Millions of people around the world speak Spanish. It's Spain's official language and also the official language used in most countries of Central and South America and Mexico, not to mention several Caribbean island nations. Migration to countries such as the United States has meant that there are large communities there too that speak better Spanish than English. If you want to target these communities as possible clients, you need to speak to them in their language, so you need to find someone who can translate English to Spanish in the most accurate way.
When choosing a translator, you need to look for someone who speaks and writes both languages fluently. Translators often do their best work when translating from another language into their mother tongue. Because of this, it's best to choose a translator whose mother tongue is Spanish.
You also need to carefully consider your target market. The variation of Spanish spoken in Latin America is quite different from that spoken in Spain. Moreover, there are regional variations and expressions that are unique to certain countries. If, for instance, your target market is mainly of Guatemalan descent, try and find a translator who either comes from Guatemala or has lived there for many years and knows the local expressions and culture.
Forget about trying to save money by using translation computer software. These programs are good for looking up separate words, like you would with a bilingual dictionary. However, they ignore context and phrases and give you an end product that is at best inaccurate and at worst completely unintelligible.
Translation is a very specialized skill. Just being able to speak the language does not make a person a good translator. Translators need to be able to use a wide range of reference materials rather than just a single bilingual dictionary. They should think about the text they're working with and pay attention to idiomatic expressions. They also need to be creative and good problem solvers.
A great starting point when trying to find real translators is to see whether they belong to any kind of professional translators' association. These groups don't allow just anybody to become a member but use stringent tests to decide whether someone's work is of a high enough standard before granting them membership. Another good indication of whether someone will be up to the task is to see whether they have any experience of translating for the publishing industry, which also has very high standards.
It's perfectly acceptable to ask a candidate to provide you with a sample translation first. In fact, it's often a good idea to do this in order to see that the person is the right one for the job. Have the sample checked by several Spanish speakers. It may even be worth asking a professional editor to go over the sample.
When you advertise for a translator and are inundated with applications, look at the rates that the candidates charge. Professionals usually charge higher rates that are in accordance to industry standards and they quote on a per-word basis. When someone quotes a very low rate, it's often an indication that they're out of touch with the industry and will give you substandard work.
When choosing a translator, you need to look for someone who speaks and writes both languages fluently. Translators often do their best work when translating from another language into their mother tongue. Because of this, it's best to choose a translator whose mother tongue is Spanish.
You also need to carefully consider your target market. The variation of Spanish spoken in Latin America is quite different from that spoken in Spain. Moreover, there are regional variations and expressions that are unique to certain countries. If, for instance, your target market is mainly of Guatemalan descent, try and find a translator who either comes from Guatemala or has lived there for many years and knows the local expressions and culture.
Forget about trying to save money by using translation computer software. These programs are good for looking up separate words, like you would with a bilingual dictionary. However, they ignore context and phrases and give you an end product that is at best inaccurate and at worst completely unintelligible.
Translation is a very specialized skill. Just being able to speak the language does not make a person a good translator. Translators need to be able to use a wide range of reference materials rather than just a single bilingual dictionary. They should think about the text they're working with and pay attention to idiomatic expressions. They also need to be creative and good problem solvers.
A great starting point when trying to find real translators is to see whether they belong to any kind of professional translators' association. These groups don't allow just anybody to become a member but use stringent tests to decide whether someone's work is of a high enough standard before granting them membership. Another good indication of whether someone will be up to the task is to see whether they have any experience of translating for the publishing industry, which also has very high standards.
It's perfectly acceptable to ask a candidate to provide you with a sample translation first. In fact, it's often a good idea to do this in order to see that the person is the right one for the job. Have the sample checked by several Spanish speakers. It may even be worth asking a professional editor to go over the sample.
When you advertise for a translator and are inundated with applications, look at the rates that the candidates charge. Professionals usually charge higher rates that are in accordance to industry standards and they quote on a per-word basis. When someone quotes a very low rate, it's often an indication that they're out of touch with the industry and will give you substandard work.
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