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Translation

Though translation seems like a distinct enough description of the process of converting a document in one language to a document in another language, it is only the tip of the iceberg. Every document, every project, and every client is unique. Certain types of materials provide specific challenges that must be met with an individualized approach. We work in virtually every field, and we´ve discovered some similarities among the challenges posed by certain types of materials. If your field is not represented here, or if you´d like to know more about how we can tailor a solution to your translation challenge, please contact us.

For more information and a consultation with the Language Services management team, please contact us by telephone at (703) 247-0700 or by email at .

Advertising & Public Relations

To convey a message, not just a translation

The Challenge: Evoke the same response in the target audience as that achieved by the original text. Create solutions to issues such as colloquial expressions and images that are inappropriate for a particular audience. Produce a final product that does not "sound" like a translation.

A Comprehensive Approach: When approaching an advertising or PR-related project, we select a translation and editing team with specialized experience in translating for various media. Often, such translators will have come to the field of translation from a background in advertising or copy writing. We evaluate every aspect of the source material, including graphics and images, if included, to help create a translation that carries the mood of the overall product. This evaluation also helps us to identify potential pitfalls for our clients, such as colors or images that may be offensive to a particular audience. For certain projects, we may recommend additional content reviews as part of our quality control process. We will also provide in-house desktop publishing to further ensure accurate and appropriate lay-out of the foreign language materials.

Results: From web-sites to print media to scripts for public service announcements, our project managers and translation/editing teams work with our clients to provide the highest-caliber foreign language materials.

Associations, Non-Profit Organizations, NGOs

Translations for specialized audiences

The Challenge: Whether it's the American Association of Music Therapy or NPES, the Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies; the World Trade Center Institute or the American Association for the Advancement of Science, we assist associations, non-profit organizations and NGOs in reaching out to their constituencies. Much of this material is very subject-matter specific, which puts a premium on assigning translators who have an interest in the position of the client organization.

A Comprehensive Approach: After reviewing the document(s) to be translated, our project managers will identify terms for which there may be alternative translations. These alternatives are discussed with the client to determine the preferred translation, and client glossaries may be established. Our project managers also build on client experience with past translations to avoid problems and enhance the quality of the new translation.

Results: High caliber translations distributed to our client's readership that use the language their membership or audience expects to hear.

Defense & Homeland Security

Ensuring accuracy and integrity

The Challenge: Provide accurate translation of a variety of source materials, into English and into diverse foreign languages. Clients may require document safeguarding and expedited delivery times.

A Comprehensive Approach: Our extensive database of professional translators gives us the ability to provide timely translations of any type of documentation, and we have government-recognized systems in place to handle highly-sensitive materials. As with any other translations, our foremost concern is with the quality of the final product. Our project managers interface with our clients to ensure complete understanding of all project parameters, including specialized language or acronyms.

Results: From the translation and desktop publishing of matchbooks under the State Department´s "Rewards for Justice" program to translation of military training manuals for coalition troops, Comprehensive Language Center stands ready to assist with any security or defense-related project.

Financial & Investment Services

Accurate translations of sensitive material

The Challenge: Accurate, well-written translations that convey the intended meaning of the original text at the appropriate level for every audience.

A Comprehensive Approach: Our project managers assign the most qualified professional translators and editors to each project. Both translator and editor have specialized experience in financial services which allows them to accurately convey nuances between financial terminologies across languages. Our quality control procedure emphasizes an iterative process of translation and verification to ensure that the translation is accurate and that all non-translation aspects of a project (tables, figures, etc.) are also accurately transferred to the appropriate form in the final document.

Results: The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Fannie Mae, and the Securities and Exchange Commission rely on our services for accurate and timely completion of translations from and into any language.

Hardware & Software Engineering

Translation within the constraints of culture and programming

The Challenge: Provide accurate and appropriate translations of user interface items while working within the constraints of programming and the established norms for software in other countries.

A Comprehensive Approach: Any project involving localization of hardware or software must include rigorous adherence to quality control procedures, a disciplined schedule, and superb communication between client and vendor. We routinely establish one or more pre-project meetings to allow our project managers and linguists the opportunity to have hands-on experience with a software package and to discuss any limitations with the client´s programmers and engineers. From there, we follow our quality control procedures, with special steps added for projects of this nature, including frequent in-process client reviews. The final stage of the project includes real-time testing of any application. We are not strictly in the business of translating software, we are in the business of translating language. It is our ability to communicate with our clients and focus on the ultimate goal of well-versed software, rather than a rigid engineering process, that has clients turning to Comprehensive Language Center.

Results: Our attention to detail, committed customer service, and highly-skilled staff and translators allow us to produce extremely high-quality translations of hardware and software materials.

Legal & Certified Translations

Documents that stand up in court

The Challenge: Certified translations are most often requested for clients involved in legal processes. Since litigation is at its heart an adversarial process, it is fairly common for our client´s opposing counsel to challenge the accuracy of a translation we have provided.

A Comprehensive Approach: We stand behind every translation we produce and we will provide certified copies of our translations as necessary. We rely on our ability to locate the best translation team for every project, combined with our standard quality control framework to ensure that our translations continue to meet this rigorous test. Our clients often are not aware that they will require a certified copy of the translation until after the project is underway or completed. Because we strictly adhere to an established quality control procedure for every translation, we are able to certify the results of our work without backtracking to fill in special requirements.

Results: As a testament to the quality of our translations, our translation process and our management team, every certified translation we have provided for the past 20 years has withstood any challenge to its accuracy or completeness.

Outreach to US Audiences

Promotional and informational material for the US

The Challenge: Translate materials into language that will be accepted and understood by audiences with varying cultural, educational, and demographic backgrounds. Accurately convey the message of the original material using language that is culturally appropriate to the target audience.

A Comprehensive Approach: We will gather information about the intended audience to be sure that we select a translation and editing team with the appropriate background. To maintain consistency in terminology, glossaries are established and approved before being used by the translation team.

Results: High-quality, relevant foreign-language material that can be accessed by segments of the US population that cannot understand the English originals. The Fannie Mae Foundation puts more people on the path to homeownership by offering Home Buying Guides in nine languages.

Research & Surveys

Reflecting language nuance while preserving statistical integrity

The Challenge: Effectively translate the intended meaning of research questions while maintaining the integrity of the survey as a statistical instrument. Unlike the English-language original, there is usually little time or budget set aside to test and re-work foreign language versions. For languages that reach diverse populations, such as Spanish, word-choice can be especially tricky.

A Comprehensive Approach: We encourage involvement of the translation team as early in the development process as possible. We will work with researchers to determine, among other key areas, appropriate language-specific target audiences, glossaries, syntax restrictions, and even formatting issues. Our experience with survey and research materials, in conjunction with our significant experience in languages of limited diffusion, enables us to work with research-oriented clients to determine the best set of solutions for translation of any survey or research-related instrument.

Results: Comprehensive Language Center was trusted to provide translation support for what may be the two most important surveys in the United States: the US Census and the New Immigrant Survey. In addition, we regularly provide translation support to clients conducting market research, and for smaller health and quality-of-life studies.