Welcome to Ahora Translations

How quickly can my job be translated, and what's the average turn-around time?

The turnaround time for a translation depends on many factors.

An average translator can translate 3000 words a day or some 10 pages (250 - 300 words per page) over a sustained period. That count can vary up or down another 1500 words or so depending on the degree of difficulty of the subject, formatting considerations, etc.

A quick deadline may require that a document be divided up among various translators. That in turn means it will require additional editing for consistency. To the degree a larger number of translators are involved, further editing is required.

Since every document's word count, content and technical level is different, you will receive a delivery date that is based on your needs and the aforementioned factors.

Translation is our full time business and we work accurately and fast. We take our deadlines very seriously. We draw upon a large base of qualified and experienced translators to satisfy high volume requests with quick turnaround. However, all jobs are edited to ensure quality and consistency.

That said, don't wait until the last moment to get the job to the translators (it's not instant coffee), and see our tips on how to get a better translation.

Will I need to sign an agreement?

Small jobs can be requested by a means of a signed purchase order. For larger jobs, a duly executed authorization or contract (we supply it) is needed to begin any translation work.

For first time customers and those contracting our translation services from outside the United States, a 50% deposit may be required before starting any translation project. Larger jobs may also require that progress payments be stipulated in the translation contract.

Can I be assured that my documents will be handled confidentially?

Absolutely. We assure our clients that all translations are confidential and we require our translators to sign agreements to ensure that sensitive documents remain confidential.

What forms of payment are accepted and how am I billed?

You will be issued an invoice upon completion and delivery of the translation. All final payments are due within 15 days upon delivery. Payment options include electronic payment, a personal or company check drawn on a U.S. bank.

How will I be charged?

Send us your job for a free quote. Use our e-mail ahora@ahoratranslations.com or fax (281) 754-4262 and call us at (713) 554-3662.

You will be charged by the word at a rate we provide in our quote based on the complexity of the source material, unless we reach an agreement otherwise. The word count will be that of the target language (the language into which the product is being translated). Spanish to English generally results in a decrease in the range of 10% whereas English to Spanish translation will result in an increase of around 20%. This will vary depending on the subject matter. The increased word count from English into Spanish is greatest for technical documents. Legal text translated from English to Spanish will show a smaller increase. Our word count will be that generated by Microsoft Word or any other applicable software.

Ahora Translations also offers editing, revision and proofreading services for previously translated material and adaptation of text for your target audience.

What operating systems and file formats does Ahora Translations offer?

Ahora Translations works with both PC and Macintosh computer operating systems. We can provide translations in a wide variety of software formats including: MSWord, WordPerfect, Lotus Word Pro, Power Point, Adobe PageMaker, QuarkXpress, and Frame Maker and FrontPage, among others.

How will I receive my translation?

We will send you an electronic copy by e-mail unless you request otherwise.

As an added bonus, we will include a FREE .PDF version of all your files, which is an ideal way to make your material electronically available for distribution and other purposes. We can also provide you the documents and files on CD-ROM.

I want my web site translated.

Ahora Translations offers translation of web sites. We can either translate the text and your Webmaster can replace the text or you can provide us with the site for translation. Sites can be imported locally in their entirety and the final product delivered as an exact replica of the original.

What is the difference between interpreting and translation?

Interpreting is the act of orally translating the words of a speaker from one language to another. Translation refers to the translation of written texts from one language to another.

What is the difference between consecutive, simultaneous and escort interpreting?

Consecutive interpreting is when the interpreter listens to the person speak and then repeats what he or she said, but in another language. The speaker must pause while the interpreter speaks and therefore it is consecutive. It does not require equipment.

Simultaneous interpreting is where the interpreter translates the speech into the target language at virtually the same time (with a slight delay known as a décalage in order to make the necessary grammatical and semantic reorganization). The speaker does not have to stop for the translator and so it is done simultaneously. This is most often done during conferences, using special microphones and radio/infrared headsets so that the interpreter can be heard by the appropriate people but not by those trying to hear the speaker directly. Alternatively, whisper interpretation for a single listener can be used. However, whisper interpretation is very limited and it is not recommended since the acoustics can make it quite difficult for both the interpreter and their subject.

Escort interpreting is when the interpreter accompanies the client, often a visiting foreigner during a day. For example, this may be while they conduct business or it may for sightseeing or shopping.

What about automatic or machine translation (MT)?

We at Ahora Translations have found that human translators provide a better product and the amount of the trying to correct the errors and stilted language of machine translation doesn't pay in the long run. Machine-assisted translation (MT) requires a great deal of post-editing to correct errors. In reality the translation produced by the computer is so substandard that the entire document often needs to be rewritten, but the budget allotted for post-editing isn't enough to pay for full re-translation.

While recent advancements in MT are indeed impressive, this technology remains unsuitable for those who require high quality, accurate translation. The complexities of human communication are far too intricate for computers to render precise translations of legal, technical and business texts.

However, some people believe that if only a substandard translation is needed, then this arrangement sometimes works, especially if the original is highly technical (they claim that the machines find technical language easier). We have found that not to be the case either. Two of the more amusing examples of "technical translation" by computer are the following:

Examples of MT "translation":

Original	MT translation	Should have been
Corridas eléctricas	Electrical bullfights	electrical connections
Botones de aborto	Bellboys of abortion	abort buttons

Do the test: Use one of the Internet MT translation services to translate a paragraph, then take the same text and use it to translate it back to English. Is that really what you said?

How can I get a better translation?

Provide names and e-mails of authors of the documents to be translated to allow the translator to get clarifications concerning terms in the document.
Provide similar documents to familiarize the translator with your products and terminology.
Provide any other pertinent translations of your documents in order to ensure consistent terminology.
Remember rushed last minute translations won't be as polished a product as those provided with enough time for a single translator and/or editor.

I want a translation for one particular country or for all of Latin America.

Is the document for Mexico? or Argentina? or Colombia? Is it for use throughout Latin America? These questions are important because terminology varies greatly. For example a "bolt" may either be perno (Mexico) or bulón (Argentina). A "flare" can be a quemador (Mexico), tea (Colombia) or mechurrio (Venezuela). A piping "pig" can be a raspador (general usage), diablo (Mexico), marrano (Colombia), or a conejo (Argentina), and so on.

If your document is intended for only one country we strive to use the particular terminology and proper idiomatic expressions for that country. We use translators who are native speakers from that country if possible, or extensively research and consult with national sources for the topic area.

If it is for Latin America in general we strive for a neutral Latin American Spanish. It is important to know that in some cases the differences are virtually irreconcilable and that is where our glossaries can be of use.

I want the translation in Castilian Spanish or proper Spanish.

All Spanish in Latin America is proper as long as it is well written. Castilian Spanish is what is spoken throughout the Spanish-speaking world and in all of Latin America. The terminology in Spain can differ greatly from that spoken in Latin America, but sometimes not any more so than between Argentina and Mexico, such as the case between the English of the United States and Great Britain.

What happens if I disagree with the translation or there is an error?

We strive for perfection. However, in the event any disagreement or discrepancy with a translation, we discuss the issues with the client. We agree to correct translation errors quickly and without charge. Revisions based on matters of word choice may be billed at an agreed rate. Ahora does carry an errors and omissions insurance policy. Increased coverage can be obtained for special jobs.