Frequently Asked Questions
Thank you for your interest in my services. I understand that you may have a number of questions about my services and translation in general. Let me try to answer them here.
Translation and interpreting between Polish and English may not be an area you’re very familiar with - and quite rightly so. Everything should be left to the experts. However, I know that in order to make an informed decision, you would like to know at least the very basics, or perhaps it’s the detail you’re looking for. Over the years, I’ve seen some recurring questions, so I decided to set up this section to make sure that you had all the answers in one place.
If there are any questions that I haven’t listed here, please do get in touch and I’ll be happy to answer them.
Profile: Who are you and why do you do what you do?
Why should I choose you?
If you value quality, integrity and a caring attitude, you’ll most probably find that I run my business according to the same principles. This applies not only to the translation and interpreting assignments that I’m going to work on for you, but all of the aspects of our cooperation.
Why do you translate?
I translate because I believe that successful international communication is essential to get things done and drive people’s lives forward, regardless of whether they act as businesses or individuals. My passion for business is reflected in delivering successful communication between Polish and English.
Do you have official qualifications in translation?
Yes, I’ve completed a three-year-long bachelor’s degree in Applied Translation at London Metropolitan University, where I learned the theory and practice of translation as well as the most common challenges in translation and interpreting between Polish and English. I also took the Diploma in Translation, an NQF Level 6 qualification awarded by the Chartered Institute of Linguists . This makes me a qualified translator between Polish and English.
What is your educational background?
I studied Applied Translation at bachelor’s level and then I started a postgraduate qualification in Forensic Linguistics, the study of legal language. Following my passions, I took a degree in Management, Information Systems and Innovation at the London School of Economics and Political Science. I’ve complemented my formal education with a number of courses and summer schools. As you can see, I combine linguistic expertise with field-specific knowledge.
How much experience do you have?
I’ve been translating throughout my entire professional life, which amounts to six years of translating between Polish and English. This is the equivalent of 10,920 hours, or roughly 4,368,000 words.
Are you a member of a professional organisation?
Yes. I’m a member of a number of professional translation associations, including the Chartered Institute of Linguists, the International Association of Professional Translators and Interpreters, the International Association of Forensic Linguists and the Association of Polish Language Lovers. Moreover, I’m also a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship.
Do you do any voluntary work?
I’ve completed over 300 hours of voluntary work for the Victim Support charity in the United Kingdom. I’m always willing to help charitable organisations and NGOs. Please do get in touch if you need translations between Polish and English.
Are you an agency?
No, I’m a professional sole trader and I deliver the majority of work by myself. I work with an assistant who helps me with the administrative side of my business. When it comes to larger projects, I’ve built a network of trusted colleagues whom I can collaborate with, but only with your consent. I do not outsource work.
What are your Terms and Conditions?
I follow a recommended set of terms and conditions protecting both you and me as parties to a transaction in terms of payments, cancellations, copyright, confidentiality and many other aspects. Before confirming an assignment, you’ll receive a copy of my full terms and conditions.
Services: What do you do exactly?
Do you do certified translation?
Yes. If you need a certified Polish or English translation to present to official UK authorities, I can do that for you. Certified translation usually requires posting the translation to your address with my stamp and signature on each page of the document. If you require a Polish sworn translation to present your document to the Polish authorities in Poland, I can arrange for a colleague registered with a court in Poland to provide this service.
Do you translate into English?
I translate both out of Polish into English and out of English into Polish. My work is always edited and proofread by a native speaker. In terms of translation into English, I always have to look at the text first to assess if I have the required level of linguistic ability and flexibility to deal with the task.
Why do you only specialise in law, business and marketing?
I believe that, as in any professional field, we can only become specialists in certain areas that we’re knowledgeable in and passionate about. I see myself as a specialist, and therefore I work only in the areas in which I can produce top quality Polish and English translations. If you require medical or technical translation, I will be able to recommend a colleague or handle your project for you.
Do you translate for the UK authorities?
Yes. I can translate texts to be presented to the UK authorities, including courts and the Home Office. Such documents require a Certificate of Translation, and this is certainly a service I can provide.
Can you handle big documents?
My daily capacity is around 2,500 words and most of the time I’m booked a week in advance. If your documents are large or you need them more urgently, I can organise a team to help me translate your document. However, I will remain responsible for the ultimate quality.
Which languages do you work with exactly?
I translate from Polish to English and from English to Polish. I also know French, and in the past I occasionally translated from French to Polish. Though it’s not the main line of my business, I would be happy to look at your French document and translate it if I’m capable of handling it at a professional level. For all other languages, I will be happy to recommend more knowledgeable colleagues.
What is translation?
I could spend hours and hours talking about what translation is. In a nutshell, it’s recreating your message in another language – in my case from Polish to English or from English to Polish. It’s more than just replacing the words. It’s more like reconstructing what you mean to express for another culture, another mentality and another communicative situation.
What is localisation?
Localisation has two meanings; that’s why it might seem so confusing. One meaning defines localisation as the translation of websites or software, which by definition involves a bit of technology. In its other meaning, localisation is seen as adapting the document to the target audience in terms of non-textual elements, such as layout, colours or images. I can help you with both!
What is transcreation?
Transcreation is a very apt name to reflect the relationship between translation and copywriting. Rather than being translated, all creative and marketing texts, should be transcreated with the same amount of creativity and ingenuity as was used to create them in the source language. For example, a slogan with a pun that works well for an English-speaking audience will require substantial transcreation to ensure the same effect on Polish readers.
What is interpreting?
Interpreting is the oral rendering of a message between two languages. In other words, it applies to the spoken language. There are different forms of interpreting. When the interpreting takes place at the same time as the speaker is talking, it is called simultaneous interpreting. If the rendering happens after the speaker has delivered five to ten minutes of the speech, it is called consecutive interpreting. Business interpreting, also called liaison interpreting, is more dialogic and relies on frequent turn-taking. Telephone interpreting takes place over the phone. I can help you with all varieties of interpreting.
Do you do DTP?
I offer desktop publishing as an additional service to my translation services between Polish and English. I work with Adobe Creative Suite , which means I can help you prepare translated documents ready to print.
Do you offer editing or proofreading?
I offer editing and proofreading services for publication purposes. Within larger projects, I also proofread the work of others.
What additional services do you offer?
Apart from translation and interpreting between Polish and English, I offer DTP, SEO, terminology and glossary management services, and market research.
Tools: How do you work?
How much do you charge?
Each project is individually priced. To give you a rough idea, an 11-page sale contract would cost between £400 and £500; a 2.5-hour interpreting assignment outside London would cost £120 plus travel time and expenses; the translation of a 20-page InDesign brochure about your products would cost at least £800.
How do I pay you?
I issue official invoices, which are paid either in installments, in 30 days or, in the case of smaller projects, upon receipt and before the work begins. I accept payments in £, €, zł and $. I accept wire transfers into a UK account, UK cheques and PayPal payments.
How do you quote?
Let’s say you have an 11-page contract and you’d like to translate it into Polish. First, send the document to me for a detailed quotation, which you’ll usually receive in two to three hours. Based on my experience, I can calculate how much time it will take me to research terminology (about two hours), translate (roughly nine hours) and proofread (about three hours) your contract. We’re talking about two days of work. That’s what I’d invoice you for. The fee may go up if you need it done quickly and I have to work overtime, or if the format is challenging, like a scanned PDF with handwritten notes. I issue official quotations.
How long will it take you to translate…?
An 11-page long contract (around 3,000 words) would take about 2 hours to research terminology, about 9 hours to translate and some 3 hours to proofread. This is about two days of work. Having said that, very often I’m already working on some other projects when you get in touch. This is why I’m only able to assess how much it will take me after I see the file.
How do I send you my documents?
The best way is to email your documents to me. In rare cases, posting may be an option. Individual collection may be arranged. I deliver the documents to you via email, by post or both in the case of certified translation.
How do you translate exactly?
Let’s say you have an 11-page contract and you’d like to translate it into Polish. First, send the document to me for a detailed quotation, which you’ll usually receive in two to three hours. Based on my experience, I can calculate how much time it will take me to research terminology (about two hours), translate (roughly nine hours) and proofread (about three hours) your contract. We’re talking about two days’ worth of work. That’s what I’d invoice you for. The fee may go up if you need it done quickly and I have to work overtime, or if the format is challenging, like a scanned PDF with handwritten notes.
Which software do you use?
I work on both iOS and Windows. I use some translation memory tools as well as standard Microsoft Office software and Adobe software.
Do you use translation memory software?
Yes. I use SDL Trados from 2007 to 2014.
Do you use machine translation?
No, and I recommend you don’t do that either. Machine translation is just a matter of using complicated algorithms to chop up your text and compare it with previously translated passages taken from other sources. It has nothing to do with communication and may harm your best interests.
Do you translate PDF files?
Yes. I work with PDF files, but occasionally I may have to charge more if the layout is complicated and difficult to replicate.
How can I send a big file?
If your file is too big to email, you can use a data transfer service of your choice. I recommend using Dropbox, as it’s the most secure and universal solution.
How do you localise websites?
I usually team up with a coder and designer. While I provide the linguistic layer of your website, my team make sure that it works fine online. We will take care of everything from extracting the text to uploading the localised version of your website online. If you have your own IT team, you can just send the text to me.
Do you work with others?
On many occasions I work with other colleagues in the same language pair, or with proofreaders and editors. My team of trusted colleagues also includes a coder, designer and a DTP specialist.
Which payment methods do you accept?
I accept wire transfers to my UK bank account, UK cheques and PayPal payments.
How do you ensure quality?
To ensure high quality, I’m striving to meet the requirements of the EN-15038 European Quality Standard for Translation Services. In particular, I follow a strict 19-step quality assurance process and apply it to every translation I undertake. This involves my translations being revised by another translator, unless specifically requested otherwise. Each project is checked against a quality assurance checklist.
In addition, I’ve voluntarily joined the Quality in Translation campaign, which means that: I always strive for the best translation; I only accept assignments that allow me to do that; I decline assignments at prices that undercut this goal; I only work with professional translators, proofreaders and editors; I engage in ongoing training.
How do you ensure confidentiality?
Your confidentiality is protected by a set of terms and conditions I’m obliged to abide by. My business is also regulated by three codes of conduct, which place great emphasis on ensuring confidentiality. In practice, I have tight control over where your files are stored and who sees them.
Which DTP software do you use?
I work with Adobe software.
Arguments: What if I have objections?
Why should I choose you?
If you value quality, integrity and a caring attitude, you’ll most probably find that I run my business according to the same principles. This applies not only to the translation and interpreting assignments that I’m going to work on for you, but all of the aspects of our cooperation.
I got cheaper quotes. Why are your prices so high?
As in any profession, you pay for the quality and expertise you’re getting. Others may be charging less because they don’t emphasise high quality or they don’t have the expert knowledge. Because I’ve devoted my life to translating and interpreting law, business and marketing between Polish and English, I believe that my level of expertise justifies the price. And this will no doubt be reflected in your satisfaction with my services.
Is it a good investment?
If you’re looking into reaching out to Polish clients or Polish employees, investing in translation or interpreting between Polish and English will pay off. I’m happy to assess your particular situation and discuss it with you in person or via Skype. Just drop me a line!
Why should I invest in translation?
Translation gives you access to opportunities, both in your personal and business life, which would otherwise be outside of your reach. Translation means communication, and communication always brings opportunities. If implemented well – and this is where I can advise you – your Polish and English translations will quickly pay off and the results will exceed your expectations.
