Services for translation agencies
Why would you hire me? I am a sole trader with a VAT number, liability insurance and over five years of experience. I can be reached by phone and by email four days a week during office hours, since Fridays are reserved for continuous professional development. I endorse the Dutch Translation Industry Covenant and I adhere to deadlines. If an unexpected situation arises and I cannot meet the agreed deadline, I will inform you as soon as possible so that an acceptable solution can be found. Should, on the other hand, a translation project arrive later on my desk than expected, I aim to be flexible. I ask pertinent questions and I aim to send as many questions as possible and as soon as possible. This way, you have or your client has sufficient time to answer the questions in an efficient manner. In other words, I am a translation partner you can rely on. I have been working with large and small translation agencies across Europe for several years now, although I must admit that I prefer smaller specialised translation agencies.
Translation
It goes without saying that translations should be of the highest quality. My education and years of experience provide a solid foundation, which is further enhanced by specialisation. I proofread every translation at least once, normally twice, prior to delivery. I am always surprised when translation agencies add the reminder to do a spell check and QA – that is standard procedure to me. Please note that I prefer to translate into Dutch.
Revision
I am often asked to perform revision work because I carefully review translations for linguistical accuracy, content, style and consistency. When revising marketing translations, I do not shy away from adding a few suggestions to make the text more appealing. I revise in all language directions, that is, English into Dutch, Dutch into English, French into Dutch and Dutch into French. If requested, I can provide constructive feedback that is really useful to the translator.
Post-editing
Machine translation is here to stay, but so is the eagle-eyed human translator checking the machine translation. Provided the machine translation is of professional quality, I am willing to edit it on request, a process also known as post-editing. Post-editing can be a quick and cost-effective solution, but it is not always advisable. For instance, literal machine translation is more likely to be a hindrance than a help when you want to create an inspiring and fun translation of marketing copy. Even for texts that are suitable for machine translation, you must accept a certain level of quality loss. I will gladly discuss the desired balance between fast, cheap and good, because sadly you cannot have it all.
Certified translation
I am registered as a sworn translator in the Netherlands in the Sworn Interpreters and Translators Register under Wbtv Number 16467 for the following language combinations: English into Dutch, Dutch into English, French into Dutch and Dutch into French. While I primarily translate from English and French into Dutch, I do not compromise on quality when translating from Dutch into English or French. Please note, however, that my certified translations are not valid in Belgium. If necessary, I can arrange the apostille or the full or partial legalisation at the local Dutch district court for an additional fee.