What is Specialized translation?
Why the specialized translations are more expensive then ordinary translation?
The answer to this question is not so clear. First of all, there is no clear line between specialized translations and ordinary translations, and secondly, specialized translations do not always have to be more expensive than ordinary translations. As it happens in life, there are orders that are easier and those that are more difficult. Ones are more technical the others are less. We try to concentrate on different spheres in translations and then divide them into smaller parts which are more specialized. It is too hard to recall them all. This can include law, banking, finance, economics, industry, technology, information technology, new technologies, scientific texts, marketing, advertising, medicine, industry, mechanical engineering, automotive, physics, chemistry, biology, food industry, agriculture, energy, architecture, ecology or environmental protection.
When it comes to dealing with very limited specialisation, the problem that can arise is to find a qualified person, it can be a technical translator or a specialised translator. It is unlikely that the same person will be qualified in both the chosen field and linguistics. So what is the best way to ensure that a specialised translation meets the client’s expectations and does not incur unnecessary costs? For example, what if the translation was done in an inaccurate way and the unnecessary things were bought during the installation? The worst thing that could happen is in the case of medical translations, where the cost of an error can be too high.
Terminology
But let’s get back to the point. The first question to ask is whether it is important to retain all the terminology or whether it is more important to retain the stylistic and grammatical aspects of the text as accurately as possible. In the case of texts that are to be published somewhere, both aspects are important, but in the case of a machine manual, for example, the most important thing is that the names of all the components in the machine are translated reliably. Obviously, if our car breaks down, we do not want the mechanic to order the wrong part because the manual says that the clutch is broken, when in fact it is a two-mass wheel. In the second case, it is definitely better to have the translation done by someone who knows the exact structure of the specific machine and can recall all the elements in the target language of the specialised translation without any mistakes. The same applies to medical translations, chemical translations or translations in the field of physics. In these cases, the correct translation of the terminology is more important than the stylistic part and the structure of the sentences.
Also, there is a huge number of terminology that is specialized not only in the particular field but inside the business or corporation. In one corporation, the mid-year condensed consolidated report for quarter I 2017 drawn up to European Union-adopted IAS 34 is: Mid-year condensed consolidated report for quarter I 2017 drawn up to European Union-adopted IAS 34. In another corporation, however, the same would translate as: Condensed consolidated interim report for quarter I 2017 prepared according to IAS 34 adopted by European Union
Both versions are correct, but if you substitute these words in the translations for both concerns customers would consider it a mistranslation. “Total income” in one company is “Comprehensive income”. It is almost the same thing, but it makes a big difference to the company. Seemingly nuances, but how important for proper understanding in a given company.
Choice of specialization
So let’s go back to the question from the beginning of this article. Why specialized translations are usually more expensive than ordinary translations. This is due to the fact that such translations are very labor-intensive and often require consultation with specialists in the field. In very special cases, translations are even done directly by such a specialist, and are then proofread stylistically. In other cases, the translation is done by an experienced specialist translator and then subjected to proofreading. In specialized translations, stylistics is not the most important thing. What is important is the correct choice of specialized and industry-specific or company-specific words. This is because every major corporation has a specific vocabulary. In specialized translations, very narrow specializations often apply. When you go to see an orthopedic doctor, you don’t expect him to take care of your cardiology problems as well. In the same way, you can’t expect a translator who specializes in financial translation to perform flawless translations of the field of, for example, quantum physics.
There are evident exceptions that are not provided in the part above. After years of executions of specialized translations, translators gain experience and by translating texts from a specific industry, they almost become specialists in that field. They are specialized in different fields depending on what kind of translations they have done in their previous careers. However, this requires many years of constant practice, almost daily translation of many specialized texts.
Finally, it is still worth mentioning the most important areas in which specialized translations are performed. These include doctoral theses, scientific documents, technological processes, software documentation, technical product specifications, construction documentation, manuals for industrial machinery and equipment, user manuals, manuals for automotive equipment, scientific and technical documentation, patent descriptions, documents related to production processes, laboratory catalogs.
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