistency in the results.

For business and technical translations it’s always recommended to use ‘human translation’ or at the very least get the translated text proofread. The translation of a website requires an extra level of quality as this is the ‘shop window’ of a business. To substantiate the comments above the following highlights a recent example of Google translate Russian to English text from an ‘Instructions for Use’ technical manual:

НЕ ВКЛЮЧАЙТЕ ПИТАНИЕ

Human translation:         Do not turn power on

Google translation:         Do not include meals

 

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What is included in the cost to translate a word?

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What is included in the cost to translate a word? At least 10 activities!

Quoting for a job is fairly unique in the translation industry compared to other industries in that:

– Translation is based on ‘an actual cost per word’ and in some languages the cost can be based on per character, per line etc.
– There is a lower cost per word where translation CAT tools are used.
– Cost is associated with time hence business, website, technical and scientific translations take longer and therefore at a higher cost per word compared to general translation.

A quotation will give the fixed cost however the variable factor as to ‘what is included in the cost to translate a word’ can include at least 10 activities as listed below:

  1. Assessment & Analysis
  2. Translation Memory Software
  3. Format files
  4. Project Plan and team selection
  5. Communication, Selection and Administration
  6. Translation by native professional translator(s)
  7. Proofread by native professional proofreader(s)
  8. Checking in-house to the source material (list of activities)
  9. Re-checking in-house (list of activities)
  10. Sign-off, send to client before deadline

 

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Is a work colleague the best person to translate the company’s website?

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Just because a work colleague is fluent in a foreign language it doesn’t necessarily mean they can translate a document that’s fit for publication!

It can be a false economy to use work colleagues or friends to translate text for business, technical, scientific or website translations unless of course the individual is a qualified translator or highly experienced in translating.

Once a poor translation has been produced it’s time consuming and costly to improve the text. It will take a proof-reader plus editor to rewrite the material to bring the translation to an acceptable level, and it’s unlikely that the text will be of the same quality as a translation completed by a professional translator.

A recent example can be seen in a request we received from a Client to proofread a translation which their work colleague had translated. The proof-reader’s comments speak for themselves.

​“As far as proofing is concerned, it is hopeless, as the text is not really a text, plus the translated words were randomly translated, and do not relate to the client´s business.

The text needs more than a proof-reader. All I can suggest is a GOOD translator will use a proper TM (translation memory) for consistency. I know that re-writing such bad texts is worse than translating them.”

At least the Client requested that the text be proofread not all companies do this but assume the translation must be good because it was translated by a foreign speaker!

 

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TW Languages is working with Timber Trade Federation

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TW Languages is working with the Timber Trade Federation in offering a certified business and technical translation service to members for documents relating to timber and wood products . Since the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) came into force in March 2013 ‘Operators’ must have a sound due diligence risk assessment system which satisfies the Regulations’ legal requirements.  The translation service we provide has the benefit of cost saving as well as meeting legal requirements in producing certified translations.

Benefits:

– 5% discount for TTF members on translation costs

– Further reductions in cost as all translations for TTF members are stored on one *TTF translation memory database

(*all documents for translations from TTF members are run through our TTF translation memory database where we are able to identify words which have already been translated, these words incur a lower rate).

– Satisfy some of the Regulations’ legality requirements for due diligence.

 

The new EU Timber Regulation forms part of the EU’s efforts to stamp out the international illegal timber trade, which is still estimated to be worth billions of Euros a year, contributes to deforestation, deprives often poor producer countries of tax revenues and curbs the ability of local populations to derive a legitimate income from sustainable and legal forestry and timber production.

The EUTR makes it an offence to ‘first place’ illegal timber on the EU market, whether that’s sourced from outside the EU or grown within it – and the definition of illegal is that of the country of origin.

The EUTR also obliges all companies, which first place timber or wood products on the EU market, termed ‘Operators’ under the Regulation, to assess the risk that they come from illegal sources. To do this, they must operate a sound due diligence risk assessment system (DDS), which satisfies the Regulations’ legality requirements. This will generally involve quizzing suppliers on their proof of legality and ensuring products are backed with relevant records and other documentation.  The Operator must obtain a range of verifiable information from this process including; product description, timber species, country of harvest, quantity, name and address of supplier and trader, and documents indicating compliance with all applicable legislation.

Criteria for assessing risk also comprise assurance of compliance with applicable legislation, including certification schemes, and third party verification. Prevalence of illegal harvesting of specific tree species should also be taken into account, as should the prevalence of illegal logging in the country of harvest, the complexity of the supply chain and whether UN or EU sanctions on timber imports apply.

For further information:  www.ttf.co.uk

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Great translation is down to excellent teamwork

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Achieving a great technical and scientific translation is due to having an excellent translation team run by a highly skilled Translation Project Manager. The main consideration is that each project is unique, the Translation Project Manager takes this approach in carefully selecting the team of translators, proofreaders and checkers specific to the needs of the project. Communication is key, everyone will have the same goal and desire to produce a quality translation, delivered on time.

It’s the team that achieves the excellence; “The Whole is greater than the Sum of its parts”

And when we receive the following feedback everyone in the team gets to hear of it!

“I’m happy to confirm, that I have never seen before such a perfect translation from
English to German” Benno Wichert, Thermal Energy International (www.thermalenergy.com)

“We are always very happy with your service – thanks for continuing to look after us” Jayne Fletcher, UPL Europe Limited

“Many thanks for all your help, I was so impressed with the speed and efficiency”  Elaine Shepherd (www.polkadotdp.com)

“Thanks for your fast Service” Michael Fisahn-Reinhard, GlobeFuel Systems & Services GmbH 

“We arrived at a suitable agreement with our customer, your help with this was invaluable”  David Thorley, Fort Vale Engineering Ltd.

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Let your Translation Company work harder and take the strain

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How often do we say, “there’s never enough time in the day”?  We only ever get 24 hours so I’m also fond of saying, “work smarter and not harder”!

That’s just what we endeavour to do whenever we receive a request for translation at TW Languages; we take the strain from our client and take full responsibility for the project and its deadline, enabling you to ‘work smarter and not harder’.

Quote: “Many thanks for your help with these translations and for always keeping to schedule which really helps us here.” UPL Europe Ltd

A good example, and one of our strengths, is working on a complex technical translation required in multi-languages to meet an urgent deadline:

Project:      Our Client sent 1 x email with 1 x technical translation of an EU label required urgently in 11 languages.

Process:     TW Languages allocated 24 x personnel (translators, proof readers, checkers and a Project Manager) who worked on 1 x template. The Project Manager used their skills to ensure a collaborative approach within the team and utilised translation memory to enhance quality, etc.

Delivery:   Our Client received all of the translations within the agreed deadline each being a mirror image of the original, ready for publication.

Result:        1 x Happy Client!

A useful tool which helps us to find ‘a smarter way to work’ is Dropbox – excellent for transferring large files. We can send instructions on how to use this facility and provide help to upload files.

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Multi-lingual website, technical translation and cost savings

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www.brelko.com is an example of a successful complex multi-lingual website which includes technical translation, in three languages, together with translation cost savings of over 27%.

The success of this project was due to a number of reasons;  good working relationship between supplier and client; working towards the same aims and objectives; one point of contact for both parties and clear communication channels.

The overall project comprised of translating the website, technical documents, scripts, voice-overs etc., in all three languages. Over 120,000 words per language therefore after running the files through translation memory software we identified a high number of repetitions, which resulted in a cost saving for the client of 27%. Quite a saving for a large project!

The result is that Brelko have produced a complex website for the international market that is consistent in content and style and easy to navigate.

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Translating Icelandic names to preserve language

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Parents in Iceland must choose from a list of 1,853 female and 1,712 male names which are sanctioned by the Icelandic authorities. If the parents intend to opt for something more adventurous they must apply for permission from the Icelandic Naming Committee. The list was created under a 1996 Act intended to preserve the Icelandic language. Names are approved only if they can be conjugated in Icelandic, and must be “written in accordance with the ordinary rules of Icelandic orthography”, according to the law. Where a name successfully translates from Icelandic to English the child has the right to be officially known by his/ her given name, as opposed to featuring the name “Girl”  / “Boy” which otherwise would be listed in their passport ! (Thanks to the Daily Telegraph 28/6/14 for this article)