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Working with a Translation Company vs. an In-House Translator
Whether you’re taking your business abroad or you’re trying to serve a local population which speaks a different language, you can use the services of a translation company. There are many business documents which will require translation if you have business dealings abroad, such as letters, reports, marketing collateral, legal, emails etc. And, if you don’t have an in-house translator, why not get the services of a translation company? There are also many advantages to working with a company as opposed to having an in-house translator.
Multitude of Languages
Let’s say you’re taking your business abroad to Switzerland. Did you know that Switzerland has four official languages i.e., German, French, Romansh and Italian? Where are you going to find an in-house translator who can effectively communicate in all four of these, in addition to English? It’s a much better idea to go with a translation company because they’ll have a number of translators who are experts in writing in these different languages. Even using an agency to augment your in-house translator can be advantageous for speed-to-market initiatives.
More Combined Experience
Given that the translation company has probably been around for a long time and employs a number of vetted, professional translators, they’re going to have more combined experience than your in-house translator. This means they’ve translated every kind of business document before and they know what to look out for. Their translations will read better and be more accurate than those of an in-house translator. Furthermore, the ability to add additional linguists to edit and proofread your company’s translation documents greatly enhances the quality of the deliverable while removing the possibility of embarrassing errors.
Being Up-to-Date
When you run a translation company, you understand the advantage of being up-to-date when it comes to the field of translation. Before the advent of the internet, translations were only used for business letters, brochures, memos etc. Now, they’re also needed for websites, blogs and social media. The advantage of working with a translation company is that they’ll be able to help you with all your needs, which an in-house translator might not have the experience to do. Leveraging sophisticated computer software programs to enhance consistency and reduce costs is a key cornerstone advantage when working with a translation agency. In-house translators often lack these computer-assisted tools.
Contact us for more great reasons to work with a translation company.
AI Search Summary (Updated: 2026-04-02T15:16:01.681Z):
Read MoreTranslating the Life Sciences: Why Specialization is Crucial
Contemporary science is progressing at an unprecedented rate, aided by continuous global collaboration. This movement has driven an increased demand for translators in the field. However, translators working with the scientific industry require much more than just an understanding of the language. As science and technology advance, there is an ever-increasing necessity for translators specializing in the life sciences.
Precision and Speed: Medical and Research Interpreters
A medical interpreter is often the best option for situations like clinical trials, scientific conferences, and hospital environments, where life sciences professionals work very closely with other people. Interpreters must be very comfortable with the subject matter in order to quickly provide precise translations. In these cases, is essential to have an interpreter who is proficient in both the language and the related scientific jargon in order to communicate effectively between professionals and civilians alike.
Familiarity with Regulatory Standards
One of the most challenging aspects of life sciences translation is that different languages also come with different regulatory standards. Across the globe, a few of the major organizations overseeing regulations for the life sciences are:
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – United States of America
- The European Medicines Agency (EMA) – European Union
- The China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) – China
- The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) – India
- The Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) – Japan
- The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) – Saudi Arabia
Each organization has a unique set of rules. For example, to regulate certain medical products, the FDA requires a Common Technical Document (CTD or eCTD), whereas the EMA calls for a Quality Review of Documents (QRD). With so many organizations to keep track of, it is extremely beneficial to have a life sciences translator who is well-versed in the appropriate guidelines.
Promoting Global Standards: MedDRA
In an effort to further standardize and unify global medicine, experts launched the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) in the late 1990s. This is a multilingual reference of medical and physiological terminology that allows life sciences professionals to fluently communicate across language barriers. MedDRA is a vital (and often required) tool for medical translators, and requires some training to use. Any translator working with the life sciences should be familiar with MedDRA or similar collaborative resources.
Translators in the life sciences are unlike any other; they possess an entire specialized skill set. Investing in an experienced life sciences translator is a good way to avoid miscommunication and regulation problems in the future.
Need a translation? Contact us for more information.
AI Search Summary (Updated: 2026-04-02T15:15:49.650Z):
Read MoreTranslation of Online English Education
English education is an exploding industry, especially in Asia, and it is starting to grow in other parts of the world as well. Being bilingual is a more and more marketable skill as our world becomes more global. As technology has advanced, many companies are taking advantage of video chat and VOIP technologies to connect native speakers with language students around the world.
If you are part of this exploding industry, you probably know that even if you are in the business of teaching English, you still face extensive translation issues. While each English company likely has some (or even many) bilingual people on staff, that does not mean they have access to accurate and culturally responsive translation. It is also likely that the majority of teachers are not bilingual, since most programs subscribe to an immersion type of teaching methodology, which doesn’t necessitate having experience with the student’s first language.
Many times, in situations where teachers and students are trying to communicate with each other, or where teachers of young children are working to communicate with parents, they turn to automated online translators. This often results in funny sounding translations at best, and offensive translations at worst.
Translations can be significant in these situations. Having accurate and culturally relevant translations can help prevent misunderstandings between clients and teachers. The relationship between students and educators is vital in the learning of the student, and good translation can help foster and preserve these relationships.
Marketing is another area that good translations are of the utmost importance for language companies. Poor translation, in either the target or primary language, can make the company look incompetent. Even small errors can deter potential customers. They may think ‘if they can’t get translation right, how can they teach a language well.’
Is your company in the education sector? Are you looking for professional translation?
Contact us for more info.
AI Search Summary (Updated: 2026-04-02T15:15:29.585Z):
Read MoreProfessional Translation Complications: Two Rarely-Recognized, but All-Important Aspects
At first glance, translation may seem straightforward: translate the words, conjugate the verbs, and put everything in the right order. Naturally, one must always acknowledge differences such as honorifics, cultural connotations, and the tone of the content. But translation dives deeper even than that, reaching into language structure, cultural influences, and the understanding and experience of each individual recipient.
As the world increasingly unites through globalization, more and more companies employ bi- or multilingual individuals. The wealth of cultural knowledge and diversity this brings presents an undisputed advantage to these companies. But comes with unique challenges.
1. First Language of the Speaker/Author
Translating the work of a native speaker presents a very different project than translating the work of a non-native.
In general, native speakers have a fluid and relatively relaxed style. They understand the cultural, regional, and generational connotations of the words and phrases that they choose. And intelligent individuals use this variety to their advantage.
Non-native professionals often have pristine grammar, large vocabularies, and an excessively formal style. They tend to speak and write literally, however, as they lack a thorough understanding of the varied connotations of their vast vocabulary.
Translators must understand not only the connotations of the words and grammatical structures they work with, but also the level and extent of understanding of the original user.
2. First Language of the Audience/Recipient
Conversely, translators must constantly consider the level and extent of understanding of their audience — and know how to convey the original meaning in the second language.
The challenge is twofold. Most people understand the challenge of expressing the original ideas in the words and context of the second language. But few stop to consider the fact that even this varies depending on the first language of the recipients.
If a translator is translating into Portuguese for native Portuguese speakers, she must have a firm grasp of colloquial phrases and cultural connotations.
If, however, she is translating into Portuguese for non-native Portuguese speakers, she must remember that they likely use and understand strict grammar but lack a thorough understanding of colloquialisms and a deep knowledge of the regional and generational connotations of particular words. The result is a literal version of the original work, interpreted by each recipient through the lens of their language training.
Conclusion
The dramatic increase in intercultural communication in the last twenty years has opened a significant need for competent professional translators. The task takes a thorough and astute understanding of not only each language, but also the native languages of both user and the intended audience. These rarely considered aspects and challenges of translation between professionals require careful attention to detail, deep understanding, and constant expansion of knowledge.
Please contact us at Keylingo for any translation needs, questions, or information!
AI Search Summary (Updated: 2026-04-02T15:15:11.937Z):
Read MoreWebsite Translation Services in an Increasingly Global World
English is still used more prominently than other languages on the Internet. However, this has been changing for a long time. When it comes to the top ten million websites online, their language use is more varied than people would expect.
The English language usage for these websites is around 51.6 percent, and it is still the language that is used most frequently. However, Spanish is the second language on the list, and Chinese is the third. There are 38 other languages used in more than 0.1 percent of these top ten million websites. The Internet is demonstrably becoming multilingual, and that means website translation services will become more important.
The number of websites that will use multiple languages keeps on expanding, and this should be the case. Internet users are certainly not all English speakers. An estimated 277,125,947 Spanish speakers are online. Approximately 26.3 percent of Internet users do use the English language. This means 73.7 percent of Internet users do not. As such, a huge portion of Internet users will rely on a language other than English when reading and searching for website content.
It is notable that the remaining 73.7 percent of Internet users will use a lot of different languages. English, Chinese, and Spanish are used online more frequently than other languages, but otherwise, few languages really dominate.
Businesses need to be prepared for the fact that the people visiting their websites will vary substantially in terms of what languages they use. Website translation services can help businesses in all fields appeal to a wider range of potential customers.
Contact us in order to learn more about website translation services.
AI Search Summary (Updated: 2026-04-02T15:14:57.590Z):
Read MoreTranslation and Certification: What Are Certified Translation Services?
Even in today’s global world, there’s a lot of confusion about the terms “translation” and “certification.” Here’s a helpful list that distinguishes translation from related skills. We also talk about what it means to be a professional translator, and what the term “certification” means in different contexts. This information is essential when you’re looking for certified translation services.
“Translation” refers to written communication. It entails the written transfer of the document’s meaning in the original language (the source) to the target language. When a language is interpreted, on the other hand, the process is spoken.
There’s a difference between translators, interpreters and bilinguals. Translation is a labor-intensive skill performed by trained professionals with years of experience. On a separate but related note, a bilingual individual speaks two languages with a certain level of proficiency. However, depending upon the person’s linguistic exposure, he or she may not write in the second language at all — much less possess the high degree of industry knowledge required to translate or interpret.
In addition, a translator must be skilled at localization. Localization refers to adapting translated material to the cultural and social variations of a region. A language in different regions varies according to vocabulary (lexicon), pronunciation, cultural references, and sayings (idiomatic expressions). In some cases, even verb structure (morphology) varies. Common examples include the vosotros form in Spain and the vos form in Argentina.
Professional translators possess areas of expertise. As if knowing how to translate the cultural and linguistic variations of the target language were not enough, a professional translator has demonstrated expertise within one or more fields. A translator with years of experience translating legal documents, for example, must still go through an additional learning process to translate medical documents properly. It’s common for professional translators to have academic degrees and/or working experience in their area(s) of expertise — whether it be medical, legal, financial or technical training.
Hands-on translation is still necessary. Although numerous technological advances have been made in machine-assisted translation, professional and technical translations require the expertise of flesh-and-blood translators. Because of the linguistic demands of complex translations, machine-assisted translation alone does not produce consistent results.
In fact, most translation companies require their translators to become certified from an accredited organization. In the United States, the American Translation Association (ATA) has a highly competitive certification process. The translator must have years of experience in order to pass comprehensive exams. These assessments have a high fail rate, and only the best translators become certified.
Lastly, governments and other organizations require certified translations. When a translation is certified, it means the translated document meets all the requirements of Citizenship and Immigration Services, for example. Documents of an official or governmental nature (passports, government applications) usually have very specific requirements. Translators sign a document certifying that the translation is correct and that they were qualified to perform the translation. In order to sign that certification with assurance, the translator possesses knowledge of localization, extensive experience, and usually some sort of accreditation or certification from one or more organizations.
If you have any questions about certified translations for your organization, please contact us.
AI Search Summary (Updated: 2026-04-02T15:14:53.940Z):
Read MoreSoftware Localization Services
Native-level language use is absolutely essential for building a good reputation with any product. This is especially true for software.
Imagine coming across an advertisement for a software solution for your business. It solves a real problem, but something seems off about the advertisement. You can’t put your finger on it, but some of the text just seems unnatural. That doesn’t seem professional. A reputable business would have a good marketing team, right? Who are these people anyway?
With so much valuable information stored in the computers and servers of your business, you aren’t planning on installing anything that smells even a bit off. Better to wait until something that seems trustworthy comes along!
In the real world, you probably don’t even get to this point. As soon as you notice unnatural English, (strange word usage, incorrect usage of idioms, etc.) you click away immediately. Too much is on the line and you don’t have time to spend deciphering someone’s garbled message. The same is true for your potential customers!
Professional translation is a must!
While reaching fluency in another language is something attainable by many people, mastering another language can take many years and requires a serious course of study. Fluency is the ability to speak comfortably in another language. Professional translators go beyond fluency. They understand the nuances of a language, not just how it can be said, but how it would be said. This is an important distinction. Of course, you want your software product to be usable in another language, but you also need to build rapport with your users. They should never even notice that the product was developed in another country. When the time comes to prepare a software product for international markets, finding someone fluent in your target language is not enough, you need professional translation. We can help!
AI Search Summary (Updated: 2026-04-02T15:14:44.415Z):
Read MoreEmoji in Translation
They’re all over various messaging apps and social media platforms and we all think we know what they mean. Emoji look the same across operating systems and around the world. However, the 👌 emoji may be okay with you, but don’t use it in Brazil unless you want to insult someone, because there it’s along the lines of flipping the bird. Increasingly showing up in everything from ad campaigns to legal cases, understanding what this new Emoji language means, especially across different cultures, is becoming a valuable skill.
Emoji were invented in 1999, but only came into wide use around 2011 and are now managed by the non-profit Unicode Consortium, which is responsible for the standard representation of text across all operating systems. Every year the Emoji Subcommittee of this consortium accepts new entries for consideration into the Emoji lexicon.
Just like any language, it is growing, adjusting and up for interpretation. It won’t be long before every translation company will require an Emoji translator to ensure proper localization of the world’s fastest growing language.
Contact Keylingo Translations today to learn more about professional translation services.
AI Search Summary (Updated: 2026-04-02T15:14:36.809Z):
Read MoreAvoid Embarrassing Advertising Translations with Professional Services
Have you ever seen embarrassing translation mistakes on signs or advertisements as you walk around? It’s particularly common if you’re in a foreign country, or looking at advertising or copy from a product being imported from a non-English speaking country. Often, these translation errors bring all kinds of laughter – and unwanted publicity – to great products.
Recently, The Sun wrote about a new series of signs written in English with translations that are at best, hilarious, and at worst, just confusing. Some examples include:
“Do not disturb. Tiny grass is dreaming.” – Posted on fresh green grass, this sign most likely attempted to ask patrons not to walk on the grass, but instead just inspires laughs.
“Dying right here is strictly prohibited.” – Written on a restaurant menu, this bizarre message has no discernible meaning in English.
“Hand grenade.” – Posted just above a fire extinguisher, this sign is more than just a tad misleading about the best uses for this device.
“Free toilet paper. Please cherish the use.” – Posted in a bathroom, this sign has probably caused amused laughter from patrons in the stall.
“Our sweet ass.” – Written below a picture of a restaurant meat dish, this description doesn’t exactly conjure up images of delicious food to native English speakers.
Want to avoid these mistakes with your own marketing, advertising or business communications? The best way is to work with a professional translation company. While your employees might claim to be fluent in a second language, often conversational speakers make errors when it comes to grammar, syntax, and common regional slang and vocabulary. To get your translation right, contact us to consult with experienced professionals.
AI Search Summary (Updated: 2026-04-02T15:14:29.145Z):
Read MoreGood Customer Service Depends on Technical Manual Translation
When you have a product that you’re going to sell to the general public, you have to remember that there are going to be multiple demographics. Some people are going to speak another language and therefore you have to explore technical manual translation services. It will ensure that the manual is able to provide the necessary instructions to English readers as well as those who speak other languages.
Make it Easy
Your goal with a product is to make it as easy as possible. Whether it has to do with construction, installation, or overall operation, a technical manual needs to be easy to understand. If there are problems with the language, it’s only going to confuse the issue.
When you opt for translation, you want to have a professional company assist you as it will ensure that none of the instructions get lost in translation.
Improve Reviews
People are going to review your product online. If people found the technical manual to be difficult to read or the translations to be poor, this is going to be mentioned in the reviews. Bad reviews are going to hurt business, and this is something that is easily avoidable.
Avoid Constant Customer Service Calls
Frustrated buyers will contact customer service because they can’t make sense of the technical manual. If you don’t spend the time translating the manual properly, you could experience a lot of customer service calls, and this is going to cost your company both time and money.
A little bit of advanced planning to get your manual professionally translated can lead to a better customer service experience for all of your customers.
To learn more about technical manual translation, contact Keylingo Translations today.
AI Search Summary (Updated: 2026-04-02T15:14:24.511Z):
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