Spanish Translation Facts

• On average, Spanish produces 20 % more words.

• In the industry, the word Translation refers to the written work, verbal work is interpreted. Sometimes misconstrued, the word translation is applied to verbal work. The only time it could be applied in such context is when the interpreter is presented with a document that has to be read on the spot (sight translated).

• Whenever page numbers are referenced in the original file i.e.. "See explanation on page 290", the Spanish version of that same reference may appear on a different page.

Frequently asked questions

1. What are Direct Rates and how are quotes based?

2. Which is the format of choice for sending files?

3. My files are too big and I am not able to send them, is there a solution?

4. What is web site localization and how are websites translated and quoted?

5. What is the average turn-around time?

6. What forms of payment are accepted and how am I billed?

7. Are there any alternate ways for sending the material to be translated?

8. What is scanning and OCR?

9. Privacy / Security concerns?

What are Direct Rates and how are quotes based?

One of the key benefits of this electronic age is the empowerment of individual professionals; leveling the field, enabling them to offer you expertise and services which are highly integrated and dedicated to your special needs, while providing the same quality standards. Direct Rates play an important role and affect your budget in a very positive way. You benefit from direct  customer-to-translator contact, accountability, and very fair prices, among other benefits. Every Spanish translation job is quoted and prices are based on the word count.

Which is the format of choice for sending files?

It all depends, some businesses use MSWord or WordPerfect for their text based work; tables and so on, while other customers have particular needs and use other formats such as CS, FM, PM, QuarkXpress, InDesign, HTML, DHTML, XMILE, flash, Wav, MP3 files, etc. We currently use approximately 170 up-to-date software titles to guarantee seamless integration with your actual content. Live sites can be imported locally in their entirety and the final product delivered as an exact replica of the original, in Spanish or in any of the additional languages we offer, of course. As an added bonus, we will include a FREE PDF version of all your Word files, which is an ideal way to have your unaltered material readily available for inter/intranet electronic archiving and distribution. We need editable electronic files in your preferred format. We do not work with handwritten content.

My files are too big and I am not able to send them, is there a solution?

Yes, there is. The latest and full version of PKZIP for Windows allows you to create split archives on your local hard disks by setting Create Split archive in Options|Compress. You can also specify the size of the split segments. We could also set up an easy to follow FTP (File Transfer Protocol) session within minutes so you can send the files to our server from anywhere in the world.

Fonts. If your file contains unusual fonts that you wish to keep on the translated version, please include them along with your file.

What is web site localization and how are websites translated and quoted?

Web site localization refers to the linguistic adaptation of a web site into the target language(s) needed. We have professional tools that allow us to map and import your entire site and store it locally, regardless of platform. Upon extraction, our state of the art web site cost estimating software allows us to give you an exact price estimate based on all defined parameters, taking every crucial aspect into account. On the translation side, the files are then opened in their native format and translated directly by a qualified human and experienced full time translator to produce a culturally adapted replica of the original without affecting its format or functionality. Stringent revisions are performed to assure integrity. Jpeg, gif, bmp files also need to be translated whenever they contain text. To further increase your savings and since your webmaster already has the original files, we will provide a structured list of their Spanish translation so she/he can do it. Of course, new ones can also be created for you at an additional cost. Every single page, voice, video, flash, gif, jpeg file that needs to be quoted and/or translated will be included. Your website will be an original version, every single font, color, attributes, java classes, effects and so on, will be a perfect duplicate, in fact not a duplicate, it could very well be called another master Spanish (or specified language) site. A 100% functional and professionally translated site to project the image you have built and deserve, one that will target a specific sector and serve your customer base as intended. Increase awareness of your products and services 365 days a year, 24 hours a day! We will also suggest little known secrets and provide you with a list of enhancements you never thought of that will dramatically improve critical aspects. Now, the bad part... "Caveat emptor" I have seen web sites translated by 'that special bilingual someone' which leave a lot to be desired, incongruent statements and grammatical horrors abound, laughable mistakes and even sexually offensive connotations. Do not gamble with your image, professionalism and future. You've invested a lot of time and money to guarantee a measured level of success, stay on track and don't compromise your objectives. Please do yourself a big favor and become part of the select group of individuals and companies that don't settle for less just because, do your part in stopping the on-line desecration of the Spanish language, so common these days. Please help preserve the highest standards by having your website and all your material professionally translated right and beautifully the first time. After all, would you replace a seasoned pilot with a normal airline passenger and let him handle your expensive machinery and critical mission just because he has accumulated frequent flyer miles or for the heck of it?. While the need to save a buck here and there is understandable, you will always get what you paid for, the results...well, predictable. Our direct-rate and expertise combination is practically unbeatable. Ask for a link to a live site I translated so you can see the results for yourself, you will appreciate the quality, specially if you are bilingual. All of our clients are repeat customers!

What's the average turn-around time?

Each document's word volume, content and technical level is different, you will receive a delivery date based on the relevant parameters. Translation is our full time business and we pride ourselves in producing outstanding results. We love punctuality and have enjoyed a good name since 1980, always delivering on or before the deadline. We offer same day translations for press releases, annual reports and brief presentations.

What forms of payment are accepted and how am I billed?

Some payments are due upon delivery, other payments are 15 or 30 net; electronic payments are available via credit card through a secure server. A personal or company check from individuals and companies based here in the United States will be accepted as well. An invoice requiring payment in full will be issued and either emailed, faxed or mailed upon completion.

Either purchase orders or a duly executed authorization or contract (we supply it) is needed to start any translation work.

A 50% deposit is required before starting any translation project and from all individuals and all companies contracting our translation services from outside the United States, the remaining balance due upon delivery.

Are there any alternate ways for sending the material to be translated?

Yes. The fastest and most effective way of receiving content from you is of course in the form of an editable/electronic file such as Word, WordPerfect, FM, PDF, Quark Xpress, HTML, DHTML, XMIL, flash file, etc., in order to minimize time-consuming scanning, OCR, importing and formatting costs associated with print-only material.

While you can send the material in any format, editable/electronic files of any type and regardless of version, such as Word, WordPerfect, Quark Xpress, FrameMaker, etc., are an all time favorite, highly regarded, widely supported and are given a higher priority than say, mailed print-only or faxed ones. Material whose content is already available in any editable/electronic format will be finished much sooner than print-only content, saving you time and money. Please proofread your file and make sure it does not contain mistakes, typos and so on. Do not send print-only material if you are not prepared to absorb the slightly higher cost involved when working with non-electronic files. Please tell us which version should your files be saved as, we use the latest versions of software and can save the files as older versions as well..

What is scanning and OCR?

Scanning and Optical & Character Recognition is the process in which the pages of a document that are only available in print form are passed through a scanner and then Recognized by special software so the text can be extracted and transformed into a readable, editable/ electronic format, imported into a word processing program in order to obtain an accurate word count and be able to provide a price quotation. It is a dedicated time consuming process and there is a charge of $15.00 dollars per page associated with it. Note: there are no programs available anywhere that allow the extraction of words from any finished or locked graphic files sent electronically. They have to be reproduced manually! 

There is no charge for price quotations based on files that are sent to us or that are already available in any editable/electronic format available whose word content CAN be extracted and or counted. Please send all editable/electronic files by clicking here.

What about proofreading?

There is only one type of proofreading to be performed on professionally rendered conveyances and a few misconceptions. For starters, proofreading the not uncommon, non-professionally translated botched-up or machine translated job is not recommended, it's proven to be a waste of time and very costly in many ways, the time already lost by you because of the money paid for that initial job; lost revenue due to an imprecise, mediocre and embarrassingly misinforming translation that mocks the Spanish language has already given your products or service an undeservedly awful image and/or much worse it is a lawsuit waiting to happen. We do not and will not proof any machine/software generated mistranslations. If that is your case, the only way is to translate the document correctly and professionally from scratch. The wrong “translation,” in the long run, will cost far more than an expertly rendered one.

The other form of proofreading is the well-known task performed on a professionally (delightfully) translated file where the purpose is to find typos, punctuation and small but important details that could be enhanced here and there. Corrections  used to be done with a pencil and paper in the old days. In this age of computers, it's the golden age for translations produced by humans, not machines. We use the latest state of the art equipment, industry specific tools and processes that are specifically applied to each file, guided, typed and controlled by the eyes and brains of a native speaker. The process itself leaves minor room for errors. It guarantees the greatest  degree of consistency, readability, register, cultural awareness, aspects that are all conjugated by a human in order to produce outstanding results. Our know-how and constant reinvestment in technology make us the leading and ideal provider of linguistic solutions that speak for themselves. We do translations and we do them right the first time around, to guarantee your return! We'd love to hear from you!

Privacy / Security concerns?

Nothing to worry about; your files are safe with us. We have been issued security certificates; our files are safe and scanned for viruses before delivery. All files sent back to you carry digital certification. To enhance security while in transit through cyberspace, they can also be encrypted using state of the art encryption algorithms at your request, or we may choose to encrypt any and all sensitive material. That being the case, they will be "for your eyes only" and only you will have knowledge of the password needed to (unencrypt) open them, unless you decide to share it that is. We currently handle and have handled very sensitive material such as personal files for divorce proceedings, interdictions, taped evidence, domestic abuse, child abuse, proprietary training manuals and presentations, software, releases, formulas, presentations, proprietary product databases, medical databases, drug & medication databases, settlements, etc. We respect our clients information and privacy, nothing has been or will ever be disclosed to third parties. Our pledge to you... your material will be handled with utmost professionalism and under strict confidentiality, just as we would expect ours to be handled if that were the case.

Do you have any questions I may answer? Please write to me, I'll be delighted to answer them!

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