Our services
Text processing involves a whole range of activities. When you order from us, we will strive to understand your needs as best as possible, find the optimum way to meet those needs and organise the work so that you’re satisfied with the result. We will often recommend a particular solution to address your concerns. Our current partners know they don’t have to worry about looking around for a solution – they can entrust it to us.
We aren’t just a traditional translation bureau. We don’t merely offer a range of pre-defined services; instead, we treat each order as a project in its own right. We provide a combination of different activities from project management to selecting typefaces. Of course, we also translate. And even if it’s at a time when translators are overbooked, or the order involves a less common language pair, we do everything to ensure customer satisfaction. And if there’s a job you needed done “yesterday”, we can potentially translate at close to read-through speed. Impossible, some might say. Not at all and, besides, we welcome challenges.
Project management
Translation management is as important as translating itself. Any factor can become an obstacle that interferes with the workflow or even brings it to a halt. It isn’t a problem if all that needs to be translated is a short text from one language to another. But for more complex projects involving many languages or many translators, a lack of high-quality management could really impair the project’s success. When ordering a translation, it’s always more convenient for clients to utilise “one single solution” – and not deal with all of the dates, deadlines, order specifications, names of translators and cooperation partners or other details. We are more than happy to serve as that turnkey solution for our new customers. It frees up your time and headspace so you can focus on what you do best – managing your business.
Support service
Sometimes it isn’t necessary to translate the entire text; only some fine-tuning of terminology is required. Or maybe a client only needs to have the gist of a document explained to them. If that’s the kind of advice you need, we recommend our support service. We’re glad to provide consultation by telephone, e-mail or social media. This service level also puts you on our regular customer list, entitling you to special offers.
Interpreting
Interpreting falls into different sub-categories and can be used as an independent service or in conjunction with other services. We can help you decide on what type of translation is most appropriate for your event. We guarantee both a full service and individual components of interpreting: project management, various types of translation, supply and service of the necessary equipment and organising the entire event. Our interpreters are experienced in interpreting and, wherever possible, we ensure that the job is entrusted to personnel who are well versed in the subject matter.
Simultaneous interpreting
Simultaneous interpreting is used for larger events where the participants need to understand what is being discussed and, if possible, take part in the proceedings themselves. At such an event, simultaneous interpreting equipment is installed on-site so that the event participants can listen to the translation through earphones in a language suitable for them. The interpreters usually sit in a separate booth and translate into a microphone.
Consecutive interpreting
Consecutive interpreting is usually the choice for smaller events and it requires no special equipment. Interpreters listen to the content one passage at a time, translating it into the required language. The presenter and interpreter speak in turns.
Chuchotage (whispered interpreting)
Whispered interpreting is a form of simultaneous translation for small groups. The interpreter is located physically close to the audience, which preferably is carefully arranged beforehand. The interpreter speaks in an undertone so as not to interfere with the proceedings, but the translation must be audible to the listener.
Translation management
Providing a booth for the translator, headphones for participants, audio equipment, transport, accommodation – these are all just as important as the interpreters themselves. These services don’t always receive enough attention when it comes to interpreting. In addition, the international rules of interpreting should be followed; for instance, more than one interpreter must be used for longer events. If simultaneous interpreting into more than one language is required, a project manager should be included to coordinate the whole process. If you’re planning this kind of event, we can help you.
Over-the-Phone Interpretation
Famously, this type of translation service was essential for the Estonian journalists being held at a police precinct on the Syrian border, where they had to explain the nature of their assignment and refute accusations that they were part of a terrorist organisation. The principle of this service is simple: call us and we’ll make your communication challenge more comprehensible. Naturally, it’s better to know in advance if you require such a service – then we can offer you a service to support your needs at any moment in time. You can take turns talking over the phone, hand the phone to your interlocutor for a translation or enable loudspeaker mode.
Online translation
In Estonia, the country where Skype was developed, translation services are often provided via the internet, using any number of messaging and other programs. The idea is the same as with over-the-phone interpretation, but it requires a computer. Let us know your preferred channel of communication and we will be glad to provide a translation service to suit. In addition, we can offer a written online translation service via e-mail or even social media. Since we’re part of a communications agency, such an arrangement is second nature to us.
Sworn translator
When dealing with official documents, regular translation is not enough – the material has to be translated by a person who is authorised by the government and has the appropriate certification. You should turn to a sworn translator when you need to present an official document to a certain institution (diploma, marriage certificate, court order, notarial deed et al.) Since 1 January 2015, an official document translated from Estonian into any other foreign language can only be verified by a sworn translator. Up until 2020, official documents translated from a foreign language into Estonian can be verified by a notary. From 2020 onwards, that right will only be held by sworn translators in order to improve the quality of translations.
Written translation
Computers keep getting more powerful, but it’s premature to say there’s no need for human wordsmiths. In a recent example, people put too much faith in progress and, as a result, Madonna was forced to receive “ventilator mail” for several months – that is how an algorithm had translated the word “fan.” While mistakes like that might be humorous to read, people shudder at the idea of it happening to their company.
It doesn’t happen with us – we rely on a group of human experts from our own translators to a wide network of partners. We’re constantly forging new international ties to expand our capabilities for translation services. Translations may be carried out for different purposes as determined by the customer – such as verbatim translation, stylistic crafting or adaptation. That can impact the speed of the translation. We’re developing our capabilities and we can provide written simultaneous translation for some languages – we can perform the translation at read-through speed.
Translating text
If you need text translated from one language to another, use the form below. Send us the text you need, let us know what sort of translation you would like and by when you need it completed. We’ll generally reply within an hour. If everything suits, we’ll be glad to take your order.
Adaptation and localisation
Imagine that you need to tell a non-English speaker a folk tale. Or try to convey a proverb like 'a stitch in time saves nine' or 'when the going gets tough, the tough get going.' This is something that requires a specialist’s eye in order to avoid dramatic irony. Such assignments require more creativity than a word for word translation. As a creative agency, we have translators with literary talent who are on hand.
Specialised and technical texts
A rose isn’t always a rose: people who actually work every day in a given field have specific names for things and wouldn’t dream of using a layman’s term. We rely on consultants from specific fields to ensure suitable terminology is used.
Translations of websites
Translations prepared for online publishing have their own specifications – the words must fit into a preset form. We provide a way to make the format of the text suitable so that the text is displayed properly, even on pages designed for text in other languages.
Harmonising texts
Sometimes the structure of text sent for translation varies somewhat from the original file. Some passages may be added; there may be format problems; text, tables and diagrams may become illegible. The reasons are many, but generally involve a difference between formats. Each program has a different way of dealing with the structure of text to be translated, and therefore a translation may not be as consistent as the customer’s source file. This is especially the case when several translators are working on the same file and each one uses their own programs. Terminology may also diverge in such a case. We consider the format of text just as important as content, and we’re glad to assist in this regard, too.
Compiling glossaries
We are already in the business of compiling glossaries for our own use, as some of our regular partners require specific vocabulary to be used uniformly. If your company has several subcontractors or on-staff translators – personnel who may rotate – your in-house glossary can be a major asset for you. It allows you to achieve uniformity and consistency – no need for readers to mull over whether the term used is the same as last time or is something new.
Editing and proofreading
If your text is for public consumption – a company newsletter, press release or response to a journalist’s inquiry – it’s a good idea to have the text checked and corrected before being sent out. Specialists sometimes tend to go into too much detail for general readership, or they pepper text with specialised jargon. If your text is for a wider audience, it’s wise to use professional terminology sparingly in order to make the text easier to read. Of course, a journalist can do this for you, too, but you can’t be totally sure that they will leave out the parts you want omitted.
Graphic design and layout
If you’re publishing a company newsletter and looking for a suitable partner, call us – or use the form on this webpage. We will take over from your in-house staff, freeing them up for other activities. We produce and publish corporate materials for some of the 10 biggest companies in the Baltics. Our professionals are happy to help find a solution to your company’s PR needs.
Written simultaneous translation
Uniquely on our market, we offer written simultaneous translation. Our pledge is that we can translate written text at standard read-through speed. If you needed a translation yesterday or ASAP, just fill in the form on this page – or phone or write to us. We can’t go back in time, but we can promise same-day delivery.
Online translation
In this day and age, using technology for translations is a wise idea. If you need a smaller translation from a remote location, there’s no point in sending a translator to the site in person – it could take longer to get to the venue than to perform the actual translation. We’re always on the lookout for remote and IT-based solutions that increase the efficiency of our services. We’ve translated over chat apps on social media and we’re interested in seeing how technology will continue to evolve in this area.
Transcription and dictation
If you need to record everything that is said at an event, our stenographers can help. Call us to arrange a time.
Multimedia
Working with information media is more than just translation. Languages often vary in terms of character count and so the translation process tends to be supported by a suite of media services from recording to video editing. As we’re part of a larger communication agency that also offers media services, we can offer customers a comprehensive service in preparing the final product as well as assistance in any stage of translating media content.
Subtitling
In Estonia, subtitling is the most popular means of translating videos. We can translate soundtracks for videos, localise the content and time-code and render the subtitled video file. We can deliver the completed file via the internet or on a data storage device.
Overdubbing
After a text has been localised, we can overdub and render the final file. We can deliver via the internet or on a data storage device.
Localisation of software
Every language now has its own conventions to be followed in designing online user interfaces. This is in order to meet user expectations – unwritten rules that all software developers follow when they market a new product. Users know what will happen when they click Save, but it’s a word that could also be translated as “Salvage” or “Put on Hold”, depending on the language. Most people know what “online” means, but for some it could still bring up the image of someone on an actual line as in the days of the early telephones. These are basic examples of errors, but the potential for error is high; this is where localisation comes in: linguistic professionals can make sure software products are in the style that users are accustomed to. Contact us if you place high importance on your software products “speaking” people’s language.
Languages
We look forward to challenges and we consider it our mission to work in the interests of our customers. We’re on the lookout for new opportunities and on improving our current capabilities of translating between any languages. Our partners include translators and interpreters from different countries and we are constantly increasing our geographical range. Our principle is that it’s more important to be oriented towards opportunities, and not simply tally how many employees we have. We believe that in the 21st century there’s no point in limiting the list of languages we cover – instead, let’s be as universal and comprehensive as possible!
