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Translation English to Italian Guide: Managing Translation TimingThe Translation English to Italian Guide explains how long a translation should take, and how you can manage the timeline to avoid surprises. At the bottom of this page, you'll find information about typical translator prices, along with other helpful articles. (Go to: free online translator English to Italian). How long will your Italian translation take?That depends. As a rough guideline, an experienced freelance translator can often translate about 2500 words a day. But the timing of your specific translation project will depend on a number of factors, so it's important always to ask your translator about timing ahead of time. Factors that can influence timing Translation timing depends on: 1) The specific translator. A translator with more experience will generally translate faster than one starting out. On the other hand, a careless translator will also work much faster than a perfectionist. So if a translator offers you an incredibly fast timing, beware. Good translation takes time. 2) The difficulty of the document. For example, a technical document that requires the translator to do a lot of terminology research can take much longer. On the other hand, if the particular translator is working on a lot of similar documents in the same general subject area, each translation may go a lot faster. "CAT [Computer Aided Translation] tools can save time, but if you don't find the exact term you are looking for, they can sometimes be more time-consuming than looking for the term yourself." - Desiree Cocola, Translator English to Italian More from Desiree in the Translation English to Italian Guide 3) The translator's availability. If you are working with a freelance translator, that translator probably also has projects for other clients. He or she may not be working on your translation full-time. Translation agency timing If your translation is being managed by a translation agency, the timing might be a bit longer, because some additional administrative tasks (and, hopefully, quality checks) will be involved. On the other hand, a freelance translator may not be available to start on your project right away, whereas an agency will normally be working with a network of freelance translators and can look for one with immediate availability. On large projects, agencies may also attempt to save time by dividing the work among several translators. However, dividing the work in this way can be a quality risk, resulting in an inconsistent translation. Rush timing for a higher price Often, freelance translators as well as agencies will agree to offer special "rush" timing for an added cost (for example, an additional 50% over the usual price). So if you have an emergency, be aware that timing is normally negotiable. On the other hand, there are limits to how fast a translator can responsibly work. If you create too much time pressure for your translator, you may end up with quality problems. "Translation shouldn't be faster than 1000 words per hour and a half if it's not your area of specialization. I have translated 1000 words in less than 30 minutes because it was an area where I was doing a lot of similar translations." - Desiree Cocola, Translator English to Italian More from Desiree in the Translation English to Italian Guide What you should expect of your translator In some industries such as the construction business here in Spain, deadlines are relative. Two weeks can really mean three weeks (or three months), and no one is surprised. The good news is that this is not the standard in the translation business. If your translator promises to deliver your translation on Tuesday at two p.m., then you can absolutely expect it on, or before, Tuesday at two p.m.. If a translator sends it on Wednesday instead, that is highly unprofessional behavior, and you'd do well to find a different translator for your next project. Final advice on translation timing Always discuss translation timing before starting the project. Be realistic but clear about your needs, and agree on a deadline from your translator to avoid surprises. We recommend putting your timing agreement in an e-mail or otherwise in writing to avoid misunderstandings later. Translation English to Italian Guide - More ResourcesCompare typical prices for English to Italian translation Get advice on managing your translation project Read a conversation with Desiree Cocola, Translator English to Italian See all topics in the Translation English to Italian Guide |