It takes more than just the ability to understand two languages.
Professional translators and interpreters have the education, experience, and expertise to understand the nuances in one language and transfer them to another.听The right professional will have solid knowledge of your industry and will know how to culturally adapt your content for the target audience you are trying to reach. You only get one chance to make a first impression, so make sure it counts.
Can I afford to hire a professional?
You can't afford NOT to.听Getting your message wrong can cost money, ruin your image, and even cost lives. Whether you鈥檙e having a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign translated or need an interpreter to communicate treatment options between a doctor and patient, it pays to hire a professional to get the job done right.
Instead of hiring a professional, this restaurant used machine translation and did not realize the result was an error message.
Understanding what鈥檚 at stake
ATA publishes articles to illustrate why it is critical to hire qualified translators and interpreters.
How to Avoid Misinformation: Cross-Border Strategies PR Pros Should be Thinking About
At a time when misinformation and fake news are running rampant, communication, and more specifically the written word, is arguably more important than ever. The last thing public relations (PR) pros want to do is jeopardize brand image by miscommunicating to a critical audience. The fact that PR budgets are down and advertising dollars are in short supply due to…
Read More25 Million Americans Don鈥檛 Speak English: Translators and Interpreters Essential in Pandemic
At the time of this writing, millions of Americans are have been ordered to stay home, instructions that are hard enough to grasp if you speak English鈥攅ven harder still for the eight percent of Americans considered limited English proficient (LEP). As new updates and guidelines are issued by the day鈥攊n English-only communication, for the most part鈥攚hat happens if critical messages…
Read MoreContent Marketers: Time to Call in the Language Professionals?
The U.S. is the largest consumer market on earth, but did you know that 96% of the world鈥檚 consumers reside beyond the country鈥檚 borders (according to the U.S. Small Business Administration)? Nonetheless, content marketers have largely focused on English-speaking markets because of their high internet penetration and enormous spending rates. Translating and adapting content for local markets in other languages…
Read MoreHiring an Interpreter?听9 Dos and Don鈥檛s to Get the Most Out of Your Partnership
From Mari Kondo to the tiny house movement, the concept of 鈥渓ess is more鈥 is undergoing a resurgence of sorts. Yet, in one area at least, the practice of 鈥渕ore is more鈥 still rings true. If your upcoming meeting or business transaction requires a communication expert, such as an interpreter, you may think it鈥檚 as easy as having them show…
Read MoreHow to Win at Customer Service: 3 Strategies for Converting Customers into Brand Devotees
When Scarlett hung up the phone, she was close to tears. Even more unexpectedly, so was the customer service representative on the other end. How did a seemingly simple inquiry end with two people being so frustrated that they were on the verge of a breakdown? Scarlett had called to resolve a mistaken charge on her phone bill, but what…
Read More5 Website Features That May Be Working Against You
Contrary to popular belief, your website is not about the products you sell, the services you provide, or the information you share. It鈥檚 actually about the people who visit it and their needs. As a website owner, your job is to turn those visitors into paying clients. But before you can do that, you have to keep visitors on your…
Read MoreWhy Hire an ATA Member?
ATA members have a commitment to continuing education and are held to the highest professional standards. Feel secure knowing if you鈥檙e hiring an ATA member, you鈥檙e hiring the best in the business.
The ATA Compass
Our outreach publication provides up-to-date information and resources about the translating and interpreting industry.
What's the difference?
Translators do the writing. Interpreters do the talking. ATA helps you find the right language professional.
Can't a computer do all this?
There are times when machine translation is useful, and times when it's not. Learn when to use Google Translate, and when to hire a professional.