RECENT POSTS
Medical terminology and variants of English #2: Terminology
Reading time: 6 mins Throughout human history the English language has spread across the world and branched into a number of regional varieties, some of which may prove challenging to [...]
CAT tools vs machine translation
Reading time: 5 mins In recent years, computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools have made the translation process much more efficient, highlighting the crucial role of translators as stakeholders in this process. [...]
OLDER POSTS
Medical terminology and variants of English #1: Spelling
Reading time: approx. 8 min In recent decades, English has become the lingua franca in all walks of life and (practically) all disciplines, from humanities to life sciences. Though most of us speak and understand it at least to a certain extent, there are always aspects of the language that give us trouble. Many speakers of English as a second language face difficulties when presented with a regional variety that they are not used to. [...]
Freelancers vs. translation agencies: availability, communication and reliability
Reading time: 5 mins Should I hire a translation agency or a freelance translator? Deciding between a freelancer and an agency to take care of your translation needs is not easy. Various factors might inform your decision, and we discuss this in our two-part series on choosing the right partner for your translation needs. In our first article, we discussed how price, performance, and quality may affect the choice of your language services partner. Keep [...]
Effects of medicinal products: key differences and corresponding translations
Reading time: 7.5 mins Everyone sometimes has to take medicine to keep their bodies functioning properly. This can mean either alleviating symptoms of an underlying condition that is yet to be discovered, or treating an illness. When we take medicines, however, we may not only notice the intended effects, but also other, often unwanted, ones that may be unpleasant or perhaps even dangerous. Side effect, adverse drug reaction, or adverse event? Not all negative [...]
Freelancers vs. translation agencies: price, performance and quality
Reading time: 5 mins Should I hire a translation agency or a freelance translator? Picture a scenario: you or your company need a translation, whether just this once or regularly in the future. The first question to consider is which option is best for you: if you do not want to invest the significant time and effort to set up an in-house translation department, your options are a translation agency or a freelance translator. [...]
Localisation: getting the numbers right
Reading time: approx. 6 min Units of measure, decimals, times and dates At Alamma, we pride ourselves ensuring that our client’s texts work well in the local market for which they are intended. This is called localisation. A successfully localised service or product appears to have been organically developed within the local culture, rather than simply addressing the target user in their own language. Therefore, localisation is more than translating the words. It includes factors [...]
Reference materials for medical/pharmaceutical translations
Reading time: approx. 7 min From regulatory requirements to patient safety, the medical and pharmaceutical industry has an overwhelming need for translations. While translation is needed in all aspects of the economy, this need is most acute for medicine, medical devices and pharmaceuticals. Package leaflets, informed consent forms, clinical research protocols, summaries of product characteristics, pharmaceutical marketing collateral, patient brochures, instructions for use of medical devices, device user interfaces … the wide range of [...]