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The Welsh on this sign actually says, "I am not in the office at the moment. Send any work to be translated."

In most cases, when you send something out to be translated, you will not be able to tell whether the translator got it right. After all, you usually don't know the other language.

This sign in Wales is an extreme example of what can happen when you just take it for granted that what any translator sends you will be fine. Apparently, the sign maker mistook the Welsh translator’s automatic email response for a translation of the English text they sent.

As you can see, a poor translation can make you look silly and, more importantly, can cost a lot of money – in this case, money to redo a highway sign.

Using a professional language service provider (LSP) can take a lot of the worry out of ordering translation. Because LSPs have access to a large number of linguists, they can make sure that the translation is independently checked before it's delivered.

Access to a network of translators has other important advantages. For each job, an LSP can locate translators and proofreaders with expertise in that particular subject area. You also don’t have to worry about a translator being too busy to do your work, because the LSP can locate other translators when necessary.

If you require translations in a number of languages, using an LSP is even more essential. Do you want one of your employees, probably with no particular skill in this area, to take the time needed to locate and screen translators in various languages and act as the coordinator for multilingual projects? Their time can be better spent doing the work of your business, while professionals take care of the translation process.

And getting good translation done without any hassle isn’t the only way in which an LSP is superior:

• LSPs generally offer related services such as multilingual desktop publishing and website and software localization, so you don’t have to go from vendor to vendor to get a complex project done or to get all your language needs met.


• With an LSP, all your past projects will be on file for future reference.


• The use of terminology management tools, such as translation memories and glossaries, will keep your translations consistent and maximize reuse of previously translated content.

In other words, using an LSP can save you time, worry, hassles and money.

All LSPs are not created equal, so when you’re choosing an LSP make sure you ask questions about the size of their network, their use of terminology management tools, and all the services they provide.

Or, just come to MTM LinguaSoft for all your language needs.

	Deputy Secretary of Commerce Dennis Hightower

President Obama's State of the Union Address was notable for its emphasis on initiatives to increase exports, especially exports by small businesses. Doubling exports over the next five years came third on his list of measures to promote job creation. He further announced the launch of "a National Export Initiative that will help farmers and small businesses increase their exports and reform export controls consistent with national security."

From other sources, it appears that steps towards this goal had already begun inside the administration. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Dennis Hightower was recently the keynote speaker at the Global Business Conference sponsored by the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia. According to Hightower, Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke had already convened a new coordinating committee last fall to promote cooperation between government agencies in trade promotion. Hightower also stated that trade regulations and licensing procedures that date from the Cold War era are being reevaluated with a view to making them less restrictive.

On January 22 of this year, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) held a conference, open to the public, entitled "Jobs on Main Street, Customers Around the World: A Positive Trade Agenda for US Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises." In addition to the USTR, representatives of the Small Business Administration and the Commerce Department spoke about Administration efforts to promote exports.

Ron Kirk, the current US Trade Representative, also took the opportunity to announce the appointment of Jim Sanford to the new position of Assistant United States Trade Representative (AUSTR) for Small Business, Market Access, and Industrial Competitiveness.

All in all, the signs are that small- to mid-sized businesses will get increased support from this administration in their attempts to market overseas.

In the Philadelphia area, the U.S. Export Assistance Center will take the lead in efforts to support the export initiative. For more information, contact Tony Ceballos, Director, Philadelphia USEAC (215) 597-7141 or visit www.buyusa.gov/philadelphia.