Written by Jennifer Lee

The advent of Machine Translation (MT) has made massive changes to the field of translation. New roles are emerging and old ones changing. Gone are the days of grunt work, of searching through a dictionary for the right word. Now machines can translate the bare bones of a text for us, leaving us with more time to focus on the important translation decisions. Now we have post-editing, where translators are paid to correct and edit machine translated texts. It’s safe to say that Machine Translation has completely changed the way we work as translators, but we do still work as translators. Rather than merely operating a machine, we are still writing, rewriting, and translating texts in a uniquely human, creative capacity. Of course, the question on everyone’s lips is, “But for how long?”.

There’s plenty of voices today doubting that translators will be needed when MT technology is continuously improving. The favourite contender to ‘take over’ is Artificial Intelligence, or AI.

Artificial Intelligence is a programme or computer that can sense, reason, act, and adapt to data that is fed into it, mimicking human intelligence. Within AI there is machine learning, which continues to improve its performance as it is exposed to more data over time, similar to the way humans learn with experience. Finally, within machine learning, there is deep learning, a subset which is able to learn from vast quantities of data due to its “neural network” that simulates the workings of the human brain.

The complex workings and power of AI certainly make it seem like an intimidating contender in the debate of whether translators will be needed in the future. However, we all use this technology on a daily basis and know very well the quality of the translations it produces, because Google Translate is a neural MT system. Anyone who has used Google Translate knows that its reliability is not always the best.

An example from our own archives is when MT translated a meaningful Chinese idiom “好景不长” (hǎo jǐng bù cháng – a good thing can’t last forever) in the context of a medical text.

“However, the good times did not last long. At the end of August 2020, the patient once again experienced…”

This is obviously incredibly inappropriate when translated into English, particularly with the use of the term ‘good times’, and so we had to change the translation to “However, the improvements were short-lived”. Using slightly idiomatic phrasing to match the Source Text, but not so much as to seem belittling to the patient discussed in the study.

While machines can master ‘direct’ translation methods, it is unlikely they will ever be able to know how to translate a text into different contexts, such as translating an informative article to be used in an advertisement or translating an advanced text to be read by people not versed in the subject. Machines cannot learn when or how to use explicitation (explaining the definition of a specialist term), to translate idioms, to translate puns. Machines cannot learn in what context they should write emotively, or in a specific style.

MT has been an invaluable tool for translators, speeding up turnover and giving translators more time to focus on important translation decisions of a text, but at the end of the day it is just that – a tool. AI will certainly continue to improve machine translation as a tool for translators, but not as a substitute for them.

Here at AccuEast, MT helps us to get your translations back to you even faster and gives us the time to translate them even better. To get a quote, please contact us at info@accueast.com.

Written by Jennifer Lee

People often think of a translated text as being an objective representation, but in reality, a translated text tends to be more of a subjective interpretation. In order to make a text readable to speakers of another language, some information or phrasing may have to be rearranged to create the target text. The meaning behind the words may be drawn from another writer, but the words that are used belong to the translator alone, and so, when the act of translation is performed, the resulting product is an entirely separate, new entity to the original text.

For example, the translation theory of Functionalism argues that the style a target text is written in depends on the purpose that the text is going to serve. If the text is going to be published in a magazine for light reading, the translator is going to use more informal and simplified wording than if the text were going to be published in a journal. If the text is going to be read by a British audience, the translator may use more UK-specific terminology than if it was going to be read by an international audience.

Art is, by its broadest definition, the arrangement of things to create something new, and translation takes the meaning of a source text, and arranges it into a new form, while still expressing what the source intended. If someone creates a beautiful statue, and another person paints a picture of that statue – you would say that both the original sculptor and the painter had created art. If a group of painters all gathered around the sculpture to paint it in an art class, they would each produce different pieces of work, despite having the same source. Each would have produced a unique work of art. So, perhaps in the same way, a source text and a target text could both be seen as works of art, and each person that translates that text will create a unique piece of writing that did not exist before.

Each of the translators working at AccuEast has spent time honing their skills in the art of translation so that we can provide our clients with quality pieces. To find out more, contact us at info@accueast.com.

Written by Megan Jones 

If you are due to have a project, article or anything else translated soon, this blog has landed in your hands at the right time! As we have mentioned before, translation is more than just converting one language to another, there is much more. But let’s talk logistics, please make sure you don’t fall for the following and take deeper consideration with the following: 

An incredibly attractive low price

Although AccuEast takes pride in being competitive with the cost of our clients’ work, we are also realistic. It’s essential that you are not automatically drawn into an agency’s work solely due to price. If they are charging you a cost that is too low, this could certainly be an indicator of poor quality, or even worse, unqualified ‘experts’. 

Poor, disappointing quality

Developing from our previous point, no matter how much you pay, the objective is to have a quality translation piece delivered to satisfy your needs. 

Fast turnaround

As a client, you have to be considerate of the project management process and how long this takes. AccuEast has a wealth of linguistic knowledge within our registered linguist network, though it takes us time to reach out to them and ensure they are briefed adequately on our clients’ needs. This is why if your translation project is completed very quickly, this could be a red flag for a poor translation agency.

If you require translation services in the near future, we really hope you will avoid the above pitfalls! Equally, we hope you will join our existing satisfied clients and enquire with AccuEast for all of your translation needs at info@accueast.com

Written by Megan Jones 

At AccuEast, we are proud of our consistent customer satisfaction rate and we would love to share more about this with you. If you require any translation work, read on to know why AccuEast is the only translation agency for you. 

AccuEast have specialisms in many areas such as medical, legal and tourism among other areas. This allows us to have existing experience with translating specialist terms and specific themes. Equally, we are proud to have returning clients for this very reason. 

Our clients are located all over the world. From the UK, to the US, and Asian countries such as China too. We believe this is due to our international approach which is consistent, reliable and efficient no matter the project. This is further supported given that we specialise in Chinese and Japanese, with extended language capabilities having taken into account our extensive Linguist Network. 

At the same time, we have translated for a variety of different clients, both in the public and private sector. No matter what tone, register or mode of translation is required, AccuEast can deliver to satisfy your needs.

Equally, we have policies in place to secure your materials with legal protections so that regardless of who works on translating your piece, you can be confident that there will be no compromise on security.

And finally, we are a friendly close-knit team who are available for your queries no matter how big or small. If you are interested in taking advantage of our expertise for your next translation task, get in touch with us at info@accueast.com

Written by Megan Jones

Have you ever visited a country and wondered why the local language sounds slightly different to what you may have heard before or what you were expecting? Maybe you studied one version of the language and then met a native speaker who sounded different. Why is that? Well, whether it is due to a different dialect or accent, the variations are endless. It’s not as simple as pinning one language down to one place!

Let’s start simple, think about the different accents around the UK. As much as we would all like to speak as well as the Queen, in reality we all have variations in our daily conversational language. For example, in the North, it is common to hear articles (‘the’) omitted by locals to support a faster pace of speech. Meanwhile, some grammatical errors are norms in other areas of the UK and these have been accepted over time. 

Meanwhile, other languages around the world also experience such changes. For example, within Spain alone, the Spanish language varies dramatically. In the South, particularly in the Andalucia region, it is common for natives to drop the final letters of words and be softer in their tone throughout words. Their pace is also a lot faster compared to other areas of Spain! Other well known variations of Spanish are that of Argentina. Pronunciation in Argentina is distinctively different to the versions of Spanish we are accustomed to in Europe as the double ll is no longer a ‘y’ sound, but a ‘sh’. Furthermore, in other areas of South America you will notice further variations in terms of vocabulary choice and meaning as well as the pronunciation differences. For example, in Colombia, tinto means coffee, but in Spain this means red wine – a real difference! 

And the accents don’t stop there! In China, there are clear accent variations across the country. With a population of over 1.4 billion, it is not surprising that communities and areas create new versions and variations of the language. In fact, historically, China was made up of different languages but this created problems as provinces were unable to communicate with one another. This is one reason why Mandarin was born, but the different accents have remained! In Beijing, there is a distinct accent which is caused by the character 儿. Though arguably meaningless, this phonetic sound of ‘er’ is particular to the area. 

If languages and their variations leave you confused, leave the hard work to us experts at AccuEast. Drop us an email at info@accueast.com to query how we can help with all of your translation and language requirements! 

Written by Megan Jones

If you haven’t already heard of polyglots, it is the term coined for those who have the ability to communicate to a high proficiency in many different languages, usually more than three. But how do these people come about?

The truth is, there is no set route to becoming a polyglot unfortunately. A large proportion of polyglots have been surrounded in a multilingual environment from their childhood. Depending on circumstances, most polyglot children have had no choice in the matter, but instead it is a method of survival. Furthermore, it is proven that infants learn languages faster than adults as their brains are still developing and welcome the absorption of information much more. Meanwhile adults are a lot more reluctant to fail, reducing the opportunities dramatically. However it is not impossible!

Meanwhile, other polyglots have actively dedicated their lives to foreign language learning, very much like our experts in our Linguists Network. The prioritisation of understanding a language inside out, whether it is grammar rules or vocabulary usage, ensures a high level of knowledge is attained, thus owning the label of ‘polyglot’ with pride. Most people do this by studying their foreign languages at University, although it is possible to attain this by self-study or even having a pen-pal you communicate with regularly! 

And finally, a key way of becoming a polyglot is to live in a variety of the places where your several languages are spoken. Being immersed in the language is a fool-proof way of upping fluency and growing in confidence, all with very little effort involved. No textbooks, nor key rules! Just building connections with people on a daily basis, using your target languages. 

Unfortunately, the likelihood of you being a polyglot is rather slim. But the good news is AccuEast has all of the language expertise you could need! If you’d like to take advantage of this, get in touch with us today at info@accueast.com 

Written by Megan Jones

AccuEast is proud to offer its clients a range of solutions to their translation dilemmas. Where we are unable to complete the translation within our in-house language expertise, we utilise our fantastic linguist network so that we can work as a team to complete the task in hand. 

If you are a linguist in the translation industry but yet to register to our network, let us explain the benefits you could take advantage by working with us: 

Registering is simple

Registering to be a part of our Linguist Network has never been easier! Simply complete our form with your relevant information, then after our team has reviewed your details, you will just need to sign a few documents to be part of our network. It is as simple as that. 

Experience a wide range of work 

AccuEast completes work for a variety of clients from all around the world. Being a part of our team to carry this out means you will have some invaluable experience to add to your CV. Meanwhile, we always match our linguists harmoniously based on their expertise. This means that our linguists are never made to feel uncomfortable with their tasks, instead they are confident they can deliver an impressive, quality piece of work for the client.

Work flexibly

As and when AccuEast receives work requests from clients, the Linguist Network is utilised to get in touch with our linguists to see if they are available to work with us to meet the deadline. This is particularly beneficial for our linguists as there is no obligation to accept the work request, though they can benefit from a range of flexible work entering their inbox! At the same time, it goes without saying that our linguists can be based anywhere in the world, further providing ease to our linguists and excellence in translation quality to our clients!

If you are interested in joining AccuEast’s ever growing Linguist Network to potentially be a part of our upcoming projects, register here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScfqelnljAls3SXV8ItmpwJkTn0U2uKaB02_ESysgitTBy0HQ/viewform now. 

Alternatively, if you have any remaining questions, email us at info@accueast.com where we would be happy to chat! 

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There are lots of different forms of English all over the world. As well as American English and British English, there is also Philippine English, Indian English, Singaporean English (Singlish) and many more.

AccuEast is based in Gateshead, Newcastle, and as some of our British readers may be aware, Newcastle has its own form of English – Geordie! Although this dialect used to be more widely spoken, if you come to Newcastle you are sure to hear people speaking Geordie. You may even mistake it as a foreign language when you hear it if you’re not accustomed to it! But where does Geordie come from?

Words you may be very familiar with could be toon, howay and nee. Lots of the words are similar to Scots – the language of Scotland, such as “bairn”, which means child. Others, though, are more mysterious. “Netty” for example – meaning a toilet – could even come from Italian. Who’d have thought languages could be influenced in such a variety of ways!

When translating into English, it’s important to make sure the right dialect is used. If a translator uses Americanisms in a British context, or British English in an American setting, native speakers will definitely notice and this may not engage as well with your reader as it loses credibility with the target audience. More specifically with our Geordie context, you will see local companies around the North East using the Geordie terms as this has a deeper meaning to the audience here than standard vocabulary! 

Meanwhile, at AccuEast, we always ensure to select the best-suited translator to complete each project using our rigorous project management processes. We don’t just look at the language they speak, but also pay attention to the dialect required for the translation and their existing expertise.

Are you interested in working with a translation company who pays attention to all the little details of language? Feel free to get in touch with us today: info@accueast.com 

Written by Megan Jones

Yes, machine translation gives a rough guide to translation, but have you ever wondered how it can manage to go so wrong most times? The truth is, there are many translation strategies that need to be applied by a human in order to ‘smooth out’ any bumps and create a coherent, fluent piece. Did you really expect a free, non-human service would do all of this for you?

Read our detailed guide below to learn some of the procedures your translator is putting in place for every task:

1. Borrowing – Some words are simply untranslatable! In these circumstances, it is possible to keep the original foreign word. Sometimes this will make sense to the reader such as siesta (the Spanish midday break) or fengshui (the Chinese traditional practice of energies). 
2. Description – However, if borrowing isn’t quite suitable like the above examples, adding a brief description would be suitable to explain to the reader what the foreign word or term means.
3. Compensation – In some cases, there are other factors to consider which are difficult to translate. For example, the Spanish language uses a formal pronoun for those of whom you would like to display extra respect to. In English of course, we don’t have this. So instead, it’s essential to remember to compensate for this loss by continuing with a formal tone throughout.
4. Reduction or Omission – Depending on the source language, sometimes there is no need to translate everything word for word. Sometimes it would feel unnatural to be so repetitive, so instead it is suitable to either reduce the words down, or even omit completely depending on context! 
5. Equivalence – Similar to the above, word for word translation is quite often unsuitable. Instead, your translator will use their expertise to consider equivalent terms which deliver the same message with slightly different words.
6. Generalisation – Once more, context is key! Depending on the aim of the author, some details may be generalised to suit the audience. This is especially common with irrelevant numbers and time.
7. Adaptation – And last but not least, remember adaptation. As we have touched on before, cultural norms are essential considerations for translation, no matter what the field may be. It’s essential to note that what one country may have, such as a national holiday, another one may not, so we must adapt the text to suit the audience.

How many of the above strategies were you already aware of? Most go unnoticed, but you would certainly realise if they weren’t used that’s for sure! 

If you want to ensure your materials are translated successfully, get in touch with us at AccuEast today. We are ready to take your enquiries at info@accueast.com when you are!

Written by Dawn McIntyre

AccuEast provides business translation services for Asian and European languages, therefore we want to help you fully understand the key points when selecting your language translation provider.

1. Client References and Testimonials

Like any other service within a business, the value of client references or testimonials is critical. Translation services are no different and therefore it is important that you ask your preferred translation supplier to provide a reference or testimonial. A case study would support the supplier’s expertise, as this will show any challenges they have overcome and the implemented solution for a successful story which could be replicated to your task!

2. Approved Vetted Translators

It is always good to ask your translation company this question: How do they approve and select their translators? This is essential for having the best team on board and accessing quality translators for the project. You should ask what their process is for approving translators and then ensure they go that extra mile and add proof-readers to the mix.

3. NDAs For Added Security

If you are handing over valuable information relating to your business project, it would be crazy not to ask for a signed NDA from translators and proof-readers. AccuEast’s process includes the signing of NDAs to maintain confidentiality and security for their customer’s data, providing you with that extra sense of security.

4. Project Management

Your business translation document, website or social media content needs to have structure with efficient project management from you translation provider. By asking what processes they have in place will assure you that the service will offer you complete support from start to finish.

5. Quality Control

Quality Assurance will play a huge role for the finished product. It is not just about having your document or content translated by a translator, but additionally proof-reading will need to be included. Equally, language pair matching and subject matter experience will be extremely valuable. It should go without saying that you should never rely on tools such as Google Translate or you could end up red faced or damaging your brand.

If you have a translation project on the horizon, feel free to get in touch with us on info@accueast.com where we would be delighted to speak to you further.

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