IBZ Group Blog

In a previous article I discussed the things to look for in contracting accurate Arabic translation/transcription/editing.  With the burgeoning role of the Middle East in the world market, knowledge or access to Arabic is becoming a necessity for global industry and government operations. (www.ArabicEditor.com/articles.htm)

Obviously, we all want the best product at the best price. Unfortunately, price shopping when seeking Arabic translation can lead to unprofessional options that end with less than desirable results. As mentioned in my original article, many so-called translators use machine – or computer translations. While relatively inexpensive, these translations are in most cases inaccurate at best, and usually produce translations that have little relation to the original text.

Another bargain basement translation practice that seems to have become quite popular are so-called contractors who claim to be able to provide “professional translations/transcriptions and editing for less than one-fifth the standard rate.  These “contractors” post on such known sites as Craigslist, ProZ, Translators cafe and others.   They offer ridiculously low fees such as $0.005 per word for translation and 0.05 per word for transcription, do virtually no screening to ensure the “translator” is capable of producing quality work and hire anyone with even the most basic Arabic skills. To a native Arabic linguist these translations/transcriptions are atrocities that cannot even be classified as Arabic. But, they are attracting work because of the low cost. In most cases, the buyer knows no Arabic, so is at the mercy of these translation charlatans who of course “guarantee” the work is accurate. Rest assured, it is so accurate that the buyer usually either loses the business or gives the receiver a hearty laugh upon receipt of a translated document that makes no sense.

So you ask, what are the standard rates? For a certified, accurate and professional translation, one should expect to pay in the area of $0.25 per word for translation of non-technical material and higher for technical material. The increase for technical material will be relative to the degree of difficulty. For one page translations such as birth certificates, driver licenses and such, you can expect to pay $50.00 per page.

Transcription is usually charged by the minute – depending on the quality of the recording, the media (CD, DVD, tape) the subject and the overall degree of difficulty. On average, transcription charges range from $2.50 to $5.00 per minute. Of course, large projects can be negotiated.