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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why should I hire a Costa Rican translator or interpreter?

Frequently asked questions #1
Costa Rican professionals in general are highly trained and educated individuals. Our education system is one of the best and most respected in the entire region and the excellence of our people is a well-known local asset. In spite of the reduced size of the population, the simultaneous interpretation market is very active with more than 100 events of different sizes taking place every year. Additionally, many local interpreters are internationally known by their expertise and travel year round to conferences, meetings and workshops. Another important factor that should be considered is the financial aspect. The different economic requirements of Costa Rica allows for excellent services at very reasonable prices.

We are organizing a conference in Costa Rica, can you help?

Frequently asked questions #2

Very often local and foreign organizations contact us asking for some help in the coordination of their international communication needs. We have been in business for more than 12 years and are very familiar with venues for large, medium and small events, as well as service providers for each and every need. When you hire our organization and consulting services you avoid the piecemeal approach and obtain cost rationalization, great coordination, but most of all, excellent results that your audience can hear and see.

How do I pay for the services rendered by your company?

Frequently asked questions #3
Our services are open and available to customers from all around the world. As a matter of fact more than 50% of all the projects we translate today are sent to customers that do not have a local representation or office. Paying for our services is very easy. We accept all major credit cards and bank account payments through PayPal. We can also accept electronic transfers to our US Bank account or our bank accounts in local Costa Rican banks. If your company does have a local representation in Costa Rica, we can also present our invoice for processing and you can issue a check.

How do I confirm a service request with your company?

Frequently asked questions #4
Once you have decided that our services, delivery times and prices suit your translation needs and we have confirmed our availability to carry out your project, we will require a Purchase Order from your company. If you normally do not issue Purchase Orders, you can go ahead and fill out our Service Confirmation Form.

What is simultaneous interpretation?

Frequently asked questions #5

Simultaneous interpretation is the process of facilitating the communication between two or more speakers of different languages. Thanks to the use of specialized equipment, the interpreter can listen to the continuous speech of the speaker and render it almost immediately to the audience.

What is whispered interpretation?

Frequently asked questions #6

Whispered interpretation is basically simultaneous interpretation without the use of equipment. Also known as chuchotage (from its French name), this is a technique that can only be used with a very reduced number of listeners. The interpreter sits or stands near the person or group that requires the interpretation and expresses the target message using a very low tone of voice.

What is consecutive interpretation?

Frequently asked questions #7

Consecutive interpretation is when the speaker expresses a segment of the source message and waits for the interpreter to repeat it in the target language. The interpreter usually takes notes and refers to them when interpreting. Today, this method of interpretation is reserved for short presentations of maximum 10 to 15 minutes. It is often used in the interpretation of press conferences.

How many interpreters will work in my conference?

Frequently asked questions #8

By general rule, two interpreters will work in a conference or event requiring simultaneous interpretation. During short meetings of 2 hours or less it is possible to have one interpreter. If simultaneous interpretation will be required in more than one room, two interpreters will be present in each room. If the conference will mostly take place in only one room with short break-out sessions through-out the day, it is possible to assign only one interpreter to the individual sessions, although at least two interpreters will be present in the general meeting.

How long it takes to install the interpretation equipment?

Frequently asked questions #9

The interpretation equipment by itself is quite simple to install and should be ready to operate in about 30 minutes. However, you should always allow at least 1 hour for installation in order to coordinate connections to the sound amplification system and general setup by the staff of conference center.

What needs to be provided by the conference center?

Frequently asked questions #10
In order to facilitate the simultaneous interpretation, the conference center or meeting place of your choice should be able to provide (i) a connection to the sound amplification system (unless the interpretation company is also providing this service); (ii) a table large enough to accommodate the equipment and two persons located in a low traffic area of the room with clear visibility of the podium and the projection screen and a nearby electric outlet or a similar space to place a sound-isolation booth; (iii) two chairs; (iv) a water pitcher. For larger events, (v) a second table should be available to hand out the translation receivers to the audience.

Is it possible to have simultaneous translation on the go?

Frequently asked questions #11

Field trips, tours, inspections and visits may all require translation. We can provide simultaneous translation for all your "on-the-go" needs. Our experienced translators and interpreters are equipped with portable interpretation devices that can virtually turn any place into a conference center. We can give your customers top-quality simultaneous translation during bus rides, boat trips, facility tours or on the field.

Can I hire a guide and interpreter for my visit to Costa Rica?

Frequently asked questions #12

Many persons visit Costa Rica on business but do not speak Spanish or even if they do understand some of the language, are not used to the customs and formalities of local business. When you come to Costa Rica looking for real estate, investment opportunities, business partners, products to export or even ways to expand your market, it is always a good idea to hire a local guide and interpreter. Our professional interpreters are not only familiar with the local business language and practices but also with the geography. We can help you prepare your agenda in advance, even before you set foot in the country! We can take care of your hotel reservations and rental car arrangements or even drive you around ourselves so you can come to Costa Rica 100% for business no hassles, no delays. Contact us for more information.

Can we hire an interpreter to help us at an international fair?

Frequently asked questions #13

Costa Rican products, arts, crafts and even people provide a superior level of quality. It is very common that our products and professionals are required at international events such as trade fairs, product shows, industry events, etc. Some of these activities may take place in remote countries and interpreters may be difficult to find. Our professional interpreters are ready to travel with you around the globe to make sure your business communications are clear and effective.

Can we have interpretation for a group traveling to a training course?

Frequently asked questions #14
Training and education centers around the world offer technical and professional training in different areas and many of these courses are not available in multiple languages. To make the most out of training and education courses for your staff you can arrange to bring with you simultaneous interpretation services. Our experienced interpreters and translators can travel with your group and setup our portable simultaneous interpretation equipment in any classroom or meeting room to provide seamless and efficient communication.

What type of materials should be given to the interpreters?

Frequently asked questions #15

As far as the audience is concerned, the simultaneous interpreters will be the voice of your speaker. For this reason, the more they know about your event, the better. If possible, send in advance copies of the overhead presentations, the agenda of the event, a glossary, biographies or resumes of the speakers, copies of videos that will be projected during the conference, copies of presentations that will be read by the speakers and basically anything that you think can help them prepare better for your conference. There is no such thing as too many materials for the interpreters. If you worry about your privacy, request an NDA (non disclosure agreement), if your interpretation company is serious about its work, there should not be any problem.

Should a sound isolation booth be used during my event?

Frequently asked questions #16

An interpreter isolation booth is the ideal solution for any event involving simultaneous interpretation. Some conference centers and meeting rooms offer built-in sound isolation booths and also portable booths are available for rent. The interpreter isolation booth provides a private space to help the interpreters concentrate on their work as well as a sound shield to keep their voices from distracting the audience. Portable booths are available as stand-alone or tabletop units. However, sometimes due to space and time limitations it is not possible to have a sound isolation booth installed in the room. Professional interpreters have also been trained to work under these circumstances and their voices are rarely intrusive.

What if a sound isolation booth is not available for my event?

Frequently asked questions #17

In case Booths are not available during your event, we will need a reserved area and a table for the interpreters and the simultaneous translation equipment. We recommend a zone with low traffic during the event and good visibility of the podium or place where the speaker will stand as well as the projection screen. Additionally, the area needs to be uncluttered to allow for a clear transmission of the radio signal. We also request that a water pitcher is located on the table for the interpreters. So, whether or not you use an Interpretation Booth, we assure you that we will make our best effort to avoid any inconvenience.

Do I need sound amplification for a very reduced audience?

Frequently asked questions #18

Sound amplification will be necessary every time you use simultaneous interpretation services. Interpreters listen to the speakers through earphones and the sound must be very clear and adjustable (the interpreter's console provides volume adjustment). If you are working with a very reduced audience or in a small room, you may not need sound amplification for the audience; in this case, it is possible to use microphones only for the benefit of the interpreters.

How many microphones do I need for a group of 50 persons?

Frequently asked questions #19

The general rule for a traditional conference is to have one podium or lavaliere microphone for the speaker and one or two microphones for the audience to ask questions. The microphones for the audience can be hand-held wireless or cabled microphones on a stand. Larger events, round tables or panel discussions may require different numbers and types of microphones.

How should I adapt my conference to use simultaneous interpretation?

Frequently asked questions #20

The rules that apply to good public speaking also apply to communicating through simultaneous interpreters. Speak at a comfortable rate, avoid using acronyms without explaining their meaning, don't use play on words, and a few more tips that you can find in this special article we have written on the purpose.

What is the meaning of source and target languages?

Frequently asked questions #21

The source language for a translation is the original language of the speaker or the language used to write a document. The target language is the language to which the message or document will be translated.

What is the price unit for document translation?

Frequently asked questions #22

Document translations are charged by the word. The words in a document are counted using the tools provided by word processors, special computer assisted translation (CAT) applications or stand-alone applications. Some translation companies charge their work according to the number of source words, that is the number of words contained in the original document; other companies charge according to the target words, or the number of words resulting from the translation process.

What is an official translation in Costa Rica?

Frequently asked question #23

Official translations in Costa Rica are documents prepared by a local translator who has been previously certified by the Costa Rican Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Official translators are available in many different language combinations. An official translation is printed using a particular format, requires special stamps and the original signature of the translator. Official translations cannot be sent electronically. Depending on the purpose of the official translation, it may also require an additional certification by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

What is the price unit for overhead presentation translation?

Frequently asked question #24

Overhead presentations (power point type of documents) can be charged by the slide, by the word or even by the hour, depending on the complexity of the design and the translation work involved.

I need to translate my website, how much will it cost?

Frequently asked question #25

The translation of a website is basically the same as the translation of any other document. We charge website translations by the source word, that is the number of words contained in the original web page.

How do I deliver the contents of my website to the translator?

Frequently asked question #26

The easiest and most direct method to get your website translated is to copy the contents of each page, paste them into a word processor document and save it using the original name of the webpage. In this manner you retain control of the pages that you send out for translation and the number of words contained in each page. However, we can also do that work for you if you facilitate us with a sitemap and agree in advance to the pages that will require translation.

I want my website translated... turnkey... is it possible?

Frequently asked question #27

Yes, it is possible to translate your entire website, including text, html code, and images. We can even upload it to your server if you would like us to. Just let us know if this is your requirement and we can prepare a quotation for you.

I need a text narrated in Spanish, is this possible?

Frequently asked question #28

We can narrate for you texts in Spanish, English and any other language spoken by our professional translators and interpreters (Chinese, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, German, French and more). Narration is the process of reading out loud and recording a text in a reproducible format, such as an mp3 file or any other type of audio file. You can either provide us with a text that you need to have narrated or an original text that requires translation and subsequent narration. Once you receive the narration in a digital file you can upload it to your website, reproduce it in CDs or DVDs, incorporate it to videos and much more.

How can I get an English podcast dubbed into Spanish?

Frequently asked question #29

If you have a podcast, recorded conference or training course in English or any of the languages that we support (Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, German, French and others) and wish to have it dubbed into Spanish (or any other language) we can certainly help you. The easiest and most effective way to do it is to record a simultaneous interpretation while keeping the original sound in a very low volume in the background. The results are very professional and give the listener the confidence that this is the real thing but simply adapted to his/her communication needs.

Is it possible to have my video subtitled?

Frequently asked question #30
Yes, an excellent way to bring your conference, training course or speech to new markets is to have it subtitled. We can translate the original material, add the subtitles and prepare a DVD for you to reproduce or upload to the Internet.

What is keyword-focused content?

Frequently asked question #31

Keyword focused content is information that is written around previously selected keywords. Web crawlers are the engines that move Internet traffic today, and they are guided by keywords contained in your pages. Adding random keywords to your web pages is just not enough to rank high, you need to develop content that supports your keywords in order to "convince" search engines that your web pages are the real thing and will address the needs of their users. Additionally, visitors to your pages will not stay in your site, and will not buy your products if the content you provide is not solid, useful and truthful.

Why do I need keyword-focused content?

Frequently asked questions #32

You need keyword-focused content because people on the web are looking for information, not just products. Your web pages must be built using keyword focused content for two basic reasons: first, search engines will rank you higher and will find your website more credible if each of your web pages is written with emphasis on a few keywords that are thoroughly developed throughout the page, instead of simply labeled with a number of random keywords; and second, because your readers will more likely stay in your site, read your content and buy your products (services or ideas) if the page the reach is really about the keyword they are searching.

Can you write keyword-focused content for my website?

Frequently asked questions #33

Yes, one of the services we provide is content writing. We specialize in keyword-focused content because this is how we have developed our own website. We can help you choose your keywords according to what your visitors really want, we can guide you towards your monetization strategy and we can also write your content based on the technical information you give us. Our objective is to establish a good collaboration between you (the site owner) and the copywriter in order to produce excellent web pages that readers love, rank high, are easy to read, and help you sell your product.

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