Been handed a project, and thinking what the hell do I do know? Then you’ve come to the right place. By the time you’ve finished reading this free translation guide, you’ll be able to answer the 2 most important questions to ensure a successful translation project.

Clarifying project requirements is essential to determining what the right type of translation is for your project.

For example, is your translation project for internal or external consumption? Is cost more important or is quality more important? Another requirement that may be of importance to your translation project is time. What is the turn-around for your project?

Translation can be categorized into the following two types:

1. Machine Translation (MT)
2. Human Translation

NOTE: Computer-assisted translation (CAT) is a tool to aid skilled translators, although it is sometimes considered a separate type category.

In machine translation, the (human) translator supports the machine. In other words, a computer program translates the source text, with the resultant target text then being edited by a translator, if it is edited at all. Machine Translation is useful for translation in fields with highly limited ranges of vocabulary and very simple sentence structure. Weather reports are a prime example. Machine translation (MT) is also employed for "gisting" or, to get the general meaning (gist) of a document. In terms of cost and turn-around, machine translation appeals to our need for instant gratification with the click of a button.

But, is machine translation right for your translation project? Click here to beef up on Machine Translation (MT)

Still not sure what’s the right type of translation for your project? Consider this headline from the Yahoo! Odd News section (2005-07-05) - "The Wurst museum in the world?" You guessed right -- It’s not a bad museum but one dedicated to...German sausages! This sentence will choke any machine translation program!

Ready to reduce your frustration buying translation? Selecting the right type of translation service can be just as frustrating as selecting the right type of translation for your project (you have that under control, right?). Do you go with a professional translation service by a translation company, a translation agency or a free-lance translator?

The following criteria, while not an exhaustive list, will help you determine the right professional translation service for your project, and guarantee that you get the most value for your investment in translation. Read this before settling on a Professional Translation Service

Finally, what would a guide be without a few tips ‘n techniques? By now you have the answers to:

• What is the right type of translation for my project?
• What is the right type of translation service for my project?

You're almost ready to commit. Guarantee the success of your translations project by taking a few more minutes to truly prepare (peace of mind; priceless!). Japanese Translation Buying Guide Tips and Techniques

About the Author
Ivan Vandermerwe is the CEO of SAECULII YK (Tokyo Japan), the owner of SAECULII Translation Agency, Japan (Tokyo). Visit SAECULII for the latest professional articles and news on Japanese Translation Services

Copyright (C) SAECULII YK. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this article is permitted with inclusion of the "About the Author" reference as is (including text links, japan-translators.saeculii.com/english/services/japanese-translation-services.cfm), and this copyright information. Articles may not be altered without written permission from SAECULII YK.