Costs
Question: Why don’t you have set prices like other agencies have?
Answer: That would first of all mean that you would have to pay too much for a reasonably simple text and that is not the way to go about things, according to us. You do not want to spend too much and we do not want to scare you with high prices for a relatively common text. Each and every text is different. When a text contains a lot of jargon for instance, it will take the translator a lot more time to translate your text. Another good example would be the translation of machine parts. If there is a lack of context (and in a number of cases even no pictures, symbols or anything), it can be extra difficult for a translator to come up with the correct translation. In this case the price will be higher. Next to that you also have factors like the delivery date, language combination, and whether or not your source text is correct. Some clients may for instance fax us a handwritten piece like the minutes of a meeting that needs to be translated. These kinds of texts will take longer to put in the target language than a Word or PDF file. This has to do with the fact that one person’s handwriting is a lot easier to read than another. Most of the times minutes will be written down at a certain speed and that isn’t too beneficial for the legibility, to say the least. Eventhough we are not able to offer set prices, we will always get you the best offer we can. Whether you need a document translated, transcribed, edited or proofread, we’ll each and every time get you our best quote. Our quotations are always clear and there is no small print. The total price at the bottom is what you will pay; no more, no less. You will only have to pay the words that were actually translated for you.
Question: I recieved a quotation from your translation agency. It says that proofreading is included. Do you always do this and if so, does this oblige me to have it proofread?
Answer: House of Words makes sure all work is proofread before it is returned. This is done by a second native translator. All translator check their work after having finished (and spell-check it of course). However, one tends to read over one’s own mistakes, so that is why a second person will check the translation against the original. This to make sure the text sent to the client is correct. If you do NOT want to have the translation proofread, you do NOT have to. Just simply tell us you want to do it yourself or want to have someone else do it. The costs for proofreading will be left out on the quotation.
Question: On my quotation it says that an estimate has been made of the word count. Howcome?
Answer: You may have informed us on the number of pages you want to have translated instead of the number of words. On average a regular sized page with text contains about 350 words and this is the number we use for our estimate. (Taking into account that there will be blank lines and a font size 12 is used). Once you have sent us the files, we can calculate the exact amount of words and we will sent you an amended quotation for you to sign. It goes without saying that we’ll only charge you for the exact amount of words that have been translated.
Question: This isn’t the first time we have asked for a quotation from your translation agency. We then needed to have a text translated from English to Spanish. We now want to have the same text translated to German and Greek. Itake it the price per word will be the same?
Answer: No, not necessarily. A translation from English to Spanish can be cheaper than from English to German. ( For this reason there are quite a number of translation agencies working with fixed prices whatever the language combination. The means you will often pay them more than is really necessary!) The following example might make it somewhat clearer. As you might know, Finland, Danmark, Norway and Sweden are quite pricy; the living costs are relatively high. Translation to Swedish or Danish are therefore much more expensive than to let’s say Russian or Polish.
Question: Is it true that translations from English to for instance Chinese are cheaper than from Dutch to Chinese?
Answer: Yes, that is correct. The costs strongly depend on the country where the translator is located. We have got a large database with qualified translators translating from English to another language. (example: there are more native German translators who translate from English to German than there are translating from Dutch to German.)
Q: I have half a page and want to have it translated. Do you accept small jobs?
A: Sure we do; we do NOT EVEN charge a minimum fee like other agencies do!
Q: Why is House of Words cheaper than most other agencies?
A: We can keep our prices low, because we do not have expensive offices.
Q: We need translations on a regular basis. Is that a problem?
A: No, the more the better. We have even more competitive prices for our regular clients and large-volume projects.
Q: I have a text I need to have proofread. How can I get a quote?
A: Please go to the ‘GET A QUOTE’ page and fill out the form. You’ll receive a clear quote with all information within one business day.
Q: Do you have discounts?
A: Yes. Every month we randomly give customers a 5 to 10% discount. So it might just happen you receive a discount code (together with your finalized project) to use for your next project.
Q: I am a regular client and want to have my name and website mentioned at the ‘REFERENCES’ page. Is that okay?
A: Sure! The pleasure will be ours. Please send your feedback on our services, including your data (name/website etc.) to info@houseofwords.nl and find it on our website within the next few days.
Q: We would like to be a House of Words affiliate. Is that possible?
A: Nothing is impossible. Please send your ideas to info@houseofwords.nl and we’ll get back to you a.s.a.p.
Q: What is a CAT tool?
A: The word CAT is the abbreviation of ‘Computer Aided Translation’. It, among other things, helps translators maintain of certain level of consistency.
Q: Is it important to compile a glossary?
A: A glossary is a fundamental tool, in most cases provided by the customer, which help provide consistent and high-quality translation service (e.g. for projects with multiple translators)
Q: The login function at the site doesn’t appear to be working. Is this the way it should be?
A: No. We are currently working on this. In the near future there will be a special portal for both the translators and clients. This will help us and our translators to be even more efficient than we already are.
Q: I am a freelance translator. Can I start working for House of Words?
A: That depends. We need skilled and experienced people who are well-educated. You can send your resume to info@houseofwords.nl. After having assessed this we’ll send you some forms to fill out and in most cases will ask you to do a translation test. If all turns out well we’ll add you to our database.
Q: Do you have a minimum charge for translation projects?
A: Other companies and even freelancers mostly charge between 10 and 30 euro. We on the other hand do not have a minimum charge; we sometimes even do not charge you anything for very small texts that need to be translated, edited or proofread.
Q: Are computers taking over the work of translators?
A: Translating is a skill. Translation machines may slowly be getting better, but they are still a far cry from the real thing. Linguists and computer experts have been predicting for decades that the very essence of languages will soon be penetrated, after which translations will become purely a question of mathematics. Yet the experts have always been wrong in this specific area. Translators are increasingly using tools that speed up the translation process and that extract repetitive passages, but translation machines still cannot be used for the professional translation industry. Translating is simply a skill that demands creativity and feeling.
Q: Should I submit my text in a particular format?
A: Translators generally prefer to work on screen rather than on paper. If you submit the source text digitally, the translator can view it in a separate window on his/her computer screen, thereby speeding up the translation process considerably. Another benefit of submitting the document digitally is that it can be read by the translation program. Although the program itself does not produce the translation, it does help the translator to use terminology consistently throughout the text. In this sense, the document type and format do affect the quality of the translation.
Q: What are translation tools?
A: Translation tools are computer programs that support translators in their work. These tools save individual words, sentences and paragraphs of the source document and the corresponding translation in structured databases, helping the translator to keep the document consistent by offering suggestions on how to translate repeated segments in the text.
Q: What is a certified translation? When is it necessary?
A: A certified translation is a translation produced by a certified translator. This means a translator with a certain level of training or experience who has taken an oath in court, entitling him/her to translate certain official documents. The authorities in some countries require certified translations for particular purposes. Strictly speaking, certification gives no guarantee concerning the quality of the translator. In fact, many excellent translators never bother to become certified.
Q: I have a question, but it is none of the above. Will it remain a mystery forever?
A: Of course not! You can ask us any question you like. We can be reached via e-mail, phone, MSN and Skype. You’ll find the necessary information on our ‘CONTACT’ page.
