transcription andtranslation

Difference between transcription and translations

(Last Updated On: April 8, 2023)

Currently, not only translation businesses but the demand for transcription services are also on the rise. Every day, thousands of individuals search out for trustworthy companies to get accurate and professional translation and transcription services. You may already be familiar with the term translation but here, we will unfold it for you and demonstrate the difference between translation and transcription.

Outset

When you plan to move out to a foreign country for just vacations or immigration, you would need to have all your documents translated into the official language of that country, in most cases: English. Along with this, when a victim or criminal records their narrative either in the police station or during court hearings, a professional linguist would transcript their narrative in order to preserve it. To help you understand these terms better, let’s get started.

What is Translation?

We define translation, as the action of interpreting the literal or whimsical meaning of a written document by converting it from the original language to the target language. The translation process is a written process, unlike interpretation. The translation itself is very different from transcription.

It requires enormous experience and knowledge in more than two different languages and the respective field. To increase the authenticity of the translation, the translator either notarizes or certifies the translation according to the need of the client. To be clear and direct, let us move on to the types of translations.

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translation services and transcription services

Types of Translation

Total eight major types of translations are known to date. Each one of these types is very different from the other. We have briefly introduced eight major types of translations below:

  1. Technical Translation is the translation of manuals, instruction leaflets.
  2. Financial Translation is the translation of documents related to the stock exchange, banking, and finance such as financial reports.
  3. Scientific Translation is the translation of scientific documents such as study reports, scientific journals, and articles.
  4. The Juridical Translation is the translation of documents related to laws and regulations.
  5. Judicial Translation takes place under a court setting.
  6. Legal Translation refers to the translation of legal documents such as summons and warrants.
  7. Literary Translation is the translation of a literary work, along with all idioms, metaphors, and personification that are used by the writer.
  8. Commercial Translation is the translation of brochures, pamphlets, and other advertisements.

What is Transcription?

Transcription is the process of writing down a verbal speech. In the process of Transcription, a professional linguist writes down all the statements or words spoken down by a person. Such kinds of documents serve evidential purposes. For example, if a governmental figure gives a speech or a convict explains their narrative in a court hearing, then there would be a need for transcription.

What are its types?

There are four major types of transcription. We have briefly explained all of them below:

  1. Verbatim Transcription is the most detailed type of transcription. This type of transcription aims to capture all details of a recording, including all the coughing, laughter, pauses, and nonverbal communication such as “uh-hu” and “umm”.
  2. Edited Transcription is also known as clean verbatim transcription. It aims to capture all the essential text that a speaker utters. This type of transcription commits to preserving the original meaning of a text. It does not paraphrase or change the text’s meaning in any way nor does it contain any filler words such as “like” and “you know”.
  3. Intelligent Transcription is a transcription in which all kinds of grammatical errors and punctuation is focused upon. This transcription aims to provide clear communication without causing any confusion.
  4. Phonetic Transcription is a very different kind of transcription. It aims to capture the way a speaker utters his or her words. This type of transcription focuses on the pronunciation of words, and the rises and falls in the speaker’s tone.

Correlation between Transcription and Translation

There is a strong correlation between transcription and translation. Both of these processes involve writing. Transcription and transcription are both high in demand and require good experience. Both processes are sensitive as any slight mistake can cause inconvenience. Both transcription and translation involve the use of language. Transcription and translation involve the production of written documents, unlike interpretation which is the verbal conversion of a person’s speech from one language to another.

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transcription vs translation

What is the difference between Transcription and Translation?

When it comes to the difference between transcription and translation, there’s enough of it to make it easy for you to understand. Translation involves two or more two languages while transcription involves a single language. The translation is a text-to-text conversion while transcription is a speech-to-text conversion. Transcription obliges the transcriber to have significant experience in only one language while translation obliges the translator to have a strong grip over more than two languages.

Where to find a company that offers transcription and translation services?

On the web, you can browse different companies that provide translation and transcription services. Only some of these are legitimate, other companies that are newly established and do not have public trust might scam you. They might lure you into uploading your translation documents and completing up with the payment method. After this, they will either disappear like a needle in hay or just change their identity and brand name. Also, some legitimate companies that you will find, may not be as professional in delivering flawless translation and transcription services.

High-quality Transcription and Translation Services

Professional translation and transcription companies have carried out thousands of professional translations/transcriptions and gain the satisfaction of customers daily. With their outstanding services, they have gathered regular customers not only from business-friendly countries like the United States or Germany but from all over the World.

Most of the customers hire these companies over and over again, whenever they need a transcription of recordings or translation of their original documents. Such companies deeply value the quality of their work. These companies also provide certifications along with their translations which helps them have the authenticity that they need.

Transcription and Translation Scams

In times like these, when fraud and scam are so common, you would very likely not be at a loss if you take precautions. From currency fraud to quality of products, some individuals would illude you. On the internet, there are many new websites in the name of “translation” or “transcription” that are run by scammers to carry out fraudulent activities. These newly established websites can get your personal information from the documents that you upload or even just take your money and disappear.

Inaccuracy and Technical Errors

Even the most reputable companies can deliver transcriptions and translations having errors and flaws. Mainly, due to a load of clients and lack of sufficient employees, the companies may provide translations and transcriptions that contain technical mistakes. Nevertheless, trustworthy companies proofread the transcriptions and translations they carry out and provide customer support.

Denouement

In a conclusion to everything that we have stated so far, it is clear that transcription and translation are two different aspects of the language industry. Both transcription and translation are high in demand. We will also suggest you be cautious in choosing the right translation and transcription service and stay away from fraudulent companies. If you ever feel the need to hire any of these services, feel free to contact us at our e-mail.

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