Is your organization in the market for translation services? As with any purchase, it’s a good idea to research your alternatives first. With that in mind, here are the pros and cons of the most common translation options for businesses and organizations of all sizes.
Machine translation: Is the hype real?
You’ve no doubt seen the many headlines about enterprise technology companies turned machine translation engines. If you believe everything you read, language barriers are already a thing of the past.
The reality is more complicated. Machine translation is a good option for some projects. As a matter of fact, sometimes it’s the best option. For tasks such as translating a massive amount of user-generated content, or for eDiscovery, it’s just not feasible to rely solely on human translators. It would take too long and be too expensive.
So, there are some cases where machine translation makes the most sense from a business perspective. However, that doesn’t mean you can just turn your content over to a free online translation tool.
Free translation tools have the following disadvantages, and they should be enough to give you pause:
- Headline hype aside, they are often seriously inaccurate.
- They have enough data security issues to create a compliance nightmare.
To minimize the drawbacks associated with machine translation, use a professional translation company. They can create a custom solution that’s tailored to your organization and your industry, reducing inaccuracies. If you choose a reputable company with a focus on security, your sensitive data will remain secure, too.
Human translation services: The gold standard?
Looking at the different translation options available, translation services from professional human translators are the gold standard, and for a good reason. When accuracy matters, there’s just no substitute for a skilled human translator.
At this point, only human translators can understand the intricacies of language and culture and accurately translate a message from one language to another. Additionally, they can be subject matter experts in specific industries, like the legal industry or the medical industry. That expertise is invaluable and irreplaceable for specialized content.
The cons? Human translators have a longer turnaround time. They also cost more, of course, although the increased accuracy can save your company from incurring additional costs down the line.
While you can work with freelance translators individually, using a translation company is often a better move. You’ll have immediate access to a network of vetted translators, with subject matter expertise if necessary, and you won’t have to spend time and resources managing them.
Machine translation with human post-editing: A happy medium?
Machine translation and human translation don’t have to be mutually exclusive, of course. For many projects, machine translation combined with human post-editing is a happy medium. It speeds turnaround time and reduces costs, while still giving you the benefit of a professional translator’s expertise.
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