Factors Used by Translation Services in Determining Costs
You have made the decision to utilize a translation services firm and now you are wondering about the cost. All firms will use almost the same factors in arriving at a cost of providing the service to you. You should get a quote for your service before it is performed. Many of the firms want partial payment upfront with the balance paid when the product is delivered. The factors used in determining your costs include the following items.
One of the most important factors (if not the most important) is the number of source words. The source language is the language of the original document and the target language is the language into which the original document is being translated. It is not very surprising that the number of words is a major factor in determining the cost. It is only common sense that a larger document will cost more than a smaller document.
Another aspect in calculating the cost is the challenging nature of the translation. The more complex a document is the more it will cost per word. This again should not come as a surprise. An extremely challenging document will cause the translator to do research and call on his or her specialized knowledge. The complexity of the translation will also cause the translator to use much more creative writing skills. Any document with no technical terms will be priced lower than any document with technical terms like a technical manual or complex legal contract. A personal letter will be priced at the lowest price and the more complex, technical text will be priced higher.
