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Frequently Asked Questions

How much should I expect to pay for a translation?
Quotes are based on the volume (word count), the format of the document (e.g. MS Word, HTML, images), the nature of the work (e.g. translation, editing, desktop publishing), the subject matter, your timeline, as well as any special formatting requirements. To receive a free quote, please send us an email with all the details, and attach the document(s) to be translated or revised. Alternatively you can complete our Quote Request Form. All estimates are provided free. If you have specific questions, do not hesitate to contact us by phone at ph_nb.jpg or email.
How long does it take to receive an estimate?
If you send us all the necessary documents and details concerning your project, you can expect to receive a quote within 24 hours, but most often we provide quotes within a few hours.
Do you charge extra for rush jobs?
Urgent assignments usually cost more than regular ones as we will work overtime to complete your project. The premium for rush translations and revisions is from 50 to 100% of the regular price, depending on our availability and the amount of work required.
When is a job considered "rush"?
Any project requiring us to work beyond regular office hours (Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm Pacific Standard Time) between the time the quote is approved and the requested delivery time is considered a rush job.
How long does it take to perform a translation or a revision?
For translation, it depends on the technical level and length of the document(s). For revision, it depends on the quality of the French. In both case, our concurrent work load might be a factor. The actual work begins once the quote has been approved, all documents received, including the references, and the deposit secured, if required.
Might I be billed additional costs above the price originally quoted?
All costs are included in our quote. If you request additional work within the same project, we will inform you of the cost and will wait for your approval to proceed. Only under this circumstance will the invoiced amount differ from the original quote.
Why do prices vary so much in the translation industry?
For the same document, you will find that the quoted price will vary significantly among translation service providers. The rule of thumb is that you get what you pay for. Since your documents reflect your company’s image, trying to minimize your translation/revision costs will be reflected in a reduction in your professional image.
Who is doing the job?
All work is performed internally by professional, certified translators who are native French speakers. We do not subcontract our services. If requested, we can meet with you locally.
Could I use my colleague instead? She is bilingual!
Unfortunately, a bilingual person does not necessarily possess the same degree of competence as a professional Certified Translator for translating, revising, and proofreading. Word for word translation is a recipe for disaster. We translate ideas and meanings, not just words. Moreover, specific terminology is used in many professionals fields. We restrict ourselves to specific domains for which we master the local and technical terminology. Translating also requires consideration of the context and culture of the intended audience so the translator must have the necessary knowledge to establish an appropriate linguistic bridge.
How does automatic translation compare to human translation?
Automatic translation is most often used to quickly get the “general idea” of the content of a short document or website. Most of the time, the proposed "translation" is enough for the user to understand the general content of the document. To date, none of the automatic translation applications is able to replace a professional translator because of their inability to use or understand context. Don't run the risk of altering the meaning of your message or communicating an erroneous or even offensive message. Find a certified professional translator.
Do you offer other languages?
No, SpiderWord specializes in English to French translation and revision of French documents only.
Do I need a certified translation?
A certified translation is one that has been produced by a certified translator, bears a professionally recognized seal, and contains a paragraph in which the translator declares the accuracy of the translation. Consulate authorities invariably request a certified translation for all official documents (e.g. birth certificates, passports, citizenship certificates) to be attached to visa applications and other. Other institutions may require certified translations for particular purposes. See Certified Translation for further details.
What procedure do you follow to ensure the quality of your services?
We maintain a rigorous quality control routine to deliver the highest quality documents. This routine is met by involving professional linguists and revisers to ensure that the final product meets or exceeds industry standards, but more importantly, so that the document is exactly what you and the end user need.
How can the reliability of a linguistic services supplier be assessed?
It's very difficult and the reputation of a supplier comes mostly by word of mouth since the translation industry is still relatively new and unregulated. There are plenty of good and bad translators out there. Certification with a professional association does give some assurance of quality but it is by no means a mark of excellence. The best way to decide whether a supplier is reliable is to examine their list of clients and to ask colleagues, acquaintances and others about their experiences.
What if I find some errors in a document you provided?
Although we strive to perfect each and every job, the human factor may result in the occasional mistake despite our best effort in the application of quality controls. In the unlikely event that you will detect an error or an omission in a document, we will correct the matter right away and we may apply a discount on the final invoice. We take pride in having our customers satisfied with our work and coming back to us year after year.
What about the security of confidential document and information?
We have been granted the Secret Security Level by the Federal Government of Canada and are entrusted with the transmission and processing of highly confidential documents from different institutions and government organizations. You can trust that your documents are always treated with the utmost confidentiality. We are prepared to sign any confidentiality or nondisclosure agreement you might present.
What formats can you handle?
We handle almost all text, image and audio formats. However, MS Word is the format of choice for translation and there is no premium associated with this format for translation or revision jobs. Contact us for further details.
How can I pay?
We accept credit cards, PayPal, cheques and bank transfers (you are responsible for the fees). A deposit is required for new clients.
How should I send my document(s)?
If your document package is less than 8Mb, you can upload it using our Quote Request Form. Try to compress (zip) documents if they exceed this size. For the transfer of larger documents, please contact us for instructions to upload to our ftp server. You can always send your document in electronic form as an attachment to an email but please provide us with the requirements of the work and the name of the person or organisation ordering it. If your document(s) only exist in hard copy and you cannot scan it, please send it to us via standard or express mail. If it is the original of an official document, you should send it by registered mail, while retaining a copy in your files.
What should I provide beside the document(s) to be translated or revised?
If the document to be revised is a translation, please also provide us with the original English document. For translation, it is helpful to provide any previous translations and reference material pertaining to the project as this can greatly assist in facilitating the process and lowering the final cost. If you have previous translated versions of the document, please send us both the English and French versions and we will start from there. Similarly, if you have a bilingual glossary specific to your project, please include it with your document in order to get an accurate estimate. If you have a contact person at your organization who is able to answer our questions regarding the content, please provide us with his/her contact information.
Can I send a draft version of my document right away for translation and make corrections later?
Many clients ask us to start translating a draft version of their document that they plan to finalize later. This is normally requested for long document, when a translation has to be released together with the final English document. Normally, it is best to submit the finalised text, thoroughly revised. Incorporation of subsequent changes to the original document into the translated version is time consuming and can increase the cost, as this kind of work is billed on an hourly basis.
Do you offer interpretation services?
Interpretation is "the facilitating of oral or sign-language communication, either simultaneously or consecutively, between users of different languages" (Wikipedia, 2011). At the present, we do not offer interpretation services.
Do you offer website design and hosting services?
We provide basic web design and hosting services for simple web sites. We can optimize the content so you will rank with the top search results of major search engines. To learn more about our website service, please contact us.
Do you offer subtitling and voice-over services for audio or video recordings?
Yes, we do provide subtitling services and we have a specialist who has high quality audio and video-editing equipment and extensive experience with voice over work. Preview some samples here. We handle almost all text, image and audio formats. Contact us for details.