Translation companies – or translation agencies – need the skills of professional freelance linguists – translators and interpreters – to deliver their services. Conversely, freelance linguists can gain enormous benefits from working for a translation company. This is a true working partnership for a range of reasons.
We can’t stress enough how skilled our freelance linguists are. Many come from a multilingual background – maybe growing up in a multilingual household – but even in those cases a rigorous educational background in languages and in translation is essential. In addition to a degree in languages, in the UK a professional translator’s qualifications may include a post-graduate Diploma in Translation or an MA in Translation Studies such as the one at Lancaster University. For those based in the UK, they may demonstrate their professionalism, and commitment to continual professional development, through membership of the Chartered Institute of Linguists and/or the Institute of Translation and Interpreting. To achieve the goal of producing a translation that reads like it was written in the target language requires a huge range of linguistic, cultural, technical and other skills.
Translators and interpreters seek work either through translation companies or with direct clients. Many like a mixture of the two. Reasons for working through a translation company include:
- Translators specialise in certain fields – it may be technology, patent law, pharmaceuticals, marketing etc etc. Part of the role of a translation company is to ensure that the translator has sufficient knowledge of the client’s domain, and is able to use the correct current terminology. The client can rest assured that the correct language is being used – and the benefit for a freelance translator is that they should only receive relevant enquiries from their partner companies.
- A good translation company will be able to advise clients about the level of service that fits their project. Would they require editing and proofreading of their translations by a second native domain expert? How will feedback from their native-speaker colleagues be integrated into the workflow? Which translation technology is best suited to their needs? At Alexika, for example, we work with market-leading Trados translation environment tools. A translation company will advise on these vital questions, and the translator can concentrate on providing their best work.
- If a client requires translations to a range of languages, for example translating a web site into languages across Europe, a company is ideally placed to assemble a team of freelance linguists. The company will provide a project management service and a single point of contact for the client, and manage deadlines across tasks. A company will also share information around the translator team as they learn about more the client’s linguistic preferences, to provide the best possible overall quality of language. Again, the translator can concentrate on the language.
In summary…the partnership between translation companies and freelance translators is working well when the company is focussed on fulfilling all client needs for each project, and the translator is focussed on producing their best translation. Everyone wins – client, translation company and translator!
For both clients and freelance linguists, it is essential to work with a reputable partner that you can trust. One way of doing this in the UK, is to ensure that the translation company is a member of the Association of Translation Companies.
To discuss your translation needs and requirements, drop us a message today or reach us over the phone on 01943 839227 (+44 1943 839 227 outside of the UK). For professional freelance translators and interpreters looking to partner with us, please complete our ‘Work for us’ form.