TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING

Rosina Kettle-Williams MA is an Honours graduate in French & Spanish from St. Andrew’s University where she won a Stevenson scholarship to study for an extra year at the University of Granada, Spain. Having completed her Post-Graduate Certificate in Education at the University of York, Rosina went on to establish Verbatim Language Services in 1980, then Bona Fide Translations in 1993 – between them providing Translation and Interpreting services for private individuals and corporate bodies.

For reliable, quality translation services – from mails to manuals – you don’t want cowboys and you don’t want machines. Established in 1980, our Translation Division offers a long-proven professional service characterised by:

Competitive rates, quick turn-around, guaranteed confidentiality
All languages
All areas – Commercial & Marketing, Financial, Legal, Literary, Military, Scientific, Medical, Technical
Web translation
Revising, editing, proofreading, transcribing
Worldwide panel of qualified, experienced, professional linguists working only into their native languages offering a global service
Fully localised, quality assured professional service

OUR TRANSLATION TEAM

Experienced and Qualified: Apart from the formal qualifications held by all members of our translation panel, experience is unassailably one of every member’s finest attributes.
Expert and Specialist: Most of the professional translators in our team restrict their field of work often to one language and to a limited range of registers. They all only ever translate into their mother tongue.

FEES

Fees are determined by three main criteria:

LANGUAGE: the scale rises from Romance through Western European to Eastern European, Arabic, Oriental and others
CATEGORY: the scale rises from basic commercial to the highly specialized
WORD COUNT: this is the number of words either in the source language (SL) or, as is the general norm, in the target language (TL i.e., the language into which the work is being translated). Languages not employing Roman script require special attention.

A minimum charge applies to all texts of approximately 300w and below. Surcharges may be applied for: sophistication of presentation; extra speed such as extra-rapid turnaround; special delivery (e.g. courier); elaborate presentation; stylising etc.

TURNAROUND TIME

We are used to working under extreme pressure. Translation is both an art and a science; the place of translation in the production programme is unique. We work to absolute minimum turnaround times always and insofar as quality is not jeopardised. We pride ourselves on the relationships we have established and maintain with our clients.

CONFIDENTIALITY and CAVEATS

Our translation services are offered subject to the strictest confidentiality, established professional criteria, tenets and caveats. In this regard our terms of business are readily available on request.

DEFINING CLIENT NEEDS

In determining our client’s needs, it is often useful for us to have studied our client’s promotional literature and, wherever appropriate, any other documentation or orientation which will help in understanding the organisation, its product/services, approach etc. If translations have been commissioned before, they will be useful reference to preserve house-style and continuity/consistency of register.

Our clients can rest assured that they will be guaranteed the following benefits:

Defining client needs
Ready identification of translators to suit specific needs
Group work for large contracts
Full screening of translators
Personal account manager

The difference between interpreting and translation is the difference in the medium: the interpreter works with the spoken word; the translator works with written text. The interpreter must be able to translate orally in both directions on the spot.

Interpreting services fall into three main categories:

Ad-hoc interpreting is used in less formal situations such as head–to-head chat with an agent or in meetings/conversation with a supplier or in discussions with a lawyer.
Consecutive interpreting is when the interpreter only interprets in blocks such as after each sentence or point. This is normally used for small to medium formal business meetings/presentations.
Simultaneous interpreting normally involves a team of interpreters working in a booth: they listen to the speaker and simultaneously interpret what is being said to their target language audience. Normally used for larger events such as symposia.

FEES

The fees for most interpreting sessions are calculated on a half-day or full-day basis. Occasionally, sessions based on an hourly rate can be arranged. Our quotation will include the hourly (where appropriate) or half-day or full-day rate depending on our client’s requirements plus travel costs and travel time. Subsistence and overnight accommodation, when required, are charged at cost.

Preparatory course for: THE POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN TRANSLATION OF THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF LINGUISTS: SPANISH / ENGLISH (Distance Learning Route)

This programme of preparation includes:

Eight marked assignments
Tutorial (i.e. written comment) by tutor per assignment
Additional helpline (fax/e-mail/post) offering students the opportunity to raise appropriate matters for discussion
Regular handouts including:
– Points to Ponder which identify matters and issues of concern to the professional translator
– Round Robins which discuss in depth an issue of linguistic interest
– These handouts are complemented by additional material distributed on a case-by-case basis.
Telephone round-up: Telephone conversation (30 mins at tutee’s cost) with tutor at end of programme.

Where appropriate/feasible, all communication is conducted via e-mail. Fax and postal facilities also apply.

COST OF PROGRAMME

£235.00 + VAT (VAT is not applicable for non-UK residents).

Facilities exist to tailor and/or amend this syllabus according to the specific requirements of the individual. Class tuition also available.

COURSE DIRECTOR

Dr J L Kettle-Williams (Formerly Principal Examiner Spanish/English, Diploma in Translation, Chartered Institute of Linguists)

“Thank you for sending the translation, and for delivering it so well within the promised timescale’… It has been a pleasure doing business with you.”

Chilworth Technology Ltd

“Wonderful and thank you so much – this has proven a very smooth process”

The Walt Disney Company

“You really seem to be one of the few where personal care and the personal touch are more important than just making money. Parents are sometimes a little nervous when they send their children abroad and I was no exception. But the way you, your teachers and your organisation handled matters, looked after our son and motivated him to learn was simply exceptional.”

Dietmar Kuck, Switzerland