Four Things to Know About Our Practice

I’m lucky to be a translator and an interpreter. My work is an intellectual exercise that reveals to me the common concepts that underlie the grammar of my three languages (Farsi, French, and English). In this post I would like to address some common questions we field “in the trenches” at The Farsi Translation Center, on any given day. I hope it answers some of your questions, too!

Farsi Certification in the United States

The certification body for the United States is the American Translators Association. Until now the ATA did not offer certification for Farsi. The first ever certification exam will be administered soon. Sign up here to receive updates about the ATA Farsi certification program.

For official translations in Iran, both the Department of Justice and the Department of Foreign Affairs issue certifications for translators. However, translators around the world routinely attest to the faithfulness and accuracy of their translations in a statement at the end of each project. Some translators, myself included, will go the extra mile and have the statement notarized.

Rush Jobs

“Hi, nice to meet you, I need this by tomorrow.”

Rush jobs are part of life, in every industry. Not every industry, though, requires the amount of time and effort that quality translation does. We’re happy to accomodate rush jobs, but there is a premium on them because they take us away from other work. Before we begin any rush job, I send the client a simple contract that has the costs clearly enumerated.

Transcriptions

For every hour of audio, depending on the audio quality and many other factors, transcription could take over eight hours of work. Because transcription is a very complex task, we are unable to give estimates on this type of work based on the general description of the project. It’s not a one-size-fits-all type of situation.

Simultaneous Translations

For non-court related simultaneous translations, it unfortunately is not possible to give an estimate without knowing the subject matter in advance. If you are looking for an interpreter to fill an assignment at an event, we will be unable to provide a quote or to book an interpreter for you without knowing the subject matter.

As I’ve written, English and French mirror each other, with word-for-word translations often sufficing. Farsi/English translations require a much deeper analysis not only of the grammar, but of metaphors, idioms, and local customs. It’s the kind of task that cannot be done with any coherency by a computer — except the human computer.

To find out more about our services, contact us.

Sepideh Moussavi, MS