When you are considering translating your documents, you likely have a lot of questions. One of the first questions that probably comes to mind is do you really need to hire a professional translation company? There seems to be so many free or low-cost options available, why pay extra money when you don’t have to? These, and other questions are important to ask when you have documents that need translating. It is critical that you get some answers before you translate your documents to prevent any costly or time-consuming problems before they arise.
Can’t I just get a bilingual friend to translate my documents?
If you know or work with someone who is bilingual, you may consider them for your document translation. After all, you probably have seen them communicate fluently just fine between languages many times in the past. Unfortunately, carrying on conversations in two languages and translating documents are completely different; there could be industry-specific jargon, formatting issues, and privacy concerns to consider.
What about Google Translate?
While Google has made some updates and improvements to Google Translate, the service is still lacking in many areas. The algorithm off which it operates scans through all human-translated documents and makes its translation based off of probability. There are many risks involved with relying on such a service such as: absence of cultural sensitivity, lack of accountability, nonexistent formatting, and a subpar overall accuracy.
Will my privacy be protected?
If your documents have any sensitive information in them, really the only responsible way to have them translated is by partnering with a professional translation company. Having personal information leaked could have disastrous consequences that could result in an endless number of lengthy ramifications. Saving yourself the headache of dealing with such an outcome by paying for a professional translation will definitely save you time, money, and sanity in the long run.
Will my documents look the same?
One of the services offered by a truly great translation company is typesetting. Typesetting is the process of matching the formatting of your translated document to that of your original document. While it does not seem all that important, improper formatting can have a dramatically negative impact on your translated documents. Strings of text could become separated and the overall look of your document can become drastically skewed, making it look sloppy and even nonsensical.
What about documents that need to be certified?
A reputable translation company will have no problem certifying or notarizing your documents that they’ve translated. If you need verification for school, immigration, or any other institution requiring authentication, a responsible translation agency will not only provide an accurate translation, but any necessary certifications as well.
While it may be tempting to take shortcuts by outsourcing your translation needs for free or low-cost, be warned that it could very well cost you much more time and money in the end to repair the damage done by a bad translation. The only way to get your documents translated accurately and with consideration to your privacy, formatting, and certifications is to partner with a professional translation agency.
Have more questions about translating your documents? Contact us for a free consultation today!