FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How long does it take to process a translation?
Turnaround time varies according to my availability at the time of your request, the type of text (subject matter, layout and length), the deadline and the treatment required (conversion from pdf to word, graphs, images etc.). Turnaround time is provided within 24 hours upon receipt of the full text. Short translations (of up to 1,500 words) can be processed and sent overnight to European and American clients.
For the translation of official documents (driver licences, birth certificates, etc.), turnaround time varies between 24 hours and 3 working days, depending on the number of documents needed to be translated.
How much does a translation cost?
Quotes vary according to the type of text (subject matter, layout and length), the deadline and the treatment required (conversion from pdf to word, graphs, images etc.). A fixed quote is provided within 24 hours upon receipt of the full text.
Which payment method can I use?
Payments can be made in NZD, USD, GBP, EUR and AUD via bank transfer (no additional fee).
Why hire a professional translator?
When you hire a professional translator, you are hiring a set of skills and expertise acquired through years of professional training and experience. A professional translator will spend as much time and care on your translation as you have on the original, using cutting-edge technology and appropriate terminology to produce a natural-sounding text that matches the intended purpose and audience of the translation.
Why do you translate into your native language exclusively (except for official documents)?
A good translation is a text that reads as a native or original text. To produce a natural-sounding piece, a translator should translate into their native language, that is to say that they need to have been born and raised in that language and culture. In accordance with Article 12 of the 1976 UNESCO Recommendation on the Legal Protection of Translators and Translations and the code of ethics of a number of industry associations, a professional translator should translate into their mother tongue.
I am however authorised by the New Zealand authorities to provide certified translations of your official documents from French to English.
Difference between English and French: what to expect.
A French translation is usually about 20% longer than the original English text. French is more formal and uses a different sentence structure and punctuation system (e.g. any question mark should be preceded by a non-breaking space in French and Yours sincerely can be translated, depending on the context, as: "Nous vous prions d’agréer, Madame, l’expression de nos sentiments distingués").
To find out more about buying a translation service, you can download the free publication “Translation – Getting it Right” jointly produced by the UK Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) and the French Translators Association (SFT) which gives advice to translation buyers and demystifies the work of a translator.
