The turnaround time for translation is influenced by a variety of factors, among which the speed of human translation is not the only and most important one. Translating is a complex and time-consuming process, it is filled with hidden obstacles and potential delays. However, quality cannot be evaluated by checking the speed of the work.
Here are some of the major factors that influence turnaround time.
The choice of language pairs being translated may affect the turnaround time. The complexity depends on the difference in languages, their rarity and frequency of use. For some of them, it is difficult to find an equivalent for translation or to convey a thought correctly. Languages that are relatively rare may have a higher translation cost and a longer turnaround time.
This is not surprising, but the bigger the volume and the more words in your text, the longer it takes to translate it. Plus, it’ll take more time to check. And maybe you will even need multiple translators that have a consistent output for more fast and more quality process.
A translation project’s complexity and scope can have a significant impact on the speed because some projects require a higher level of expertise than others.
If your document contains a lot of technical words, manufacturing terminology, abbreviations, or in-depth explanations, your translator will need time to research them or to have an experience in that specific background. For example, medical or legal documents often demand an extended timeline, so the more a text is specialized, the longer it will take to translate. Similarly, translators who specialize in certain types of projects will be able to complete them at a faster rate and more likely will choose each word meticulously to ensure that nothing is lost in translation.
Moreover, the quality of the source material will factor into the time.
Also due to the complexity of the task the translator may have some questions. The client’s response time and the number of such questions can speed up or slow down the translation process.
- Access to Translation Tools
Some companies use translation tools or other technology to reduce the workload of the translator, which in turn reduces turnaround time.
Having access to approved glossaries, software or spellchecks can significantly reduce a translator’s workload and ensure greater consistency across projects. If a document frequently uses the same words or phrases, it will require less effort and time to translate that document as a translator can reuse something and be able to save time.
Formatting also plays an important role in determining turnaround times and can significantly delay the completion of the translation.
Depending on which application is used and what format of the end result is needed, the translation process can take different amounts of time. For example, the translation process will take longer if a document is sent as a PDF rather than as a Word document. Moreover, if the document contains non-editable images, graphs or tables that also require translation, the process will take much longer.
If possible, plan your time in advance so as not to rush yourself or the translator and the desktop publisher. Due to the many factors involved in producing a high-quality final product, it is important to give them ample time to complete the task.