Before deciding whether to opt for “human” translation or automatic translation answer these five questions:
- 1.Do you need a translation or do you just need to get the gist of the text?
- 2.Is your document of a technical or stylistic nature?
- 3.Is your document strategically important? Are the stakes high?
- 4.Would thorough proofreading be necessary or simply a waste of time?
- 5.Would you be happy with a translation that is a little clumsy even after it has been proofread?
If you answered:
- 1.Getting the gist
- 2.Technical
- 3.Not strategically important/the stakes are not high
- 4.A quick check will suffice
- 5.It does not really matter how the final document reads
Why not give automatic translation a try?
As far as free translation goes, Google Translate has a rather good database, is quick and is constantly being improved. So, why spend more?
But if you answered:
- 1.The content is important for me
- 2.The document uses nuanced and stylistic language
- 3.The text being properly understood will have an impact on business or something else
- 4.The text needs to be really clear and easy to read
- 5.My image is at stake
Then… automatic translation is not what you need!
Automatic translation can never replace human translators who know how to deal with nuances of language and, even once it has been proofread, an automatic translation will remain rather flat, even if it is correct. So, if you need your document to entice and to grab the reader, if your image is at stake and if, for example, it is of importance for your business, use a professional translator. A bad translation may cost you a lot.
At CG, we take great pride in offering useful and high-quality translation services. We like to be proud of the quality we deliver and our top concern is our customers’ image.