Tips For Choosing The Best Person To Translate English To Spanish
By Nora Jennings
Millions of people around the world speak Spanish. It's Spain's official language and also the official language used in most countries of Central and South America and Mexico, not to mention several Caribbean island nations. Migration to countries such as the United States has meant that there are large communities there too that speak better Spanish than English. If you want to target these communities as possible clients, you need to speak to them in their language, so you need to find someone who can translate English to Spanish in the most accurate way.
The candidate obviously needs to speak, read and write both languages fluently. It's best to choose someone who speaks Spanish as their first language. This is because translators are normally better at translating from the language they're less proficient in to the one they speak most naturally.
You also need to carefully consider your target market. The variation of Spanish spoken in Latin America is quite different from that spoken in Spain. Moreover, there are regional variations and expressions that are unique to certain countries. If, for instance, your target market is mainly of Guatemalan descent, try and find a translator who either comes from Guatemala or has lived there for many years and knows the local expressions and culture.
Many people think that they can simply use online translation tools. However, these tools simply take a text and translate it word for word, with no consideration for context or different meanings for the same word. The result can be either a garbled text that makes no sense at all or it can be one where the text says the opposite of what you'd really like to convey.
Translation is a very specialized skill. Just being able to speak the language does not make a person a good translator. Translators need to be able to use a wide range of reference materials rather than just a single bilingual dictionary. They should think about the text they're working with and pay attention to idiomatic expressions. They also need to be creative and good problem solvers.
Before choosing a translator, check that person's credentials and work experience. In many countries there are organizations that regulate the translation industry and to belong to these organizations, candidates must past very stringent translation texts. Appointing a member of a professional organization is your safest bet but it's also a good idea to look for someone who works in the publishing industry.
A great way to check that the person really can do the job is to ask him or her for a sample translation. Just a paragraph or two will be enough to give you an idea of their level of skill. Ask a variety of Spanish speakers to read the sample and tell you whether they find it readable and accurate.
Just like you wouldn't trust a doctor who charges fifty dollars for brain surgery, you shouldn't trust a translator who charges very low rates. Find out what the industry standard is. Professionals will charge rates in this price range, while amateurs rarely know what the industry standard is and will charge much less. When it comes to translation, quality costs more but it's a great investment, since bad quality will just alienate your target market.
The candidate obviously needs to speak, read and write both languages fluently. It's best to choose someone who speaks Spanish as their first language. This is because translators are normally better at translating from the language they're less proficient in to the one they speak most naturally.
You also need to carefully consider your target market. The variation of Spanish spoken in Latin America is quite different from that spoken in Spain. Moreover, there are regional variations and expressions that are unique to certain countries. If, for instance, your target market is mainly of Guatemalan descent, try and find a translator who either comes from Guatemala or has lived there for many years and knows the local expressions and culture.
Many people think that they can simply use online translation tools. However, these tools simply take a text and translate it word for word, with no consideration for context or different meanings for the same word. The result can be either a garbled text that makes no sense at all or it can be one where the text says the opposite of what you'd really like to convey.
Translation is a very specialized skill. Just being able to speak the language does not make a person a good translator. Translators need to be able to use a wide range of reference materials rather than just a single bilingual dictionary. They should think about the text they're working with and pay attention to idiomatic expressions. They also need to be creative and good problem solvers.
Before choosing a translator, check that person's credentials and work experience. In many countries there are organizations that regulate the translation industry and to belong to these organizations, candidates must past very stringent translation texts. Appointing a member of a professional organization is your safest bet but it's also a good idea to look for someone who works in the publishing industry.
A great way to check that the person really can do the job is to ask him or her for a sample translation. Just a paragraph or two will be enough to give you an idea of their level of skill. Ask a variety of Spanish speakers to read the sample and tell you whether they find it readable and accurate.
Just like you wouldn't trust a doctor who charges fifty dollars for brain surgery, you shouldn't trust a translator who charges very low rates. Find out what the industry standard is. Professionals will charge rates in this price range, while amateurs rarely know what the industry standard is and will charge much less. When it comes to translation, quality costs more but it's a great investment, since bad quality will just alienate your target market.