FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
N·F·C linguistic services primarily offers translation services from English and French into Spanish. As a professional translator, I adhere to the recommendations of the associations of professional translators and interpreters and only translate into my mother tongue (Spanish). However, thanks to my years of experience in the sector, I have access to a wide network of translation professionals who work with other combinations of European languages. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me to find out how I can be of assistance.
Most likely. I regularly collaborate with translators who work with a variety of language combinations. Do not hesitate to contact me to see how I can be of assistance.
To produce translations of the highest quality it is essential that the translator translates into a language in which they are completely fluent (native-speaker level). Like any sport or specialty, this requires continuous practice and training. For example, translators must be aware of the latest orthographic and syntactic changes. A professional translator has studied for several years, has learned to decipher all the nuances of the languages with which they work, knows how to research, contrast, and validate each specialised term they use, and, above all, knows how to express themselves perfectly in their mother tongue. Unbeknownst to many, a good translator is also a good writer.
Undoubtedly, writing the text you wish to have translated required a lot of work. It may be a text describing a new product released by your company, or a training course for professionals. Maybe it is an article that you wish to submit for publication in a scientific journal. Regardless of the content and target audience, in order to convey your message clearly you need a professional with skills comparable to those of the original writer. If you have invested time and money in producing a text, why jeopardise it by placing it in the hands of an amateur? A professional translator knows how to work with words. It is their job to convey the same tone as the original text, search for and select the most precise terms, and adapt the concepts within where necessary. They will produce a final text that perfectly conveys the intended message in the target language, as if it were an original creation written directly in the target language.
This depends, but usually, no. Being bilingual does not guarantee that you can express yourself and write correctly in both languages. There are exceptions, of course, but they are very rare, and bilingualism is not achieved by spending one summer or even one year in a host country. Perfect bilingual speakers are scarce and one language almost always predominates.
Once the quote is approved, the text will go through several phases:
- Analysis of the source files and preparation of the material for translation
- Background documentation
- Translation
- Resolution of queries with the client
- Revision and quality control of the translation
- Delivery of the translation
- Optional: post-formatting proofreading of the translation and final quality control
Of course. We will maintain contact at all times in order to resolve any doubts that arise during the translation process. Before delivery, I contact the client about any queries I may have relating to the project in order to ensure total clarity before completing the translation. Importantly, translation of a text often enables detection of ambiguous fragments or paragraphs in the source text. It is also common for the translator to detect typos in the original text during translation. All these improvements will be reflected in a list that the translator will present to the client along with the translation, and that the client can use to improve the source text at their discretion.
This depends on several factors, including the size and complexity of the text, as well as the number of people involved in the process (translator or translator + reviser). Extra time may be required if the client wishes to retain the exact formatting of the source text (e.g. when dealing with PDF source texts). Translation is an intellectual process that requires creativity, thoroughness, and specialisation, and it is therefore crucial that the translator has sufficient time to produce a quality text. It is important to take this into account when scheduling the translation of documents, especially those that are needed by a specific deadline. There is no great mystery to the process: the more time spent on the translation, the greater the quality of the final product.
If you still have doubts or are unsure of exactly what type of service you require, contact me and we can decide upon the best approach. If this is the first time you have sought the services of a translator or interpreter, I encourage you to consult the guides published by the Spanish Association of Translators, Proofreaders, and Interpreters (Asetrad). Click on the images to access the content.