Translation from English to Russian

How important is this translation?
What is at stake?
What do I want to achieve?
What am I risking?

By answering these questions you can define the purpose of your translation. If it is to give general background information to a select audience then it will not need the same level of service as for a translation intended for mass publication.

Defining its purpose brings you one step nearer to finding the right translation partner. There is no point spending a lot of money on a translation from English to Russian if it is not necessary. On the other hand, if you are hoping to impress a future client then choosing a "cheap and cheerful" translation company could spell disaster. You get what you pay for, as the old saying goes.

This page is all about helping you to choose a company to handle a translation from English to Russian. Unfortunately, we can't cover everything on one page, because this subject alone could fill an entire website. The intention is to highlight the good points and the bad points, what to look for, what to avoid, etc...

1. What is the purpose of the translation?

Spell out your ambitions to the translation companies you talk to. Tell them what you want to achieve. They must be able to deliver. Don't let them overcharge you for a simple job, but choosing the cheapest and fastest at the expense of quality is a poor investment.

2. Make sure that the company handling a translation from English to Russian is using native Russian translators

Truly accomplished translators do not simply transform words from one language into another. What they must have is a local viewpoint. Whilst engaged in the translation process, they must be able to visualize Russia and try to work out how an English sentence could be said most effectively in that particular cultural context. To do this, of course, they have to feel at home in Russia and understand its nuances. This is the case only with people who have actually lived there, which is entirely different from simply knowing the language. Make sure your translation company uses native translators; there are very few exceptions to this rule.

3. Subject knowledge

The company offering a translation from English to Russian must be able to provide you with translators who have specialist knowledge in your subject. The more specialised your translator is, the better the outcome will be. Just as you would not ask a mechanic to treat a back pain problem, do not let a farming specialist translate a computer operator's manual.

4. Unrealistic promises

Some companies can promise more than they can deliver. They are offered a lucrative assignment and hate to give it up. So they commit themselves to a timetable which is unrealistic, hoping to get an extension.

Experienced companies, offering translation from English to Russian services, know that this is the best way to lose a client and tarnish a reputation. On average, a single translator will be able to translate 1500 - 2500 words per day depending on subject matter. Overloading them is not going to help.

The way to handle larger volumes of work quickly is to split the project between several translators. However, this method can give rise to inconsistencies. To alleviate this problem we always provide glossaries and guidelines for all the different translators who work together on one project. This gives a level of consistency in terminology and style.

5. Individual freelance translator or large agency?

a) There are many talented freelance translators who are working from home and can provide excellent service. They give value for money and will give you personal "one on one" attention. However, when working alone they often have to proofread their own translation, and not having that second opinion can sometimes result in errors being overlooked.

b) Large agencies will offer translating and proofreading services for many language combinations. Some will have in-house translators and others will simply hand out assignments to freelancers and take a commission. In-house translator services are good, but their pool of specialist knowledge may be limited. Make sure that your translation company has the right people to handle your project, especially if the subject matter is specialized.

Also, beware of companies who offer all languages and all subjects. In these sorts of agencies project managers may be looking after thirty or forty language combinations in all manner of subjects. Unless they know all those language combinations, and all the subjects, then how can they have any idea how good the finished work is?

We have analyzed the good points of both freelancers and agencies and have tried to combine the best parts into our service. A specialised translation company, like ours, can provide better service since we are more focused than that of general-purpose agency. By concentrating on particular language groups we are able to bring together the best specialists who can deliver exactly what you require.

6. Pricing policies

Different companies will use different methods to price a job. Some companies will charge per "target word" or even "target symbol". This is a calculation based on the translated text which means that you have to wait until the translation is finished before knowing what you have to pay.

However, Russian words tend to be much longer than English ones so the symbol count may end up being much higher than expected. Also, certain companies have been known to over elaborate a translation in order to increase the word count in the finished document.

Other methods of calculating a quote are "per page" and "per line". Whichever way a company quotes we would recommend you try to agree a price up front so as to avoid any ambiguity later.

When dealing with us, any translation from English to Russian is charged per "source word". It is a set Price based on the amount of words in your original document. This makes everything clear from the start. We also quote in the currency of your choice and fix the exchange rate at the start of work, not the end.

Conclusion

In today's global economy, no business can afford to miss out on technological developments overseas, or send the wrong message to current or potential customers who speak a different language. A translation from English to Russian needs to give you everything that you will need to put your business on the right path to international success.

We aim to be as open as possible about the way we work. Over the past ten years we have been aiming to provide a service for our customers that is second to none.

Our role is to help you to achieve your ambitions, whatever they may be. If you are not entirely satisfied with our service then you won't come back.

That is not good for our business, so if you are happy then we are happy as well. That's how we like to operate.

Please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss how we can help you with your project.