There are many open source tools for translators which can provide a very cost effective alternativeas.

Open Office

OpenOffice.org 3 is the leading open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more. It is available in many languages and works on all common computers. It stores all your data in an international open standard format and can also read and write files from other common office software packages. It can be downloaded and used completely free of charge for any purpose.

Download from: http://www.openoffice.org/

LibreOffice

LibreOffice is the free power-packed Open Source personal productivity suite for Windows, Macintosh and Linux, that gives you six feature-rich applications for all your document production and data processing needs: Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Math and Base. Support and documentation is free from our large, dedicated community of users, contributors and developers.

Download from: http://www.libreoffice.org/

OmegaT

OmegaT is a free translation memory application written in Java. It is a tool intended for professional translators. It does not translate for you! (Software that does this is called "machine translation", and you will have to look elsewhere for it.) New version of OmegaT supports many files formats including Docx, Xliff, Xml and also Google Translate.

http://www.omegat.org/en/omegat.html

When choosing to translate any form of communication, informing the translator of the purpose of the text is paramount.

Specifying the purpose of the translation will not only ensure that it is fit for purpose, but will also save you time and money. Is the translation required for a short business email, to be published on a website or just to understand the gist of the information?

Literal translations express text word for word and are devoid of any undertone or nuances. They are usually intended to understand the content of the source text, for instance back translations. With literal translation any internal inconsistency or error in the source text will be transferred into the final translation. A publication standard translation; stylistic and professional, is far from the literal example.

For the majority of translations, successfully conveying the meaning of the text is more important than remaining faithful to the original lexis. There are varying degrees of freedom in translation. The translator has to make difficult decisions with regards to grammatical and sentential issues, cultural transposition, tone and social register. To classify a text can be tricky, but the key is to provide as much relevant information as possible. Generally it is clear whether a text is fictional or non-fictional. However, the purpose or context is often a point for clarification. Most non fictional texts can be categorised as below:

Informative (commercial) – magazine article, advertisement,

Informative (persuasive) – political tract, business pitch, marketing communication,

Informative (empirical) – technical manuals

Is the article to convince, inform, inspire, console? The list is endless.

In order to ensure that the translator can classify the material correctly it is important not only to supply the purpose of the text, but also the context in which it will be used. The sentence structure and vocabulary used in the translation will vary according to the information that you provide. For example, the level of language used for a user manual would not be suitable for a magazine article. The purpose of a text will also affect the manner in which cultural references and idiomatic phrases are conveyed.

With regards to context, if the translation is an addition to previous work (in a brochure perhaps), providing any reference material or supplying a glossary of terminology will ensure that the translation is consistent and functional.

Who is the translation aimed at? The target audience plays a vital role in deciding the style and register of the translation. Tone has a great impact on the way the text is received and in turn how successful the translation is.

The amount of information that the translator has will determine the extent to which they can compensate for translation loss in the finished article. Professional translators are trained to recognise the requirements of a text, to make decisions that will effectively communicate the style and meaning and of a text with minimal distortion of the original copy.

A translator’s choice of vocabulary throughout the translation process will directly affect the success of the translation. Providing the purpose and context of the translation will ensure that these decisions are informed decisions.

Charlotte Doyle
Marketing Manager

Have you ever gone to the D.I.Y shop and been confused as to what size nut or screw to use on a project? Do you find it tricky to convert metric to imperial measurements? Have you overestimated how much sugar to add to a recipe with unfamiliar measurements?

At best, the problem may lead to a useless shelf or an overly sweet pudding. At worst, such an error could have life-threatening consequences.

While the world may be shrinking as far as international relations go, most countries retain their own languages, measurement systems, and weights. Is your product measured in ounces or kilograms? Do those specifications need to be written in inches or centimetres? Will it make a difference when creating instruction sheets for the new client? Of course it will!

In today’s society, the global market is wide open for exploration – Only if you can communicate with your target audience. A qualified and dedicated translation team can help avoid critical mistakes.

At TTC we take the time to understand exactly what you need from your translation. We tailor your translation to suit your business. Our team of native speaking translators are also specialists in their respective industries. They will make sure that your translation in culturally accurate as well as linguistically proficient.

Charlotte Doyle
Marketing Manager