Articles for Translators and Translation Companies
Translation Industry
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Do
We Really Need Translation Standards After All?
The statements made and opinions expressed herein reflect only my personal views on the topic under discussion. In no way do they represent or convey the official position or doctrine of any official body or organization of any country on these matters. And I take responsibility for any error, inaccuracy, omission, or misjudgement found herein…
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Translations.com
- Alchemy Merger Story
CSN: Tony, I saw it mentioned that the purchase
process for Alchemy was a competitive situation and that Translations.com
was the high bidder. Was there anything else driving the Board’s
decision besides maximizing their investment?…
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the full article…
Meet
CSN's Shaun Daggett
Over the years McElroy Translation has had a close relationship
with one our industry's great resources, ClientSide
News. The founder and CEO of this organization, Shaun
Daggett has not only been a thought leader in the translation/localization
industry through this innovative organization, but has
also provided insightful guidance to McElroy Translation.
We thought it would be fun for the readers of E-Buzz
to get to know him as we have”…
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Thou
shall have Transparent and Free Translation Management
Systems
According to research performed by Common Sense Advisory
and published in Multilingual Magazine in January of
2007, only 14% of 236 surveyed language service providers
(LSPs) claim that many or some of their clients use
TMS. Later in 2007, Ben Sargent of Common Sense Advisory
stated that “the market is developing faster than
we predicted”. Ben added “if they [LSPs]
expect to be competitive in 2010, we recommend that
they invest in process automation technology within
the next twelve months.”…
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the full article…
The
evolution of localization tools
Some time ago, only few people knew about software localization
tools, but now such tools have become an essential part
of software development process. This article tells
about transformation of localization software from simple
tools developed in-house to powerful software suites
that support multiple platforms and languages, provide
advanced functionality and make software localization
affordable to any company…
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the full article…
Driving
Growth through Entrepreneurship within the Organization
Merger and acquisition activity has dominated corporate
growth in the GILT industry over the past year. One
of the companies heavily involved in the M&A process
has been Translations.com. Translations.com is actually
the combination of nine different brands that all operate
harmoniously. The company is financed from its own cash
flows, meaning it has managed to sustain its growth
without the aid of outside investors…
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the full article…
How
Eastern Europe fits into the European Translation Market
As the American CEO of one of the fastest growing localization
companies in Eastern Europe, and having lived in the
region for more than 13 years, you might expect a unique
perspective. However, my observations will probably
seem quite standard and actually apply to translation/localization
companies all over the world…
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the full article…
Maltese
translation in transition
Some may argue that the word ‘translation’ simply means
‘the skill of accurate rendering of a document into
another language’; however for most of us who do this
work on day to day bases it means more than this. Apart
from providing us our daily bread and butter, it is
an artistic expression that some of us are capable to
do while others don’t…
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Is
machine translation a choice?
When a translator works upon a translation, a complex
series of operations belies the ostensibly simple process
that is taking place. It has long been the goal of computational
linguists to achieve fully automatic high quality machine
translation, but to date that goal is some way off,
nevertheless, with the means at our disposal today,
is machine translation a viable choice?…
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the full article…
Consolidation
continues in language services
The business of providing language services like translation
and localization is critical to global commerce, branding,
and other communication. Globalization has made interpretation,
dubbing for TV and film; and translation of documents,
software, product information; and websites commonplace
items on any knowledge worker’s task list.1 But as a
US $10 billion industry…
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At
Arm's Length or Close to the Vest?
The Optimal Relationship between Clients and Vendors
The relationships between vendors and clients go through
their ebbs and flows (more insourcing, followed by more
outsourcing, followed by…). As predictable as the swings
of a pendulum, all of us – clients and vendors – go
through our normal gyrations back and forth…
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Controlled
language: the next big thing in translation?
Many global organizations are beginning to see the productivity
indicators for their translation and localization processes
reach a plateau. That’s an inevitable fact even for
those organizations that use what’s currently billed
as the latest and greatest in translation technology,
such as translation memory with automated workflow components
or globalization management systems…
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Translation
Management System: Is Bigger Really Better?
For people who are deciding on a Language Service Provider
(LSP) or which software is needed to manage translation
projects within their organization, there are mounds
of data and hype to wade through before you are able
to make your choice…
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GMS
Spotlight. Staying ahead of the curve
Working in the translation and localization industry
is like constantly working in a pressure cooker. Customers
want to get more content translated into more languages
with higher quality on faster schedules. And, while
the volume of content is scaling up, the costs of translating
that content cannot scale up at the same rates…
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Localisation
in The Netherlands: Training and Career Opportunities
This article gives an overview of localisation in The
Netherlands, both in education and industry. The discussion
on education is further narrowed down to the area of
training institutes that offer courses on the translation
aspects of software localisation; the discussion on
industry comprises the whole spectrum…
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the full article…
Ranking
of Top 20 Translation Companies for 2006
Since 2005 we have published an annual list of the largest
language service providers (LSP). The guiding principle
for which LSPs we consider for this year’s Top 20 is
simple – companies or divisions of companies that make
most of their revenue by providing language services,
be it in written or verbal form, on paper, over the
web, in person, on video, inside software applications,
on any continent…
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the full article…
Why
ISO Certification (still) matters
The age-old question of “translation quality” tends
to run in cycles in the language services industry.
Regardless if it is at a peak or a trough, it is always
lurking below the waterline. The approaches used by
service providers to “guarantee” quality are myriad,
which is a direct result of the enigmatic nature of
the issue…
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Why
the Irish Eyes are Still Smiling...
The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.
This was the famous quote of the then aging and now
deceased American writer Mark Twain. But Jeff Brink,
Chief Operating Officer of Merrill Brink International,
thought it would be an apt metaphor for the neglect
that Ireland has been getting in the localization field.
“All eyes seemed to have turned to India and China,
but Ireland is as strong as ever,” notes Jeff…
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the full article…
Stopping
the Word Count Insanity
In the localization industry, there is a total lack
of consistency among word or character counts, not only
between rival products, but even among different versions
of the same product. The same can be said for word processing
software: word and character counts differ among vendors
and versions. An additional problem is that none of
this software provides any proper verifiable specification
as to how the actual metrics are determined. You have
to accept them as they are…
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the full article…
Deconstructing
an Industry Institution
It was a long day of travel. You finally made it to
your hotel, checked in, and dropped your luggage on
the bed. It’s time to decide whether to order room service
and stay in for the night or to venture out of the room,
perhaps to the lobby or lounge, to look for someone
you know that might join you for dinner…
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My
Xmas Wish List
Dear Santa,
So far this year I have been a very, very good single
language vendor as I have managed to survive to the
dramatic pricing pressures and budget cuts affecting
us, small- and medium-sized localization vendors, without
losing any branches of our tree, although making absolutely
no profit. For this reason, I have a special request
for you this year. But let me tell you a story first…
When
Suppliers Merge: A Survival Guide for Clients
Merger season is upon us once again in the localization
industry. Since last year, there have been several mergers,
including SDL and Trados, which has renewed the M&A
buzz. The good news is that mergers and acquisitions
are a sign of a healthy, growing industry. Such activity
demonstrates that companies need greater resources and
capacity to meet the needs of the market…
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the full article…
An
Emerging Giant in the Global L10n Arena
With its notoriously laid-back population and its stunning
landscape, Rio de Janeiro might not seem like a major
center for localization. But what many CSN readers don’t
know is that Rio de Janeiro has long positioned itself
as a hub of talented and specialized localization engineers,
developers, and project managers—all with extensive
experience in complex multilingual projects…
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A
Localization Revolution
During this month when Americans celebrate their Independence
Day, I think about our industry and the changes that
continue to reshape it, and I see some commonalities
resulting from the revolutions of then and now. Similar
to what happened in 1776, our own Internet revolution
has had a liberating effect on economic entities of
all scales and types, regardless of their location.
And, similarly, the consequences of this liberation
will take some time to reveal themselves and to be fully
comprehended, developed, and exploited…
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the full article…
Translation
standards - who needs them?
There once was a time when translation was largely undertaken
by individuals, for individuals. Then globalisation
arrived, with businesses seeking to market worldwide,
and national populations becoming increasingly heterogeneous:
external and internal globalisation, as it were. With
this, the demand for translation has increased way beyond
what any individuals can provide; to avoid embarrassment
and worse, translation clients have to be certain their
message is being conveyed in other languages…
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the full article…
Bringing
It All Back Home
After years of outsourcing, offshoring, even “nearshoring,”
leading companies are reversing course, bringing their
R&D processes, including localization project management
and engineering, back in house. They’re doing it for
the following reasons…
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Will
technology ever replace human translation services?
The Internet has connected translation technologies
with consumers at a pace that feels threatening
to many of the million plus linguists around the
world. Will they lose their role in globalization?…
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the full article…
Just Translate Please: a Message to the Industry
Ah, life in the localization industry ain’t easy. For twenty years now we have been preaching and proclaiming how important and precious our profession is. And still our customers won’t listen. They keep driving the prices down and now they also want everything to be done quicker and quicker. Where does this end?…
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Ranking
of Top 20 Translation Companies for 2005
So which are the biggest language service companies?
This time around we decided to list the top 20 translation
and localization firms doing business in North America
and Europe. Next, we introduce the top interpretation
firms in the United States as we begin our coverage
of the speech-to-speech market. Finally, we discuss
the emergence of the LSP business in other regions.
This report draws on information from our more detailed
research on the language industry…
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Translation
of Internal Reports & Communications
In today's global economy, it is not only trade
that is international. It's the companies and their
employees too. Therefore it's increasingly common
to have companies with a variety of languages spoken
in the divisions. So perhaps we should expect that
translation of internal reports and communications
is a regular occurrence?…
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the full article…
Translation
Accreditation Boards/Institutions in Malaysia
Presently there are no Translation Accreditation
Boards in Malaysia. The researcher was informed
of this by Puan Siti Rafiah bt. Sulaiman, the Head
of the Translation Section of the Malaysian National
Institute of Translation (ITNMB). According to her,
ITNMB is still in the process of drawing up translation
programmes with the help of translator certification
office-holders in America, New Zealand and Australia,
i.e., the American Translators Association, New
Zealand Translators Association and the Australian
Translators Association…
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Government Business Intelligence and Translation
In a recent TIME Magazine article about Iraq there was a disturbing quote. It regarded the amount of captured documents that military intelligence could not analyze since they couldn’t be translated. “You should see the warehouse in Qatar where we have this stuff,” said a high-ranking former military official. “We’ll never be able to get through it all.”
This highlights the importance of translation to business intelligence and the public sector…
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the full article…
We
Now Have Concrete Proof: Software Quality Issues
Drive International Sales
Software developers will often spend large sums
on Quality Assurance (QA) and marketing for the
U.S. and Canada in order to deliver a quality product
with high sales potential. Product releases may
be accompanied by a media blitz and promotional
deals, often followed by a number of very quick
minor product updates to resolve the inevitable
issues that arise after a product hits the market.
Most developers do a good job of making updates
and patches available and of responding to customer
feedback, even if they cannot resolve problems…
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Ranking of Top 20 Translation Companies for 2004
Financial analysis is the mother of invention. We do not mean cooking the books, but instead figuring out how to assess entities for which there is little direct comparison. Faced with a small pool of language services providers that release financial data, we had a tough time late last year when we analyzed the business fundamentals of two publicly-traded LSPs. That made benchmarking these companies against comparable firms a real chore. On top of that Bloomberg had pronounced these LSPs to be a computing services and a network products firm, respectively. That wasn’t a good start for our relative valuation of LSPs…
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The Other Shoe Just Dropped: Lionbridge Acquires Bowne Global
The rumors were true: Lionbridge announced that it is acquiring Bowne Global Solutions (BGS) "for at least $180 million (excluding cash received), in a combination of cash and common stock. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2005 and is expected to be accretive to Lionbridge earnings within the first full quarter of combined operations, excluding restructuring and related expenses…
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SDL/TRADOS Reactions Mostly Positive
Last week, I asked for your reaction to the SDL/TRADOS acquisition and boy did I get an earful, most of it positive and most if it from translation agencies.
I'm still talking to buyers of translation services to get their reaction to the deal; so far the responses have ranged from neutral to positive. Most clients aren't terribly concerned about who makes their software, just so long as standards are supported, price is held in line (or reduced), and usability continues to improve…
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Lionbridge & Bowne: Waiting For the Other Shoe To Drop
So now that SDL has announced its plans to buy TRADOS, the buzz around the industry is when Lionbridge is going to finally pull the trigger on purchasing its larger competitor Bowne Global Solutions (BGS). Based on what I'm hearing, the question isn't "if" but "when"…
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SDL to acquire TRADOS
SDL International, the world's third-largest translation/localization agency announced today its plans to acquire TRADOS, the maker of the world's most popular machine translation software. In the translation industry, this is very big news…
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The EU Adds Gaelic; Translation Costs Grow
According to AP article, the European Union has promoted Gaelic, Ireland's native tongue, to "official" status.
This is good news for Gaelic translators, as the EU will have to churn out official documents in this language, in addition to the 20 other official EU languages. The EU translation bureau is easily the world's largest translation agency…
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China: A $1.3bn Translation Market?
China's translation market is anywhere between US$1.3bn and US$2.5bn; this is according to the Translators Association of China.
According to the assocation, there are 3,000 registered translation companies in China, although the article mentions that there could be more than 10,000 agencies (primarily mom and pop types) in all…
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"Transcreation" Gaining Momentum
The term "transcreation"
doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, but it is getting
used increasingly by a new wave of firms seeking to
distance themselves from translation firms
…
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English is THE Second Language
Newsweek International has published an article
on the rise of English around the world. English
instruction is a billion-dollar business and growing.
But what's most fascinating is that non-native English
speakers now outnumber native English speakers …
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Translation Problems in Modern Russian Society
The development of trade and industry has always given rise to changes in the evolution of communities, bringing about new social forms and stratification of society. This in its turn accelerated the appearance of businesses and factories, arrival of new professions, and urbanization. Since the times of Perestroika (which was started in 1989 by Mikhail Gorbatchev) Russian society has been experiencing dramatic changes that affected the country's politics, economy and social life. In the past 15 years people's attitudes to certain things have changed gradually but profoundly
…
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The EN-15038 European Quality Standard for Translation Services: What’s Behind It?
All of us who are involved in the translation and localization world know perfectly well that we are in a deregulated industry, in which we institute our own standards, if they are not already imposed for us by our direct or end customers. We also know that every business has its own procedures, sometimes similar, and on other occasions absolutely the opposite. But all these procedures seek the same purpose: to achieve the translation or localization of a product with the highest possible quality
…
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Branding Is a Lot Like... Translation
Are we communicating clearly the value of what we (can) deliver? Or do we concentrate too much on what we do and how we do it, thus downplaying the why, the ultimate benefit – which is the value of enabling organizations to reach and service new regions of the world?
This is an issue for all of us (clients, service and tools providers, consultants, academics, etc.) because all of us have internal and external customers and stakeholders who depend on our expertise to enable them to do business and/or to communicate cross-border.
The discipline of Branding can help. LISA Member Q. Malandrino, Chairman and CEO of BrandLink Corporation, suggests that Branding is a lot like… translation. In the following article, he presents Branding as a discipline and explains why it is important to the Language Services Industry
…
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Enterprise-wide Content Convergence
Many companies position themselves as Enterprise Content Management vendors today. But in the eyes of the analysts, the Enterprise Content Management market consists of vendors that at least have capabilities for Web Content Management, Document Management and Digital Asset Management. Documentum is considered the leader in this space
…
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Translation Technology Failures and Future
Because of improvements in technology designers, graphic artists, accountants and many other professionals can accomplish in an hour what used to take them a day. In other words, technology has improved their performance by as much as 800% and it has improved the quality of their work at the same time.
So why don't we see 800% performance gains in the translation industry?
…
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Europe's Language Industry in 2003
Europe must have one of the world's most heterogeneous language markets. It includes segments in which people speak one variety of today's dominant English tongue, a scatter of alert, culture-conscious speakers of languages with a few million speakers such as Danish, Dutch and Catalonian, a country such as France with a strong tendency to legislate language usage, and a mix of both Latin and non-Latin scripts
…
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Winning the War of Words (Part 2)
Many translation and localization companies have marched to Washington, D.C. to try and win business, but with the exception of Language Weaver (In-Q-Tel, Inc., a private investment company funded by the CIA, has an investment in Language Weaver), Berlitz and Systran, they have been largely unsuccessful
…
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Is Gutenberg Guilty? A South American Adventure Through the Word Counting Standardization Jungle
I work in Brazil at a translation agency, so we are very accustomed to handling multiple language pairs, albeit mainly European ones, e.g., English-Portuguese, Portuguese-Spanish, English-German, etc. But the world has changed. Just a short time ago, the Brazilian president went on a six-day trip to China to sign trade agreements between the two countries – the developing world's two biggest economies
…
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