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Translator’s fees

Translation Services Providers (TSP) usually charge between 12 cents and $1 per word, as counted in the original source document. The price for any particular translation project is calculated on the basis of a number of factors:

• whether a true translation is needed for publication, or just a “gist” translation for extracting important information without needing to render the full document in a new language
• whether the language is general or technical: specialized vocabulary can require additional research, necessitating extra time and effort and therefore cost
• the length of the document, usually in word count: discounts may be available for large projects, especially if there is some repetition of content, while short texts may be subject to a minimum charge due to the fact that all projects involve a certain amount of administrative work
• the deadline requested: short notice may require that the translator work overtime hours, entailing a higher rate

Meeting your deadline

The amount of time it takes to complete a translation depends on the following:

• the type of translation needed (true translation for publication, or just a “gist”, e.g. for email)
• the length of the document
• the degree of complexity and specialization of the subject matter
• the format of the document and whether it needs to be transferred to another format (e.g. hardcopy to electronic)
• the translator’s existing workload
• the amount of time allowed for quality control through proofreading

A deadline is reasonable if it allows the translator to work at a pace of 1000 to 1500 words a day. Faster work can sometimes be negotiated, depending on the circumstances and the translator’s existing workload. It is best to allow for as much notice as possible in case the translator’s workload cannot accommodate immediate full dedication to the new project.

Cost and Time Estimates

Each project is different, and we will need to see the text before we can evaluate its complexity and other factors that affect price and schedule, and provide your free estimate accordingly. However, the following examples will help you make an initial estimate of the possible cost of your own project:

• 1000 words of general language at 12 cents a word = $120.00 (Canadian dollars)
• 1000 words of elementary level math textbook (specialized mathematical vocabulary but some repetition of content): 20 cents a word = $200.00 (Canadian dollars)

Discounts and free translations

Discounts are available for large projects and those that involve a lot of repetition of content.

Special rates may be negotiated for small non-profit groups that are unable to secure funding through grants. We regret that we are not able to provide free translations for groups other than those in which we have a membership.

Please note: The free translations available on the internet through online software automation (Machine Translation) are not recommended, as they lack the ability to detect the context, specialized vocabulary and language-specific expressions that a human translator can recognize and properly translate in a fluent style.

Getting Started Working with our Translation Services

If you have a translation job for which you might wish to hire us, we invite you to proceed as follows:

1. Request an estimate: Please send us your text for a free, no-obligation estimate of the cost and timetable. If you prefer, you can send a sample only, along with a statement of what the full document’s total word count is. The sample must be representative of the complexity and type of language.
   • If possible, we prefer to receive text in electronic format, sent by email or made available by download from a website. If in PDF, please ensure it is editable and not locked.
   • If you are not able to provide an electronic copy of your document, please send the hard copy to our mailing address and email us a short message alerting us to expect the postal mail.
   (See our Contact page for the email and postal addresses.)
2. Communicate your time requirements: In your message accompanying your document, please indicate whether you have a specific deadline that must be met that may affect whether we can accommodate you within the timetable of our existing workload.
3. Confirm your acceptance: Once you have received our estimate of cost and timetable, please let us know whether you wish us to proceed. We will not assume your consent, so you must confirm it before we start working on your text.
4. Pay the initial invoice: Once we have received your go-ahead, we will send you an invoice for an advance payment of $50 (or a lesser amount if we estimate your project warrants a smaller minimum charge).
5. Approve the initial translation: Upon receipt of your initial payment and completion of the translation of the amount of text represented by the advanced fee, we will send the initial translation to you along with a new invoice for the next part of your text.
   • If the quality of the translation is acceptable to you, please pay the second invoice and confirm your approval for us to proceed on the whole project.
   • In the unlikely event you are unhappy with the quality of the translation and are uncertain as to whether we should proceed, please communicate your concerns to us and we will do our best to find a mutually agreeable resolution. If this is not possible, you may cancel the remainder of the translation contract at this point. This allows you to seek a new translator elsewhere without having incurred a great expense with us first.
6. Pay each successive invoice in a timely manner: Depending on the length of your text, the one or two payments above may be sufficient. If your document is lengthy, though, we will repeat the above steps as many times as needed, but without waiting for your confirmation of approval each time, since the first approval is to be understood to apply to the entire project. We will wait for payment of each invoice before delivering the corresponding segment of text, but will not suspend the work itself unless the invoices are not being paid.

Any questions or special requests? Please feel free to contact us!