It takes more than just the ability to understand two languages.
Professional translators and interpreters have the education, experience, and expertise to understand the nuances in one language and transfer them to another. The right professional will have solid knowledge of your industry and will know how to culturally adapt your content for the target audience you are trying to reach. You only get one chance to make a first impression, so make sure it counts.
Can I afford to hire a professional?
You can't afford NOT to. Getting your message wrong can cost money, ruin your image, and even cost lives. Whether you’re having a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign translated or need an interpreter to communicate treatment options between a doctor and patient, it pays to hire a professional to get the job done right.
Instead of hiring a professional, this restaurant used machine translation and did not realize the result was an error message.
Understanding what’s at stake
ATA publishes articles to illustrate why it is critical to hire qualified translators and interpreters.
Transcreation: Translating and Recreating
Sometimes translating a text isn’t enough: you need more than just a copy of the original text in another language, you need a text that is specifically aimed at your target audience and takes into account their different cultural background. This is when you need to have your text “transcreated” (or “adapted”) rather than simply having it translated. But what…
Read MoreFive ways to increase translation quality while keeping costs under control
Many translation clients wonder how to obtain a high-quality translation within the constraints of a project’s budget. While it’s important to acknowledge that in any industry, quality work is never cheap, here are a few tips to help you make the most of your translation budget: Focus on the value that an excellent translation will add to your bottom line.…
Read MoreTen steps to make your technical translation projects a success
This article describes ten effective steps technical writers, publishers, or communications managers can take to ensure that translation projects go smoothly and to everyone’ s satisfaction. Steps to take before the actual translation 1. Plan ahead Investing a few hours of your time in the preparation of the translation project will pay off greatly. Resist the urge to assign your…
Read MoreWhat do Translation Buyers and Fourth Graders Have in Common?
Most translators and interpreters care deeply about the future of their professions and welcome the opportunity to talk to students of any age about their jobs. This was why I recently leapt at the chance to visit my daughter’s 4th grade class to talk about translation and interpretation. I hope the class came away from my talk with some valuable…
Read MoreWhat is the Difference Between Translation and Interpreting?
The American Translators Association represents both translators and interpreters; in fact, our tagline is “The voice of interpreters and translators.” Translators and interpreters work with languages, but in very different ways: the key difference is that translators work with written words and interpreters work with spoken words. Let’s look at some other important differences between translation and interpreting. Translators write…
Read MoreLooking for a Professional to Handle Your Translation or Interpreting Job?
ATA’s Language Services Directory features the profiles of thousands of translators, interpreters, and companies. You can customize your search by language, specialties, location, credentials, and more. First, a few helpful hints: Translators usually work in one language direction, say English into Italian. They normally translate into their native language only and can be located anywhere around the world since clients…
Read MoreWhy Hire an ATA Member?
ATA members have a commitment to continuing education and are held to the highest professional standards. Feel secure knowing if you’re hiring an ATA member, you’re hiring the best in the business.
The ATA Compass
Our outreach publication provides up-to-date information and resources about the translating and interpreting industry.
What's the difference?
Translators do the writing. Interpreters do the talking. ATA helps you find the right language professional.
Can't a computer do all this?
There are times when machine translation is useful, and times when it's not. Learn when to use Google Translate, and when to hire a professional.