Blooper #8
Whether you have been with Auerbach International for many years or are recently joining us, we are pleased to present another of our Biweekly Bloopers.
As you can tell, the slight misuse of a word – even by people who profess to know English well – can have a very unintended meaning. This is another example of why it is best to rely on professionally trained linguists instead of on software, an office immigrant “who comes from there,” overseas agents or distributors. If you do choose to rely on them, it is best to ask your professional language service to back-translate their work into English, just to ensure that your firm is conveying no unintended (and comical) messages that can damage your image.
Additional Recent and Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to translate my website?
Quick answer: It depends.
First, the proper term for converting websites into other languages is Localization. That’s because translation is just one of the phases. Others could include laying out charts and graphics, internationalizing the text and engineering the code.
To obtain a quote for your website, we will need to know:
- which languages and/or countries you are targeting;
- your budget range, if available. We have various pricing options and will present one or two that come close.
- which links you do or don’t want localized. For example…
- How many years of news or PR stories should we evaluate?
- Should we include your product PDF brochures or website videos?
- If so, all or just some?
Before we quote, we may need to have a five- to ten-minute phone conversation with you to clarify or discuss options. These can involve:
- Whether you want the full site, an abridged site or a summary site done.
- Payment methods from overseas on e-commerce or similar sites. The common methods here may not work from there.
- Whether you want us to use professionally trained translators (highest quality and for technical text) or qualified and tested translators (for simple sites and non-technical text).
The localization process (view video) itself can go very quickly: a few days for a simple site, around a week or two for a very complex site.
The biggest and first challenge is to determine with you or from your side what parts you want done.
If I localize my website, how will I understand the incoming responses? I don’t speak other languages.
Quick answer: No problem. We do, and we can empower you to also.
- For incoming written email responses, just send them to us. We will translate them into English, and translate your English replies into the target language.
- If you want to speak to your prospect, you can through our Instant telephonic Interpreting service 24/7. You simply call a provided toll-free number, enter your assigned access and PIN codes, and chose from a menu of 150 languages. Within seconds you will be connected to a telephonic interpreter through whom you can have a three-way conversation with your non-English prospect in another country … or in your office.
Use this service to make a sale, seal a deal or cultivate relationships. Please contact me to get set up, with no obligation to use it.