What do you need to look out for when hiring a translation agency? Or: how do you find a good agency? Translation agencies come in all shapes and sizes. From the one-(wo-)man-band to the multi-million-dollar-worldwide-enterprise. As ever, size isn't everything. While...
Translators’ Column
Google.mum
How even Google can get it wrong Having chosen the outlandish name "Iolante" with the original Greek spelling, I have become exasperated at Google over the past 15 months. Google insists that it is much cleverer than its users. If you put in a word they think you have...
Google: “Mum knows best”
In the early days of search engines, websites used to list misspelt words within their meta tags. They thus improved their chances of key words being found when users misspelt the search term, e.g. "trnalsators" or "transaltors" instead of "translators". This is no...
What makes you a bad translator?
Repeat clients are the best indicators that you're not a bad translator You'll get an indication that clients perceive you as a bad translator, if a lot of your clients don't call you more than once. "Bad" translating is usually not just one thing, it tends to be a...
What makes a good freelance translator?
You may have obtained a degree in modern languages, specialising in translation or a BA in Translating and Interpreting or a BSc in Translation Studies. Or you may have few language qualifications but simply have lived in a different country from your native one and...
Why call your website….
The top ten reasons to call ourselves Iolante There are a hundred reasons to call this website Iolante. Here are the top ten. 1) A safe choice The Internet has been going a few years now. A lot of translators and translation agencies have websites and need...
Learning the language the painful way
I have lived in the UK for more than half my life now (and I'm no spring chicken). My English is excellent - or so clients and British people I meet keep telling me. However, occasionally, my "foreignness" still trips me up. A couple of weeks ago my husband and I...
Accurate, confidential, efficient and reliable English-German translations
Professionally qualified German translator into English and English into German, offering first class translation services for commercial, industrial, governmental and private clients.