To help get you started and obtain answers to your questions, check out the following video for a great primer on translation.

No. We rely exclusively on professional translators who have 6+ years of full-time translation experience and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience along with declared specialization in up to three technical content areas as well as American Translators Association (ATA) certification and/or membership in an overseas translation association. With their extensive knowledge and experience in language translation combined with professional grade computer–aided translation software, our translators are efficient and accurate, and can assure you context-sensitive translation of any project.

Any transition can be unsettling. To put your mind at ease, our goal is to retain, protect, and leverage the translation investment you have made to date. We start by taking a look at all your language assets, including your Translation Memory databases, style guides, glossaries, and more—all with the purpose of carrying over as much of your language assets as we can for reuse. Then, mindful of your bottom line, we minimize your time and expense moving forward with the use of software tools to capture and reuse your translations at the sentence level.

That’s fine. The best way to begin is to learn as much as you can about your translation needs by taking advantage of our free consulting services. Up to two hours in length, these services include an initial assessment of your international communication needs along with a review of your existing collaterals and marketing goals. In addition, we will assist you in mapping your marketing goals to your collaterals to determine your marketing maturity. Upon completion of the assessment, we give you something tangible to work with… a preliminary strategy for improving the marketing of your products and services in the international marketplace.

Yes. In fact, if you send us a copy of your non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement, we will be happy to review it to ensure the terms and conditions are mutually beneficial.

Yes. Upon request and for a fee, we will provide a statement certifying that a qualified, professional translator has completed your project and that the translation project is complete and accurate. With certification, your final translation is invaluable, supporting legal, immigration, financial, and contractual obligations.

Yes. In fact, we translate for both domestic and export markets. For example, Spanish and French.

Since we tailor most of our services to meet your needs, we don’t make it a practice to post pricing online. Upon completing our quick and easy quote form, our Project Manager creates an optimal price and timeline for you. The more information you provide, the better we can judge project costs and seek out better savings for you.

Internet-based translation tools (such as Google Translate or BabbleFish) translate content based on statistical matching, offering translation suggestions based on existing content. If your content is complex or unique, translation suggestions are not possible. If your written communication is valuable and critical in nature, accurate, context-sensitive translation is necessary and best achieved with the human touch. Our translators are college-educated professionals with many years of translation experience and are adept at using a variety of computer-assisted tools and desktop publishing software to ensure all translations are research-based, accurate, and context-sensitive. With the added security of a warranty and an ISO-certified quality assurance process, your translation is accurate and effectively disseminated to your target audience, and may be reused.

Read this brief article about the strengths and weaknesses of automatic translation, such as Google Translate.

We offer special rates for larger volume translations as well as for long-term contracts.

Thanks to our Translation Memory database, which detects and tracks text repetition, we can discount repetitive translations as ascertained during the quote process.

We accept corporate checks, wire transfers, and credit cards.

Payment is net 30 days. Projects over $3000 may require a deposit or a percentage of the total contract value as prepayment.

We offer financing through a third-party financial services firm. Contact us for more details.

To provide a firm quote and assure accurate pricing, we require receipt of all finalized originals for translation, including text, images, layouts, and multimedia from a publishing software program. When originals (such as PDFs) are not provided, we can only provide you with an estimate.

A quote is solid pricing and turnaround based on a defined scope and requirements. If we do not feel we have sufficient information to provide a solid quote, we may issue an estimate for budgetary purposes. When we receive enough details to define the scope properly, we will gladly issue a firm quote.

Editing is the primary Quality Assurance Check of a translation by a peer to confirm accuracy, completeness, appropriate use of terms, application of the prescribed style guide, etc., while, proofing is the final inspection of a translation after integration of display, layout, and functionality.

The first step is to determine whether we’ve provided you with a firm quote or an estimate. If you only have an estimate, then additional information is required to provide a firm price quotation and to begin work. For example, we also require final source files. So be sure to review your estimate for details on what we need, or if you are unsure, contact your Account Manager. If you have a firm price quote, then be sure to review, sign, and forward the quote, along with any required files and/or prepayment, to your Account Manager prior to commencement of work. In the event you have questions, contact us.

Yes, but there may be additional charges for any time or costs not accounted for in the signed quote.

No problem. Explain the change and allow us to update our pricing and timing on the quotation, if necessary.

Deployed behind the scenes for regular customers, Translation Memory (TM) is a complementary service that uses computer-aided technology to track and store language translations for reuse. It saves time and money, and maintains consistency.

Terminology Management is not only critical during development of technical and marketing publications, but is an effective means of controlling costs associated with translation of those publications. It involves the use of technology to define and manage all terminology—whether technical or non-technical in nature—associated with a language translation project. More specifically, Terminology Management not only defines terms associated with a language project, but it also provides an explanation of usage, including context, language, and frequency.

Yes, we can certainly review your translation for accuracy. However, be mindful that a translation originating from an Internet-based tool may require rework, and depending on length, starting fresh may be a more cost-effective alternative. Here’s why. Internet-based translation tools such as Google Translate and BabbleFish have gained in popularity over the last few years due to their accessible technology and quick turnaround. However, they are accessible and quick for a reason. Without the “human touch,” they read then translate words one at a time using their literal rather than their contextual meaning.

For these reasons, these tools are unreliable and make many translation errors. Our professional translators, on the other hand, are experts in their field and are experienced in translating critical details of technical documents on a daily basis. Between this experience and their knowledge of a variety of computer-based translation tools, our translators are very efficient in translating words within the context of phrases, sentences, or paragraphs. What’s more, they are adept at picking up subtle nuances of specific phrases based on language; are familiar with culture-specific terminology; and recognize the pitfalls of culture-based scenarios!

Yes, we can certainly review your translation for accuracy. However, be mindful that a translation of business or professional content that is translated by someone who is bilingual is not the same as one made by someone who is a professional linguist. Our professional linguists have advanced degrees and at least 6 years of translation experience to qualify them to address major terminology issues and even subtle cultural nuances. They also use software tools to help maintain consistency and reduce costs.

Often, translation that comes from an inexperienced source requires a significant effort to bring it to satisfactory quality. More often than not, this results in higher costs and additional time to correct critical issues.

All of our translators have 6+ years of full-time translation experience and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience; have declared specialization in no more than three technical content areas; and have American Translators Association (ATA) certification and/or membership in an overseas translation association.

Yes, we can make arrangements for you to speak with translators working on your project. In fact, collaboration often occurs naturally during scheduled project meetings.

While we do not hire translators directly, we do partner with independent translators. If interested in a partnership with Advanced Language Translation, Inc, submit an application online.

Prior to beginning work as a translator for Advanced Language Translations, Inc., a candidate must meet the following requirements:

No, we do not offer interpreting services as our specialty resides with translation of written technical communications.

Currently, we draw from a pool of over 1000 independent translators who support more than 35 languages and a variety of content specialties.

We go wherever the talent is, with our translators located all over the world.

We make it a practice to share project status information with you on a regular basis via e-mail or a conference call. As an alternative, you may log into our portal to review status information.

If you need to cancel a translation job, be sure to call us as soon as possible. Based on timing and contractual requirements, you may also be required to pay for any work already completed.

Make the change to your original document then save it as a new revision. When making changes, be sure to use the change-tracking feature within Microsoft Word and/or document exactly changes made in a revision history so we can replicate them exactly in the translation.

Yes, we can make arrangements for you to speak with translators working on your project. In fact, collaboration often occurs naturally during scheduled project meetings.

Yes, it’s possible to see the translation work completed to date and this is actually part of the client review process.

While we are experts and have confidence in our translations, we periodically hold translation reviews with our clients as we seek expert knowledge of your products or services. By facilitating client reviews, we are assuring you of a high quality translation, that satisfies your international affiliates. What’s more, we provide peace of mind, assuring your translation needs are met.

There can be several correct translations, the same way there can be incorrect translations. Our goal when working with you is to identify and clarify what your requirements for translation for a specific project are with respect to terminology and style, as well as other factors such as target audience, purpose of the translation and so forth. Once the requirements are identified they will allow our translation teams to make translation choices that will meet your requirements for translation in that specific project. In this respect, a translation project is no different from any other project you have managed, carried out or participated in before. While we put all possible safeguards in place in our process to ensure that the translation that we provide meets the quality requirements we’ve identified, you have the right to inspect the work that we deliver. If for any reason our translation does not meet any of the identified requirements, we will immediately correct such noncompliance at no charge.

While we attempt to identify and anticipate stylistic and terminological preferences, there can still be multiple correct translations within the constraints of the identified requirements. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that translation (or its portions) will be exactly the same as what you or your reviewer(s) would write. Such differences are normal and do not constitute translation errors.

In cases when you or your reviewer want to work closely with our translation team to achieve a translation version that will fully coincide with your or your reviewers’ preferences, we can offer a different level of service in which the process offers closer collaboration between our translation team and you/your reviewers and is more akin co-writing on the basis of the source text, rather than ‘translation’ as is typically understood in the translation industry.

When selecting a translation reviewer, select those who are Subject Matter Experts in one or more content areas; are native speakers of the language deployed for a specific project; and have the time and commitment available to do a thorough review of the translation.

While the review format may vary by project, we typically send translations out for review in Microsoft Word or in Adobe PDF format.

When reviewing a translation, be sure to follow provided instructions; focus on accuracy and use of terminology; and pay attention to any general translation inaccuracies. Finally, be sure to take into account any corporate styling standards your organization may have.

While reviews vary by project, we typically build in five to ten business days into our project schedule. Other factors affecting actual review duration are project size and deadline.

While Advanced Language Translation, Inc. specializes in 35 languages for business use, we also support additional languages as needed. If you do not see a language listed, feel free to contact us with your translation needs.

While both terms refer to the written form of Chinese, simplified Chinese refers to the standard written form used in the People’s Republic of China (mainland China) and traditional Chinese refers to the standard written form for Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and other areas outside the People’s Republic of China.

Knowing where the language will be used is important as it tells us more about the target audience for a specific translation. For example, accounting terms in French-speaking Quebec are drastically different from the accounting terms used in France.

For more information, read this brief article about why location is important.

The amount of time required for a translation depends on a variety of factors, including volume (number of words) and deadline. Our scheduling is flexible, as we work with you to ensure your translation is on time and within budget. While shorter documents may be rushed, larger documents cannot. To help put things into perspective, a typical translation of 2500 words using our standard translation process takes approximately five business days from quotation to delivery. Larger projects require more time as they involve coordination of a team of translators, editors, and proofreaders.

If you need a project translated quickly, be sure to contact us immediately. We will work with you in assuring on time delivery of your translation. To assist us in meeting your deadline, we ask that you ensure your content is final and ready for translation. Further, be sure to provide us with all source files, detailed instructions, and translation requirements, including your deadline and required formats for all deliverables. Finally, be sure to account for printing or upload times in your project schedule on your end.

When your business is on the line, we never recommend rushing work and do not make it a practice to skip steps such as editing during quality assurance unless specifically requested to do so. If, however, your translation schedule is an aggressive one, we will do our best to optimize our process while assuring the best quality possible given the time allotted.

While translation is the act of interpreting and conveying the meaning of text from one language to another, localization adapts that translation for optimal impact and usability to enhance the user experience for the intended target audience.

Use of a Desktop Publishing application ensures your translated project has the special fonts, tools, and methods associated with the desired language. With a goal of delivering you a fully finished translation that is ready to use without problems or further processing, our DTP experts insert, format, and polish the translation in your layout so it looks as though it was tailor made for your target audience. In addition, we create a highly compatible PDF file for print, distribution, or proofing so you don’t have to deal with compatibility and font issues. Of course, you can always work on the DTP yourself and accept the translation in a text-only document. The choice is yours.

Many languages require special Desktop Publishing applications to support special fonts, tools, and methods. Our full-service DTP Department has everything you need to insert your text into the required layout while preserving the native feel of the language.

For simple documents, we highly recommend Microsoft Word (any version). For more complicated layouts, we recommend Adobe InDesign CS4 or above.

Expansion is the natural enlargement or contraction of written content when translated. Depending on the nature of the language deployed, expansion or contraction of content affects page layout, particularly relative to spacing and pagination. Some languages, such as Spanish, German, and Russian, expand in size by more than 25%. Some languages, such as Chinese, shrink.

To anticipate expansion, you may wish to allow more white space, write more concisely, avoid the use of narrow columns, use jagged right rather than justified margins, etc. We offer layout guidelines to assist your writing efforts in preparation for translation.

Yes, images/graphics should be translated too; particularly call-outs within technical illustrations, screen shots associated with software applications, etc. Best practice dictates layering text on top of rather than embedding text within graphics using graphic tools such as Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop. When we estimate project cost, we generally assume everything will be translated.

We deliver all translations according to your project requirements and information security needs. Based on file size, we typically e-mail or upload translations to an FTP server, or put it up for download in where you log in to your account.

To learn more about the status of your translation, contact your Project Manager directly.

If you need to cancel a translation job, be sure to call us as soon as possible. In addition, based on timing and contractual requirements, you may be required to pay for any work already completed.

If you have a problem with a translation, contact your Project Manager immediately and be prepared to qualify your concerns.

New customers e-mail sales@advancedlanguage.com. Existing customers: contact your Project Manager directly.