so you translate... what else do you do?

Even at its most fundamental, being a translator is about so much more than simply rendering a text from language A to language B. It requires meticulous research, expert cultural knowledge and localization. But did you know that many of us also offer other services? Here are some of the more unusual language services I have provided for clients during my translation career.
​​

proofreading and editing

Ok, so this one is not that unusual! 
Proofreading and editing involves reviewing a finished text to improve readability and flow and eliminate any grammar or spelling errors and typos that may have been missed. A good translator will repeat this step several times over. It's not just our own work that we proofread and edit however. Clients often ask us to proofread and edit material created in house or we may team up with colleagues and proofread each other's work. Two pairs of eyes are always better than one!
​

US to Uk ENGLISH localization

English is English, right? Wrong.
There are a number of subtle, and not-so-subtle, differences between US English and UK or other variants of English. While it is true that your audience will mostly understand your message, localizing these few details will greatly improve the end user's perception of your brand. Be sure to use local spellng conventions and adapt date and currency formats. Hiring a professional, native-speaker linguist will ensure nothing gets missed.
​

VOICEOVERS

Somewhere, driving around Nice in France, is a car (or cars) with an in-car audio tour guide featuring the voice of yours truly!
Voiceovers involve narrating spoken material for audio use. This was my one and only foray into voiceover work but it was relatively straightforward and made for an interesting change!
​

BACK TRANSLATION

This is the process of translating a text that has already been translated back into the original source language. It acts as a quality measure to ensure that the delivered translation accurately conveys the meaning of the source text. As a result, it requires a more literal translation approach than standard translation. A discussion between the client and the back translator of any weaknesses highlighted is an essential part of this process. The additional costs involved in back translation make it relatively rare.
​

BRAND/PRODUCT NAME LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS

We've all seen them, they crop up on social media all the time. Those cringeworthy product/brand names where they, quite frankly, should have known better!
It can be difficult though, when exporting to new markets, to know what connotations your brand or product name may have in the local language, particularly when it comes to slang. A quick and thorough check by an experienced linguist can highlight any potential negative associations before they become viral embarassments! A language expert will typically charge by the hour for this service. A small price to pay when you consider the alternative!
​

translator assessment

This service goes beyond the proofreading/editing step described above. When working with a new or less experienced translator, how can you be sure of the quality of their work? Many of my agency clients will ask me to perform a translator assessment. To do this, I will review a piece of the translator's work and grade any errors that I find. Those graded results are then used to produce a report for the client regarding the translator's capability. This lets the client know whether or not to keep working with that translator and can also constitute excellent feedback for the translator. And if you are on the receiving end of one of these "assessments", remember to accept any feedback, positive or negative, graciously. We all have areas we can improve upon.
​

TRANSCRIPTION

It is not always written material that needs translating. Interviews, for example, are often recorded to audio. For best results, that audio then needs to be transcribed before it can be translated. I, personally, will only transcribe into my native language of English and I would recommend you use a native speaker for all your transcription (and translation) needs. Transcription is typically charged per audio minute. 
​

VERBATIM TRANSLATION

​Although this is still translation, it involves a slightly different approach. Sometimes, particularly in market research surveys, companies want to know exactly what their customers are saying. As translators, we are essentially writers, and part of our job usually entails making a text flow and sound fluid without losing any of the sense or meaning. With verbatim translation, our job is to reproduce precisely what the source text says with as close to the original meaning as possible, although this has some obvious limits when thinking about idioms and the like.
​

So there you have it. A translator usually has more than one string to her bow and you would be surprised what we can do! This translator loves the challenge of working in different ways and using different methods and tools.

Over to you, have you ever tried placing a more unusual language-related project? How did you get on?
Translators, what's the most unusual translation request you've ever worked on?