By James Harvey Stout (deceased). This material is now in the public domain. The complete collection of Mr. Stout's writing is now at http://stout.mybravenet.com/public_html/h/ >

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1. Advantages and disadvantages of translation.  
2. Professional translators.
3. Translation software to translate our own website.
4. Other options for translation.  

Advantages and disadvantages of translation.

1. Advantages.
   • We can sell our products and services to more customers. The internet started in the United States, where there was a tremendous growth-rate; now the U.S. growth-rate is slowing, while other nations are experiencing that tremendous growth-rate. In some of those nations, English is the primary second language, but many of the people do not speak English at all.
   • We can advertise and publicize our businesses in venues which cater to non-English speakers. For example, there are regional directories for various countries (including countries where English is not the primary language), and there are newsgroups and email discussion lists in which non-English languages are used.
2. Disadvantages.
   • Translation is expensive. The cost is explored below.
   • We have to create and maintain one website (or at least one page of a website) for each language. Every time we want to change the text of a website, we need a translator.
   • We have to translate more than just our website. We might also have to translate our banners, advertisements, autoresponders, etc.
   • We have to translate our everyday correspondence. If we have a foreign-language website, we receive emails, faxes, and postal mail in that language; we need to translate all of those items on a day-to-day basis. And if we receive phone calls in the language, we might be expected to have an employee who can converse fluently. We can avoid some of these problems if:
     • We have a very informative FAQ on our website (so that we will not receive as many questions).
     • We ask people to write -- not call -- so that we will have time to translate their email, fax, or postal mail (and our response).
   • A poor translation can cause additional problems.  
     • It is unprofessional. A poor translation makes us look ridiculous and amateurish.
     • It is legally and financially dangerous. We might intend to say one thing, but the translation might say something else -- and so there is a misunderstanding regarding our product or service, price, guarantee, shipping, policies, etc.
   • Translations might not be practical for people whose product is information. For example, my books would cost more than $100,000 to translate (at $100 per page) -- and they are constantly updated. However, translation is more practical for non-information products, like jewelry; we have to translate the website, but the product does not have to be translated.

Professional translators.  

1. The cost. We might be charged in various ways:
   • By the page. The cost for an 8" x 11.5" page could be US$50, or more.
   • By the word. The cost could be US$.25 per word, or more.
   • By the hour. The cost could be US$25 per hour, or more.
   • By the month. A translator might agree to fulfill our miscellaneous needs: emails and faxes, website revisions, etc. The cost could be US$70/month, or more.
   • By barter. For example, a translator might do a small amount of translating in exchange for a banner on our website.
2. The reliability. To be certain that our translator is qualified for this work:
   • We can ask for a resume. The translator is probably acceptable if the resume indicates many years of professional experience as a translator.
   • We can ask for references. Former employers can tell us whether the translations were adequate.
   • We can ask whether the translator specializes in our field. For example, if we sell medical equipment, the translator must be familiar with medical terminology.
   • We can test the translator with a sample of our website. After he or she has translated a few paragraphs, we can ask another translator to verify that the first person's translation is accurate. (Again, after the entire website has been translated, we can ask the second translator to check the accuracy.)
3. Resources. Where to find translators:
   • The internet. Search for "translation" or "translator."
   • Directories.
     • Translation and Translators: An International Directory and Guide. From R.R. Bowker, 245 W. 17th St., NY, NY 10011.
     • Literary Market Place. Also from R.R. Bowker.
   • Writers' associations.
   • Phone directories. The "Yellow Pages" might have listings in the category of "translation."
   • A university. A language instructor, or a foreign student, might be able to make translations.
   • A business associate in a country where a particular language is spoken.

Translation software to translate our own website.  

1. The cost. The price can range from $20 to $1,000. We might be charged one price for the entire multi-language software package, or we might be charged a separate price for each language, i.e., $50 for English-to-Spanish, $50 for English-to-German, etc.
2. The reliability.
   • Some software does not translate idiomatic expressions; instead, it translates each word individually (and literally).
   • We can test the reliability of the software by using it to translate a sentence into another language, and then back into English. The result is usually a very bizarre (and sometimes amusing) distortion of our original meaning.
   • Some people use translation software merely for a "rough draft" of the translation; then they refine the translation (perhaps with the help of a professional translator).
3. The number of languages. Some software converts only one language to only one other language, e.g., English to French; other software converts one language into many other languages.
4. Bidirectional translations. For example, the software might translate English to Spanish; a "bidirectional" translator would also translate Spanish to English.
5. Resources.
   • The internet. Search for "translation software."
   • A friend who already has the software. If we do not plan to use the software very often, we might not want to purchase it; instead, we could ask a friend to run our file through his or her copy of the software (if the licensing agreement permits this sharing).

Other options for translation.  

1. We can buy software which translates email. The software is not designed to translate web pages, but it might be able to do so if we send the web page via email.
2. We can refer our visitors to a translation plug-in. Although our customers would prefer for us to provide a website in their language, some netizens use browser plug-ins which translate websites into their own language. We can have links to the sources of those plug-ins.
3. We can create a community for people who speak another language. At our website, our customers can converse with each other in a message board, a chat area, or an email discussion list -- even if we do not speak that language. Of course, we would need to monitor the discussions, and provide instructions in that language.