Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need to have my documents translated? Isn’t English
readily accepted anywhere in the world?

While English is spoken as a first and often second language in many countries, it certainly isn’t spoken by everyone. Furthermore, those who speak it in foreign countries are not necessarily able to read it. Unless you have your documents professionally translated and localized, you will always look like a foreign company. You risk having your message ignored, or, even worse, misunderstood. If image is important to your company, quality translation is crucial.

What is localization?

You don’t want your text to be immediately recognized as “foreign.” The process of localization is translating your document specifically for your target market so that it reads as though it were written by someone native to the country. That means, for example, that you can specify whether you want your Spanish translation localized for, say, Mexico City, Bogota or Madrid. Your project’s translator will be native to the area you wish to target.

What is globalization?

If your document will eventually be sent to multiple countries, you should have it globalized to make it culturally neutral. While this is a less personal approach than localization, it can be adequate for text that needs to function in different regions around the world.

In what languages does Contextual Communications work?

Although the most common requests we get are for translations from English-to-Spanish and English-to-Portuguese, we can accommodate many other languages as well. Please contact us to discuss your individual language needs.

What makes Contextual Communications unique?

The feature that sets us apart from the competition is the quality of our work. Our translators are not only skilled linguists, they are also excellent writers. You can feel confident that the text they create will read smoothly and will clearly communicate your message. Furthermore, because we specialize in business translations, especially for the banking and finance industry, we are able to work more efficiently and cost effectively than most general translation companies.

What types of text do you translate?

We specialize in business document translation. Among the types of translations we do are:

• Software
• Technical documentation
• E-Learning
• Marketing and advertising materials
• Web-based training and printed training manuals
• Websites
• Legal documents
• Documents specific to the banking and finance industry

Who actually does the translating?

We have developed an extensive international network of talented local-language professionals. Our translators are not only native speakers of their language, they also understand the people, culture, attitudes and business climate of their country. Furthermore, they are skilled communicators with the ability to write clearly and effectively. They have a minimum of five years translation experience and have passed strict tests and standards.

When translating, what issues do you take into consideration?

In addition to word choice, grammar, punctuation and flow, we always keep the target audience and the client’s objectives in mind when we translate.

What kind of quality assurance testing do you do?

We do extensive quality assurance tests, checking all interfaces, word selection, grammar, punctuation and flow. We can also conduct in-country reviews to ensure that the text has been properly localized.

What if the documents I need translated are extremely confidential?

That’s not a problem. We will, of course, keep them confidential.   We are willing to sign any necessary statements to that effect.

While it’s always most cost efficient if you provide us with finalized documents, we can, however, handle whatever changes you require.

Does Contextual Communications do language project management?

Yes. Project management is a necessity for extremely large or complex translation projects or those that require translation into several languages. We can take control of the project, ensuring that qualified individuals complete the translation and localization, and that the end result meets your objectives. Our project managers can work at your site or off-site, depending on your preference.

Do you use any automated translation technology or is all translation
done manually?

While all of our translation work does require human involvement, our skilled translation-localization professionals do use sophisticated technology to assist them in their work. The benefits to you are fewer steps, fewer errors, greater consistency, faster turnaround, better quality and lower costs. Contextual Communications always provides quality-checked, production-ready transcripts.

How do you price your translations?

Our prices are very competitive. We work efficiently and therefore cost effectively to produce high-quality translations. We always provide a price quote up front and clearly define the project. The quote takes into account the length and complexity of the text as well as how the document will eventually be used.

How do I pay for your services?

For your convenience in paying for our services, we subscribe to PayPal, the world’s largest online payment solution. It is quick, secure, and offers a number of easy-pay solutions. Click the button below for immediate connection.

In what formats do you provide your finished translations?

We can provide the translated text in virtually any format you want. Just tell us what will work best for your application.

What is the first step in having Contextual Communications do my translation?

Contact us to discuss your project or send us a copy of the text. Once we know the scope of your project, we will provide you with a quote and projected turnaround time.

I am an experienced translator and would like to do work for Contextual Communications. How can I apply?

Register using our online registration form. We will contact you shortly after receiving it to further discuss your qualifications and the types of work that we have available.