How much can a translator translate in translation agency during 8 working hours?

This theme worries not only translators, but also customers, who apply for help to translation agency. Well, it is a tricky question, and it really has no concrete answer! Everyone has different working methods, different specialization fields, different software etc. That is why it is very hard to make a certain conclusion. According to unspoken rules in the field of language services, one page of text is roughly 1800 characters. Professional translator, while working at translation agency can perform 7-8 pages of printed text of the general theme with quality on the proper level. If translator uses professional programs, amount of pages rises and can amount to 10-12 sheets of printed text of general difficulty during 8 hours of work.

There are several factors that influence the speed of translation:

Format of text. When you work with hard copies, it takes more time then when working with electronic texts.

Dictionaries available. Search for unknown words will be faster, if dictionaries are good. Searching for words in the Internet frees a lot of time.

Using CAT instruments. Using CAT instruments will fasten the process of translation, especially if the text repeats itself.

Theme of specialty. The more a theme is familiar, the faster becomes a translation.

Style of the source text. Other factor is style, used by the original author. When comparing two texts in the same theme, one of them could consist of poetic sentences, while the other will have short and strict sentences.

Speed of typing. It is also one factor that defines how much can translator translate during one day.

Motivation. While having a bad day and not feeling well, translator will have difficulties performing his job. The more he is motivated and focused, the faster he can translate.

Time for editing and proofreading should also be taken into account. Translation task is not just translation – the work should also be checked twice!

Such readings can be applied to general texts, not of the specialized theme with real terms of fulfillment of the order. But usually the customer demands an urgent translation and that is when norms differ drastically. In such situation quality of translation can suffer, as even a professional translator not always can perform proofreading in limited terms, notwithstanding the necessity of proofreading by an editor-corrector. But if a translation from a Translation Company Azurit Inc. works with a client on a regular basis, than he has glossaries and translation memory at his disposal, which of cause simplifies his work. In urgent translation amount of necessary work amounts to 20 sheets per day. Such pressure drastically influences the health of the employee and he has the right to reject an order out of his health state. Even the raised tariffs for urgent translations not always cover expenses on their fulfillment. If a customer wants to receive a high quality translation, he should set real terms of fulfillment of the order. For extra difficult texts and texts of rear specialization the maximum amount of work should amount to 10 sheets of printed text in the electronic version during eight hours of work. If a text has a simple theme – it can be 12 sheets per ten to twelve hours of translation work.

This way a customer should set his own norms. To do so, he can count time himself. For example, to estimate how much text can be translated of various kinds of text per one hour. In such a way it can be understood how much translation can be done of a certain type of text really. The more work is put into texts, the faster orders can be done, and more accurately will be the realization of the amount of time it takes to do so. Experienced translator always bears responsibility for his work and he will never fight for the order, if its terms do not suit him.

Trained professional translator knows some helpers in his work. Software will help fasten the process of work, thorough understanding of the topic and good organization of his own time will also help a great deal. It is essential to remember that quality should be the main goal when working with text translation. Executant bears full responsibility for the quality of the performed work and it is his risk to loose reputation, if he makes serious mistakes.

Every customer should understand that all these norms a rough and are not the law. Any human, who works eight hours strait, should have pauses, and translator is no exception. That is why when making an order at the translation agency, it is best to specify, how much time it will take for a certain translator to complete your order.

How much can a translator translate in translation agency during 8 working hours? обновлено: May 4, 2017 автором: azurit