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If you were translating into one language, and had appropriate internal resources, I'd say give it a try. Much beyond that, I'd start looking at moving the work external. It's a very complicated task that not many understand well outside of the industry. I find that the less someone understands about a process, the less value they place on it.
I've been in Tech Comm since 2001, and also worked for a large global localization company for nearly 5 years, so I've seen both sides of the table. I've added more responses below:
-----Original Message-----
Things I would worry about:
- Maintaining a good dictionary of technical terms.
-- This is true for any language. You'll run into problems with your source language if you don't take the proper steps to ensure consistent terminology usage.
- Assuring that new technical terms receive their correct French counterpart without reinvention. Does Canada maintain a standard for French that's equivalent to the Academy in France?
-- See above.
- Worry that the firm to which the work is outsourced also provides translation for the competition. Ensuring remote compartmentalization of the effort sounds like a difficult task, even with non-disclosure agreements.
-- One big misconception is that the translation companies have their own in-house translators. For the small mom & pop businesses, that is likely true. But when you start working with larger global suppliers, most of them rely on a network of in-country translators who are paid as subcontractors. And those individual translators are likely working for multiple global companies in order to keep their volume up. They almost always under NDA which extends from the vendor. And unless you are developing spy satellite technology, what are you really concerned with in the end?
- Loss of the in-house expertise that otherwise could resolve disputes over correct use of language, especially for legal and technical matters.
-- Are your own in-house lawyers bilingual? Chance are they are not. So they are going to use an external "legal" translations company anyway.
- Inability to respond to ridicule heaped upon your company after one incredibly stupid gaffe that an in-house expert would never have allowed. The possible misuse of the verb "baiser" leaps to mind.
-- You will have mistakes whether you use internal or external resources. Just because someone is an internal employee does not make them more competent or infallible. I am continually amazed at how so many companies have higher standards for their suppliers/contractors than they do for their own internal employees.
Duane Green
Technical Publications Manager
Heartland Payment Systems
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+duane -dot- green=e-hps -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+duane -dot- green=e-hps -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Peter Neilson
Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 8:21 AM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: Outsourcing translations versus in-house?
On Wed, 12 Dec 2012 08:19:28 -0500, <ryan -dot- minaker -at- ca -dot- pwc -dot- com> wrote:
> ... the outsourcing is
> looking like it's far cheaper, but I'm sure there is always some
> caveat...
Vous devez vous assurer d'avoir vos traductions relire pour l'idiotie par un locuteur natif du franÃais canadien.
That was translated by Google. I have no idea whether it's actually correct. It "looks" good to my Anglophone eyes.
Things I would worry about:
- Maintaining a good dictionary of technical terms.
- Assuring that new technical terms receive their correct French counterpart without reinvention. Does Canada maintain a standard for French that's equivalent to the Academy in France?
- Worry that the firm to which the work is outsourced also provides translation for the competition. Ensuring remote compartmentalisation of the effort sounds like a difficult task, even with non-disclosure agreements.
- Loss of the in-house expertise that otherwise could resolve disputes over correct use of language, especially for legal and technical matters.
- Inability to respond to ridicule heaped upon your company after one incredibly stupid gaffe that an in-house expert would never have allowed.
The possible misuse of the verb "baiser" leaps to mind.
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