Machine translation and human translation are both widely used in international business services today – but, which is inherently better or more valuable? In this 3-part series, we’re showing you an inside look at our latest white paper, Man vs. Machine: A Guide to Translation Technology in Modern Business Use Cases.
This downloadable white paper explores the current and future states of the translation industry in terms of services for organizations, and provides guidance on how companies can better understand and navigate the complicated world of language services. Read the first 2 parts of the series on the blog, and see a copy of the white paper here.
Finding the Most Effective Translation Solutions
Knowing and understanding the type of translation or localization work that your business needs is the first step to finding the best solution. If higher accuracy, quality, and cultural adaptability are what you’re aiming for, consider leaning on the help of human translation. Some language service providers exist that utilize the best of both worlds – using machine translation for a first pass, with expert proofreaders doing the final clean up.
Real, human translators have a true passion for language and have studied for years in order to have fluent, comprehensive knowledge of the intricacies and nuances that no computer program will ever be able to emulate. true writers at heart, expert translators have the unique benefit of understanding the use of words and phrasing as well as the specialized skills needed for professional work.
Do you know what to look for when finding an effective translation solution?
Ask yourself…
- Does the translation project require that actionable goals be understood and met?
- Does the translation require cultural context and nuance?
- Are the timelines flexible or inflexible?
- How much does skill and reliability matter?
- How mission critical are visible mistakes and cultural inaccuracies?
- How much does one-on-one care and communication impact the final translation?
Here’s another thing to consider: How much does trust make a difference?
Trust, care, and quality go hand-in-hand where translations are concerned. How people are treated and the quality of the work they receive are the most important things that any organization can consider. When working with translations for medical, legal, corporate, and other high-stakes and high-security fields, the requirement for trust is paramount.
The Best of Both Worlds: Boutique Translation Services
Smaller, more effective translation agencies that utilize networks of expert translators along with the help of technology have recently surfaced. Language Department is one such boutique agency that understands the immense power of combining translation technology solutions to save time and curb costs with human language experts to ensure world-class accuracy.
With the main focus on language services by humans for humans, Language Department understands that translations have no substitute in the final quality provided-especially where more complex, clever, technical, cultural, or field-specific language is required. Language Department has achieved a “best of both worlds” scenario, offering the major advantages of both larger translation agencies and individual freelancers, with none of the uncertainties.
- Lower risks of hiring fake translators that often use stolen CVs and poor machine translation.
- Higher overall quality with a personal touch.
- Straight-forward, “translate more, save more” pricing.
- Reliable and experienced translators and proofreaders.
- Strict quality assurance and editing processes.
Outsourcing translations to a boutique agency such as this, rather than using machine translation alone, will ensure that every project and campaign is culturally accurate, precise, timely, and cost-effective.
Conclusion: Better Connections with Better Language Services
While both machine translations and human translations have earned their places in the language services industry, purely technology-based translations have an impossible journey to catch up. We live in a world built on relationships and connection – two things that humans can only ever really understand. For businesses and organizations with a focus on building better connections, the only true solution is to tap into language services focused on being better, too.
Tackling and getting ahead of translation issues that can tarnish companies, bankrupt organizations, and even put customers at risk takes the help of an effective, accurate translation service. Language Department has a mission to provide unrivaled customer care, produce high-quality content, and build the trust and reputation with trained translators that foster a loyal community. With a team of language experts in all specialties, straight-forward pricing, accurate results, and always-reliable work, it’s the most effective way to access language services utilizing human translation and translation technology solutions strategically.
Read the first 2 parts of this article here.
Resources
1. https://gengo.com/human-translation
2. https://nilservices.com/machine-translation-vs-human-translation
3. https://www.gala-global.org/what-machine-translation
4. http://www.machinetranslation.net/quick-guide-to-machine-translation/machine-translation-technologies
5. http://blog.ititranslates.com/is-there-a-difference-between-machine-and-human-translation
6. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/sep/19/tech-removing-language-barriers-jobs-lost-translation
7. https://www.gala-global.org/publications/intro-machine-translation-understand-when-use-mt-and-when-avoid-it
8. https://blog.memrise.com/2017/04/19/machine-translation-vs-human-translation
9. https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/the-20-worst-brand-translations-of-all-time.html
10. http://translatorthoughts.com/2014/01/5-common-translation-mistakes
11. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/global-marketing-and-international-business
12. https://languagedepartment.com/blog/global-events-translation-case-study-rpmc
