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Translator German English Guide: What to Tell Your English German TranslatorThe Translator German English Guide lists key background information that your translator needs to know. At the bottom page, you'll find a guide to typical translator prices, as well as other useful tools. (Or go to: free online translator German English) What Your English German Translator Needs to KnowTo help make your translation project a success, there is certain information you should tell your English German translator in advance. Your translator needs answers to the following questions: - Who is the translation for? Is it aimed at children? At retired people? At computer engineers? Your English German translator will make different choices about style and vocabulary depending on the audience of the translation. - How will the translation be used? Is it for a marketing brochure, an instructions manual, a website? Is it intended to inform, to sell, to entertain, to give instructions? An understanding of the translation's context and purpose will help your English German translator produce a text that gets the job done. "You have to be very clear about how the text is going to be used; for example, if it's for a brochure or a website, and clear about the target audience. Is it for children or young people, or is it something very formal? The target audience is very important to know for advertising and marketing translations." - Katharina Wawrzon, Translator English German German English Translator Guide Interview - What parts need to be translated? If some parts of the document should be left in the original language, or if there is content such as programming code that must not be modified in any way, do not assume that the translator will be able to guess this. Providing specific instructions can save you time and frustration. It can also prevent you from paying for a more extensive translation than you need. - Do you have similar translations or texts in the translator's language? Providing these to the translator as a reference materials can be enormously valuable. If you would like the translator to match the style and terminology used in previous translations, specify this. "Recently, I had to translate a catalogue, and the client provided the catalogue from the previous year. This was really helpful. Of course, the sentences weren't the same, but I could see what things were called." - Linday Gasser, Translator German English German English Translator Guide Interview - Does your company maintain a corporate glossary of approved terms? Some companies maintain such glossaries for internal use. If yours does, try to get permission to share it with your translator. - What format do you want the translator to use? As a general rule, professional translators will follow the format of the original document when they don't receive instructions otherwise. But unless you specify a format for the translation, you can't be sure what you'll get. Do you want the translator to maintain the format of the original? To send you a bilingual document? An HTML file? To do layout work as well as translation (this may have an extra cost or be outside your translator's area of expertise)? Discuss this with your translator. - When do you need the translation? If the translation is truly urgent, inform the translator. There is a limit to how fast someone can responsibly translate, but the translator may be able to reorganize his or her schedule to give your project a higher priority. Often, timing is negotiable, and your translator may be willing to provide rush turnaround in exchange for a higher rate. Read more on translation timing from the Translator German English Guide Translator German English Guide - More ResourcesFind out typical English German translator prices Read about essential translation project management steps Browse all topics in the Translator German English Guide |