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Finn Skovgaard and a small team of trusted quality freelance translators
provide translations.
Request a
translation quote here
Our general prices are shown in the table below. Depending on the actual text, we may
quote a lower or higher rate. Please request a quote for your text.
What is VAT and do I have to pay it?
VAT stands for Value Added Tax and is a tax added to the price of goods and
services that we must collect from certain clients and pay directly to the French
treasury. The general rule is that we must collect the VAT, but the following
clients are exempted:
1. VAT-registered clients in the EU, except France.
2. All clients outside the European Union.
Please ask if in doubt.
Proofreading or not? The prices below do not include proofreading by
another translator than the one who performs the translation. We will advise you
about proofreading and the additional cost when you ask for a quote.
Request a
translation quote here
Please inquire for a quotation for the value-added services.
Request a
translation quote here
We only provide freelance translations, but what are the differences?
| A freelance translator can only handle a few language combinations and
certain subjects.
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A translation agency can handle a range of
language combinations and
many different subjects, such as medical, legal, literature etc.
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| A freelance translator translates most texts
himself. However, we do
occasionally suggest you to handle outsourcing of translations that are close to
our competence area.
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A translation agency
outsources most translations to freelance
translators.
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A freelance translator in most cases provides translation only.
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Certain translation agencies provide
value-added services like
editing, formatting, coordination and sometimes checking and proofreading of the
translations delivered by the freelance translators. Other agencies don't add anything and don't proofread.
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A freelance translator can only handle the language combinations he
knows.
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A translation agency can handle translations of the same text into
many different languages, which is often required for user manuals.
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When dealing with a freelance translator, you talk to the
same person
every time, and you may in some cases feel that you get a more personal service.
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When dealing with a translation agency, you may not always talk to the
same person every time.
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A freelance translator
charges only for the translation and no extras. In
the few cases where we outsource - with your knowledge and approval, we include a
modest margin for handling the outsourcing and checking the translation.
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A translation agency is nearly always
more expensive than a freelance
translator for the reasons stated above. They have to pay the freelance
translator and keep a margin for their own staff.
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When dealing with a freelance translator, you can
explain any issues
directly to the translator, and he can ask you questions directly.
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When dealing with a translation agency, any questions from the
translator and any information from the client to the translator has to pass
through the agency. That can make the communication less
efficient, depending on how well agency staff handle it.
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When dealing with a freelance translator, he can
start translating
straight away after you have given him your go-ahead.
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When dealing with a translation agency, delivery of the translation
may take longer time, because they first have to contract with a freelance
translator. This could in some cases impact quality if the agency spends so much
time locating a translator that the translation has to be done in a hurry.
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Finally, some freelance translators
prefer working directly for the
client rather than for a translation agency, because it is easier to deliver
what the client wants when information doesn't have to pass through an agency;
some agencies ask translators for last-minute translations done in a hurry; some agencies pay
the translators only after 2-3 months; and too many agencies don't pay the
translators on time. In order to keep their prices down, certain agencies buy
translation services the same way as many buy washing powder: Who is cheapest
today? If you have struggled to get through a badly translated user manual, then
you know the result of such a policy: A translator accepting to work for 2 cents
a word for an Asian agency is unlikely to deliver the same quality as someone
being paid 10 cents. As with almost everything else, you get what you pay for.
Going through an agency is therefore no guarantee for getting better quality. It
can go either way. Only by working with the same agency or translator over some
time will you know if you get the quality you want.
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Request a translation quote here
What is a sworn translator?
A translator who has been approved by his or hers national authorities to
deliver certified translations. The sworn translator certifies that the
translation says the same thing as the original.
What is legalisation?
When documents are to be used abroad, it will often be necessary to have the
documents legalised, which means that the documents must be endorsed by several
authorities. A legalisation is a certification that a signature is genuine. The
Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs provide further
information.
Are all translators sworn?
No. Anybody can in most countries freely call himself a translator. A sworn translator has been through a procedure that each country sets
out and that allows the translator to produce certified translations.
Do I need a certified translation?
Only if an authority or others demand it. It is typically required for birth
certificates and similar personal documents.
Is a certified translation of better quality?
The authority that authorises the translator will in most countries check
diplomas and other qualifications, so the risk of getting a translation with
errors from a sworn translator is lower than if you choose a translator who is
not sworn. Some countries are more demanding than others when authorising
translators, the Danish criteria being quite strict for example. A sworn
translator guarantees that the translation says the same as the original. Of
course, that does not exclude that a translator that is not sworn can deliver
the same or a better quality; the translation is just not guaranteed to be
identical, and if you don't already know the translator, it is difficult to
predict how good the translation is. Certain types of translation such as
literature is a different matter, because it is not just a question of saying
the same as the original but notably how it is being said. To conclude, one
should evaluate which type of translator is best suited for each type of
translation.
Request a translation quote here
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