Translation Options: Agency, French to English Translator, Free English to French Translations Box...?Freelance French to English translator, agency, or free English to French translations tool... which translation option should you choose? This article will help you make the best decision for your project and your budget. Here is an an overview of different French translation options, and the pros and cons of each one depending on your specific needs. - Machine translator: Automatic translators are an easy and almost instantaneous way to get free French to English translations. They are a great solution when you want to look up a specific word, or, for example, if you get an e-mail in French and want to know if it is spam or a message from a client. However, we do not recommend using machines for important English to French translations, or for any translation that you will be sending to other people. How bad can free English to French translations be? You can get an idea by looking at machine translations from French to English. For example, here's part of a French Wikipedia page about the former U.S. president Bill Clinton that was translated to English using a popular online French to English translator. The result: "C' is at the time of the interrogations at the time of this lawsuit, which goes jusqu' at the Supreme court in May 1997, that Clinton makes its statements relating to Monica Lewinsky, a trainee of the White House, with which it denies to have had some relation that it is, which will be worth l' to him; charge of perjury by the prosecutor Kenneth Starr. In Clinton v. Jones (in), the Court judges qu' a President-in-Office can be continued to the civilian for acts made before his taking of and without relationship with this one. " Machines often translate in a way that sounds funny or doesn't make sense. And you might end up with a French translation that says something you didn't mean to say. So use free English to French translations with extreme caution. Again: you can use machine translators as tools to help you read, but don't trust them to help you communicate. - Amateur translator: There are lots of people who speak French -- either because they have studied it in school or because they come from a French-speaking background. For casual French translation, where the quality is not important, you may be able to find a friend, student, or colleague who can help you out, saving you the expense of professional translation services. However, keep in mind that speaking a language and knowing how to translate are two different things. If you plan to publish the translation or send it to a client -- if the quality matters -- then you are much safer going to a professional English to French or French to English translator. - Professional freelance translator: Finding a good freelance English to French or French to English translator can be a way to get a top-quality translation for a lower cost than what you'd likely pay if you went to a translation agency. The economic advantages of a freelancer versus an agency can be especially significant if you need a very small French translation, since agencies tend to apply high minimum charges. On the other hand, the success of this strategy depends on choosing the right person, and if you don't speak French, it can be very difficult to evaluate a French translator's skills or to make sure that the translator is sending you high-quality work. And if your translation is in multiple languages, it may just not be feasible to manage the process yourself. "Hiring a freelance translator will cost you less, but you have to choose well. It could turn out badly, or it could turn out well. You need to know how to make the right choice. But if you don't need something translated to three languages, if it is just from one language to another, then it will be less expensive. On the other hand, if you need something translated to three different languages, you send that to an agency, because you're not going to go looking for three translators. And if it's a big project, many agencies will give you a discount, while with a freelance translator, I'm not so sure. Agencies are more likely to offer sales promotions because they are companies." - Perrine Souffez, Spanish and English to French Translator and Project Manager - Translation agency: A good translation agency will provide a complete service. They will find you the right English to French or French to English translator, manage the project and timing, and check the quality of the translator's work. Sending your translation to a reputable agency is a quick and low-stress solution. Of course, you pay for this extra value that the agency provides. Most translation agencies source work to a network of freelance translators, and they often charge their clients twice as much as the freelancers are charging them. "You have to decide how big your translation job is and how critical it is to your business. If it's a big job, get an agency." - Lindsay Gasser, German, Dutch, and French to English Translator More free English to French translations articlesGet advice on choosing the right translation agency Get advice on choosing the right freelance English to French or French to English translator See examples of prices for English to French translations View all free English to French translations resources
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