We all have friends who speak a foreign language and if we have a text that we need translated, it can be tempting to ask these friends for help. After all, they know the language, don’t they?
The problem is that this “friendly” bit of advice can lead to serious inaccuracies and errors in your translations. No matter how talented and skilled your co-workers and friends are, they are probably not professional translators. They may make mistakes in your text. If they are expats, they may not be aware of the latest grammar changes and other changes in their own native language. Language changes all the time, and professional translators and linguists at Vedia Translations work many hours to ensure that they are aware of all these changes. As well, just as you may not have perfect grammar and a perfect vocabulary in English, your expat friends and coworkers may have their own language problems – problems which can then end up in your translated document.
There really is no substitute for a professional translation. After all, would you entrust anyone with a toolbox to fix your home’s plumbing or allow anyone with a stethoscope to prescribe you medications? While a non-professional translation may not mean a leaky pipe or a misdiagnosis, it can have severe consequences. Poorly translated legal or immigration documents can mean costly legal delays or the loss of a court case or visa. Errors in marketing or business translations can mean significant losses in profits or in business opportunities.
Getting professional results in any field means choosing to work with professionals; that’s why clients turn to Vedia Translations for their translation needs.