There are two approaches to translation in business: the “commodity” approach and the “service” approach. Those who tend to see a translation as a commodity believe that all translations are the same, and that the only differentiating element is price. Just as with...
Blog
Raymond Chandler and the split infinitive
Raymond Chandler to his editor, 1948: 'Would you convey my compliments to the purist who reads your proofs and tell him or her that I write in a sort of broken-down patois, which is something like the way a Swiss waiter talks, and that when I split an infinitive, God...
QuickSilver’s Audiovisual department
Earlier this year, QuickSilver inaugurated its Audiovisual department, headed by Verónica López. Do check here for an overview of what we do; below, you will find a more in-depth look at the services offered by the AV department. We have examined in turn the various...
Which languages do you need to translate into?
Which languages you translate your documentation into is a function of your business objectives. This sounds straightforward enough, but the problem arises when you’re not sure whether your potential Chinese customers prefer Simplified or Traditional Chinese, say, or...
Accuracy in technical translations
In a certain sense, one of the easiest types of document to translate are those which contain very little text, all of which is functional and explanatory - a technical manual for example. In this case, the key thing is to translate what few words there are as closely...
The importance of website localization
These days, everyone has a website. In certain cases it is not always clear why a company needs a website - not to mention a social networking presence - but the fact is that being behind the curve in web technology almost invariably loses you business. For most...
Why a language service provider should specialise
Most of the documents that a given company produces will be highly targeted. As we have emphasised here many times, effective documentation should have a clearly defined audience. In the same way, the translation of that document will fall into a correspondingly...
The curious etymology of gloss
Glossolalia is a lovely word. It means 'speaking in tongues', or, as Wikipedia has it, 'the fluid vocalizing…of speech-like syllables, often as part of religious practice’. Let's leave aside the question of whether this phenomenon is indicative of divine possession or...
The importance of translating marketing collateral
In an increasingly globalised and borderless world, communicating your global message to local markets is more important than ever. The quality of your translated content speaks volumes for your own commitment to quality and respect for local cultures. The public face...
The cost of translation: towards a more nuanced perspective
Often, the first thing people want to know when they need a professional translation is how much it is going to cost. This is clearly a crucial question, but one which becomes more nuanced as we start delving deeper into the nature of translation. In short, there are...