MTM LinguaSoft Newsletter, May 2005

Need a quote? What to have ready before requesting a translation quote.

Having a few key facts about your project when requesting a quote for translation, multilingual typesetting or website globalization services, will save you time and ensure that your provider understands well your requirements. With a little preparation on your part, your quote will be more accurate and the chances for a successful completed project will increase. Your quote will also be more precise and and do a better job at revealing exactly where the costs are coming from.

Outlined below are some of the questions you can expect from your provider and the information you should have ready or know where to find.

What language is your document in, and in what language do you want your translation?

While this may sound obvious, there can be a little bit more behind this question than you think. You might also be asked which countri(es) are targeted with the material to be translated or localized as well as the audience of the content. This is important because some languages vary depending on the target country and the audience may influence the writing style, which has to be conveyed in the target language(s).

Need a quote?

For Spanish, depending on the target country, it will be either Latin American or European Spanish which is most commonly used in Spain.

For French, there are substantial differences between what is used for the Canadian market and what is used for the European market.

For Chinese, Traditional Chinese is used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and Simplified Chinese, which is used in Mainland China. To reach the largest audience, it is best to ask for a translation into Traditional Chinese.

For Portuguese, Brazil uses Brazilian Portuguese while Portugal and some African countries used European Portuguese.

In India, there are 12 local languages spoken in addition to English. The language varies according to the geographical location. The four most spoken are Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati and Telugu.

For other languages and countries, please ask your language services provider for assistance.

What is the subject area of your source documents?

Knowing the subject area of your document is required to select the best translator and editor team. The resources allocated to the project will be professional translators who also have experience in the specific subject area. In addition, translation rates can usually be grouped in three categories: general pricing for content such as press releases and sales collateral; semi-technical pricing for content such as user manuals, and marketing brochures; technical pricing for content such as scientific or financial reports and product specifications. If you can't provide the entire source content at the time of quotation, providing a relevant sampling of the source documents will guarantee the most accurate quote.

What are the file formats of your source documents?

The provider will need to know if the source documents are in Word, Excel, Power Point, Publisher, Quark, HTML files, or other. If your source content is currently available in a PDF format, you will be asked to provide the original source file of this document so that the formatting created for the original version can be localized and applied for the target languages.
If you need typesetting services, you will have to provide all the source files with finalized designs (Quark, InDesign, Illustrator files etc.) and all native image files. These files are required to produce print-ready files of the multilingual versions of your content.

What file formats are needed for your target documents?

Usually the target documents are of the same file format as the source documents. However, you may require additional formatting and typesetting in case the source documents were authored in a file format other than what is needed for the final intended usage.

What about word count?

You do not need to know the exact word count of your documents. The provider will figure this out for you.

Do you have previous sample translations for the language pair and subject area?

Your provider may ask you this question in order to re-use previous translations and keep with the writing style of your material.

What if you want to use your own glossary and terminology?

Let your provider know as early as possible in the quoting and translation process. It will be greatly appreciated and improve the consistency of translated materials.

What if you have a website to translate?

It is possible for your language services provider to download your website, analyze the data, and provide you with a cost estimate. But often this method does not prove to be accurate and large inconsistencies can result particularly if you have a dynamic site. The preferred, and most accurate method, is to send all of the source material (i.e., HTML files, images with text, text files, or database records). If you are concerned about confidentiality, do not hesitate to ask your provider to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement.

What about Translation Memory?

If your source content is part of a large corpora to be translated with substantial repetition and/or subject to future revisions, you should discuss the use of a Translation Memory software with your provider. This will ensure that future translations are consistent and that you take full advantage of re-usability of parallel text. Any additional start-up cost for using translation memory will be more than offset by the reduction in time and costs for subsequent translations.

Having considered these questions before you contact your language services provider will help you get an accurate quote with a realistic cost structure and turnaround time. If you have questions or to receive a quote for your translation project, simply call our offices at 215-680-1174 or email info@mtmlinguasoft.com.

Byte Level Announces "Web Globalization Report Card"

In December of 2004, Byte Level published their research report called "The Web Globalization Report Card". This report analyzes 200 companies across 16 industries in an attempt to identify those with websites that combine global reach with local usability.
According to this report, the top 10 global websites for 2004 are:

1. Google
2. HP
3. American Express
4. Philips
5. Skype
6. Ericsson
7. Procter & Gamble
8. Cisco Systems
9. IBM
10. E*Trade

This report also highlights some of the companies whose websites need improvements including Budweiser, Disney, Nike, or Wal-Mart.

Byte Level is a consulting company that offers a range of research reports and guides to help companies make the most of their websites and global strategies.