(and why is this information not available?)
See conclusion at the end of the document
Have you ever tried looking up definitive rates for a project you want translated? Did you feel that it’s hard to get a decent answer without asking for a quote? Even AI doesn’t have only one answer, and the price per word seems to fluctuate from 0,04 to 0,40 euros. While wanting to stay fully transparent, we don’t want to promise something and change our demands afterwards.
The reason is that often, there are many steps that are included in the service. First of all, there is casual translation that can be quick and provided with little effort. And then there’s highly regulated, ISO 17100 certified translation services that come with a quality and qualification stamp. This might interest you, if you have a product that you wish to sell abroad. And then there is everything in between. If your text is short, coherent, well formulated and correct, you’ll be done quickly.
However, in 90 % of the cases translation and localization isn’t just words on a paper. It’s a full service of introducing a whole corporate lingo into a new market, researching the target audience for the client, providing social media, metatext and website localizations.
The source material will always have to be analysed internally. This helps us determine the applicable scope of the project along with required special qualifications, and the quality of the source. If the material is in a non-translatable format, this will require an extra step, if not two. The complete workflow in accordance with ISO 17100 contains the following steps:
ISO 17100 service |
|---|
| Preparing the project files for translation |
| Contextual analysis of the material |
| Translation |
| Review |
| Proofreading by a second linguist |
| Quality assurance and desktop layout |
| Delivery of a finished product |
Because every client has their own needs, we will evaluate, which parts of the standard have already been filled, and if the client needs an ISO compliant service.
For example: Did you already translate your text in-house, and need a proofreading service? Do you only need quality assurance from a linguist? Do you need to review your source first, or do you need help in writing your source before we start translating?
How about machine assisted translation?
If your interested in exploring machine assisted translation, the following workflow is necessary:
MT and NMT(AI) assisted service (according to ISO 18587)
We offer a free consultation service to talk about how we can use AI in translation responsibly.
| Preparing the project files for translation |
| Contextual analysis of the material |
| Translation by MT/NMT(AI) |
| Post Editing |
| Proofreading by a second linguist |
| Quality assurance and desktop layout |
| Delivery of a finished product |
Computer assisted translations
We have access to the most recent CAT-software solutions that help us speed up the work, maintain consistency, and adhere to your style. A specialized software can help make longer projects more affordable. With a dynamic translation memory, we can reuse old material with high precision. If 50 % of a previous file can be used again for an updated version, you can save up to 60 % of the rate. And this will accumulate in time, as our TM and term base grows.
Conclusion
There are several things that can affect the price. We have to consider the following:
- Where do you need the service to come in? How much is handled in-house, for example by your marketing team?
- Do you need full ISO compliance?
- Is your material specialized or general?
- Is your file format suitable for editing/processing?
- Is it a onetime thing, or a continuing project?
