There are a few “trade secrets” in the translation world which we don’t know why are classified that way. For example, the way in which we give price quote for a translation project.
For a bystander, translation doesn’t seem like a highly sophisticated job. A new client will often try to downplay the work that goes into producing a translation, claiming that he only has a “few” pages to translate. But a good translation is a world unto itself, full of important nuances.
Our approach values full transparency opposite the client. The experience of working with us and the confidence placed in us are especially crucial for new clients with which we embark on a joint venture.
The price quote components in a translation project
- The word count. Yes, as simple as that. How many words are in the text? It’s important to take into consideration that when translating from one language to another – the word count increases. For example: when translating a text from Hebrew to English, the word count in English is 1.5 times greater than the Hebrew. The pricing is done according to the target language.
- The language origin. Yes, we can translate any language spoken in any part of the world, but every language has a different price tag. For example: English, Russian and Arabic are considered relatively inexpensive languages. European languages are more expensive and exotic languages are even more. Why is that so? Because the rarer or more challenging the language – the higher its market price. This is reflected in the strict list of criteria in choosing our translators. We look for quality and that usually costs more.
- The degree of urgency determines the level of pricing. This is also why it isn’t worthwhile waiting until the last minute to request an urgent translation. In order for that to happen, deadlines must be factored in. This factor increases the overall cost of the translation project by at least 10%.
- The format. It’s easier to translate a Word document than a PDF document. This is especially true when translating financial reports, where there are many tables and numbers. If no design or typing of the document into tables is needed – the entire technical aspect is simpler and saves on work costs.
- Presentation. Translating a presentation requires design and proper placement of the translated text that may end up in a larger word count compared to the source language. The cost is about 10% more than translating text that doesn’t require special attention to the design.