FAQs: Translations Process Questions
What does your QA process look like?
Our translation experts are highly skilled professionals with subject-matter expertise and advanced degrees in a wide range of disciplines. All translators have advanced written fluency in both English and their native language. The medical translators are HIPAA certified, and all are bound by strict confidentiality and privacy agreements. They are also required to adhere to industry best practices.
Once a project is approved it is translated by a qualified translator, who is a native speaker of the target language and has the proper subject matter expertise. The translation is then reviewed and proofread by a second, equally qualified translator to ensure accuracy. Then, the text is formatted back into the source file and reviewed again to ensure that the translation wasn’t corrupted during the process. Lastly the translation and formatting are reviewed by a project manager to ensure that all client specifications have been met before sending the completed project back.
In cases where we obtain feedback from a client regarding either errors or (more often) preferential changes to the translation, the project is sent back to the translator for review and implementation. Preferential changes (synonymic changes to how a client would like a word or phrase translated) are also saved in the client’s translation memory for future reference, so the same changes don’t need to be requested each time.
Do you ever use AI to translate text?
No. All of our translations are done by human translators. We do not recommend using AI or any platform of machine translation for more than a single word. The benefits of using human translation include:
- Humans understand culture
- Humans can connect content and context
- Humans can better replicate tone and style
- Humans understand your target audience in a way that machines cannot
- Machine translation does not protect your personal data
Machine translation often misses key things in translation, including idiomatic expressions and colloquial language, cultural context, words with multiple meanings, misinterpretation of sentiments, issues with brand names and technical terms, and it often introduces errors in grammar and syntax.
How long will it take to translate my project?
The short answer: It depends!
Each project is unique, and we consult with our team about every project, as they are the experts on how long it will take them to translate any given document. Because of this, we can only quote turnaround times once we have your files in hand and they have been reviewed by our team.
Turnaround times depend on three factors: language rarity, amount of text, and formatting work required. As a general rule, projects in common languages with little text and formatting work can be completed faster, whereas projects in rare languages with a lot of text and formatting work may take longer.
What if I need my project done as fast as possible?
Rush turnaround times are often available. Please ask us!
Please include the date and/or time you need the project completed by; this will help our team determine if we can meet your request.
Rush pricing is charged as a percentage of the total project fee, and is typically 25% of the total project cost, with some exceptions.
Don’t see the answer to your question?
Email us at translations@certifiedlanguages.com. We are here to help!