Before I started working as a freelancer, I worked as a project manager for fifteen years in a number of Belgian translation agencies. While I don’t know how I managed to keep it up for so long, this long period gave me unique insight into how large translation agencies work. It taught me that there […]
The Integrity Threshold Read More »
Many companies manage their translations and written texts without paying much attention to detail. Indeed, it is often the secretary or another employee who takes care of translations, and although they may have studied languages, translation is not their main concern. Sadly, this low-cost choice can damage the company. Indeed, a bad translation or text
Why a professional translation or text is important Read More »
I am a Flemish translator but I translate into Dutch. This one short sentence can lead to so much confusion. I mean… Flemish is a whole different language, is it not? To answer this question, we need to make the distinction between spoken and written language. Spoken language In spoken language there are considerable differences
Translation agencies relish it, professional translators tremble at the thought. So, what do machine translations have to offer, and what not? Let’s start at the very beginning. Before the 1990s, if we wanted to translate a text, we had to consult professional translators trained to use dictionaries and choose the right words. Indeed, since a
Machine/AI translation: Babel or babble? Read More »
The translation of a four-page document can easily cost 120-220 euros. This seems like a lot of money, especially if you need translations into multiple languages or a translation of several documents. Some companies try to get around these costs. They use machine translation, look for cheap (nonprofessional) translators or they ask the receptionist to
Why do translations seem expensive? Read More »
