We're on the GSA Schedule. Find
out how to take advantage of this
great buying program for Federal agencies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What languages does TLD work in?

TLD has proven experience in over 80 languages including English, Hebrew, Arabic, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish, Greek, Japanese, Chinese, Dutch, Hungarian, Russian, Thai and more. Go to our languages page for a complete list.

Do you use in-house translators or freelance translators?

Both. We have in-house capabilities for some language pairs. Some of the translations are outsourced to professional, qualified translators that undergo a stringent screening process. If you are a professional translator and would like to work with us, click here to apply online.

How do you screen your translators?

All of the freelance translators we use must pass a screening process to determine their language skills and industry experience. In order to work with us, translators must have at least three years of full-time professional experience, and must have a university degree or equivalent industry experience. Many of our translators are accredited by organizations such as the ATA, Federal and District Courts, State Department, and the United Nations.

Do you do technical translations? Medical? Legal? What specific industries do you cover?

We have experience in providing quality translations in a wide range of subjects and for a wide range of industries. Click here to contact a project manager.

How much do your translation services cost?

We offer quick service at competitive prices. Click here for a free, online price estimate. If you would like a formal price quote, click here to e-mail the file for translation and one of our sales staff will contact you shortly with a price quote and delivery schedule.

Do you translate web sites and software products?

Yes, we do. Click here to read about our web site localization services.

What is your pricing policy?

For document translation, translators and translation agencies charge per word of the translated (destination language) text. In general, one page is equivalent to 250 words. Prices vary widely, depending on the language pair, the subject matter and the timetable. The Language Doctors, Inc. offers competitive prices for the high quality service we provide. Click here to get a free estimate. Expect to pay more for specialty subjects (such as legal or medical) and for rush jobs. Interpretation is priced hourly or per day. Language classes are prices by class size, schedule and content. Tutoring is priced by the hour (see tutoring). Language assessments are priced per assessment (see IRS assessments).

How fast do you translate?

A reasonable workload for a translator is approximately 1500-2000 words per day depending on the complexity of the subject matter. With Asian and African languages the average is around 1000 words per day due to the complexity of the characters. The higher prices charged for Asian and African translations reflect this slower work-rate.

Why choose TLD for my translation work?

We are dedicated to deliver to you a great translation, backed by friendly, attentive service, at a competitive price. In our opinion, a great translation should look and feel like it's been written by a native of the target language. As we have native speakers for translation of your work, we believe the translated work you'll receive, will reflect that. That unique benefit alone, will compare favorably in our rates we offer you against other translation services.

I've seen machine translation services … why not use them?

"Machine translation" is translation performed by a computer. As computers do not yet possess life knowledge, machine translations are not perfect. A computer does not know that "dusting" a field means putting dust on it, while "dusting" a table means taking dust off of it. Most so-called Machine Translation software really just performs dictionary look-ups and makes word-for-word replacements. Only human translators can consistently produce accurate translations of complex language. If you need an accurate translation, only a human being can assure you of getting one.

What about formatting?

The translated article(s) will be normally sent by MS Word format unless previously agreed. Please advise us beforehand, if you wish to have some other format.

What about my privacy of information I submit?

We respect and are committed to protecting your privacy. That is why we developed a Privacy Policy. Our own privacy is important to us on the internet so we afford you the same courtesy. More information on how we collect, use and store your personal details, can be found in our privacy policy.

I still have some questions…how can I contact you?

You may contact a project manager via e-mail or telephone and we'll be happy to assist you.

How is the work received by you and returned to the client?

Our preferred way to receive documents is by e-mail but we will naturally accept faxed documents or hardcopy by post if necessary.

What guarantee can we have of the professional competence of our translators?

Most of our translators are Members or Associates of the American Translators Association (ATA). Sometimes we will use a foreign translator who is a member of his or her country's translation association. Most of our translators have worked for us for many years and have , therefore, proved their professional competence to us.

If you still have further questions that are not answered here, please contact us.

The Language Doctors © 1995-2005
500 H Street, NE • Suite 300 • Washington, DC 20002 | info@tldinc.org | Phone 202.544.2942 • Fax 202.547.2311
Design by MMagination, Inc.