Tips for Language Agencies that Handle Korean to English Translation Requests
We handle unique Korean to English translation requests from a wide variety of clients. Some requests are from major companies faced with lawsuits in Korea. Other requests come from individuals who run or plan to run a business in Korea. There are also clients who are moving from or to Korea and are faced with the obstacles of the Korean language. One of our key clients is translation agencies - translation companies that handle translation requests for many languages.
We have gone through the onboarding process with language agencies several times, and there are always a few obstacles that come up. Korean translation requests are less common than other languages, so we believe that many of these obstacles come from a lack of experience with Korean. Some language agencies use non-certified and non-native translators. Other language agencies use certified translators that are native speakers. What are the advantages and drawbacks in these different scenarios? Is there a better way to do things? Today, we will talk a bit about this.
Korean is a character-based language - it doesn’t have “words”
The most common obstacle we have experienced with language agencies is that they often try to count Korean characters as if they were words. The word count tool in Microsoft Word and the most common translation tools only count “words.” If you are using the word count for your language agency’s Korean to English translation projects, don’t be surprised if you run into quality problems. Your translators will essentially be paid well below the market rate, though they may not realize it right away or during the first few projects. Our best recommendation is that you make sure you are on the same page as your Korean to English translators when it comes to counting characters. Don’t be afraid to get a few opinions until you get the character count right. This is the only way you will find and keep the best translators.
Difficult Korean to English translation projects involving technical fields should have a higher budget and longer turnaround. Only highly experienced translators should work on such projects.
Many times language agencies will offer us a project with a fixed rate and deadline, before we even have a chance to read any of the project files. We understand that likely their client demanded something specific. However, this is a poor practice, it is essential that the translator has at least a partial say in the budget and deadline. Another aspect is budget. Do you pay your Korean to English translators the same rate for all projects? Are they paid the same for a love letter as a highly technical legal document? Our main rule of thumb is that before we set a rate or a deadline, we need to review the source file. Some files may take a great deal more time to translate than others. The best Korean to English translators that we work with expect that their time is compensated for. Budget is always a sensitive topic and in a global marketplace it seems like there is always someone who will go lower. However, based on our ongoing experience with 3rd party review requests, it’s unlikely you will receive an excellent translation when you offer your translation solution a restrictive deadline or unfair rate.
Korean to English translation should be done by native English speakers
To their defense, most language agencies get this one right. Translators should only translate into their native language. This means that Korean to English translation should be done by native English speakers. There are indeed some native Korean speakers who also speak English very fluently. There is nothing wrong with having a native Korean speaker consult on a difficult translation request involving many cultural nuances. However, our principle is that only native English speakers can work as the lead translator on a given project. Even though it may be hard to find a native English speaker that also knows Korean, if you succeed in finding a good partner, you will see improved translation quality with greater client satisfaction for your Korean to English translation projects.
Offer ongoing training and feedback to your Korean to English translation team. Ask them for open feedback in return.
Korean to English is a relatively rare language pair. It’s far easier to maintain the existing relationship you have with your Korean to English translation team than to replace it. The best Korean to English translators receive more work than they can handle, so it’s best to incentivize them to accept your projects. One way to do this is to provide ongoing training and feedback. If your clients have specific instructions or feedback, it should all be passed on to translators. Also, don’t be afraid to ask your Korean to English translation team for feedback. Perhaps there are things your language agency could improve to enhance the relationship.
If your language agency is having difficulty finding a reliable and high-quality Korean to English translation solution, we would like to invite you to work with us. The best translator-language agency relationships involve close communication and mutual cooperation. Even if you already have an existing Korean to English translation solution, feel free to take advantage of our proofreading or 3rd party review services to examine the quality, strengths, and weaknesses of your current translation team.