Translation & Document Formatting Are Separate Services

Translation services are performed by professional translators (linguists) that routinely work with language. Translators typically work independent of detailed formatting. Translators are cognizant of formatting mainly to the extent that they provide sufficient visual queues in order to allow correlation between source and target text by readers who do not speak both languages.

Specialized document designers (desktop publishing specialists) can take the translated text produced by translators and then place the text back into the InDesign (or other design application) environment. A finished formatted document in the specified new language is then the result. Translation clients sometimes think of these independent services as occurring at the same time. However, in most cases, translators are not document designers, and vice versa.

Some translation clients are comfortable placing translated text into a document formatting application such as InDesign. Some clients needs help mainly when formatting languages such as Arabic or Farsi which read right-to-left. Native English speakers for example often find formatting these languages to be less than intuitive.

Translation clients have the option of providing an InDesign formatted document (in the form of a PDF) and receiving back only the text translated without formatting. Clients can then handle placing the formatted text back into InDesign. Or at the client’s option the translation company can provide the service of InDesign formatting in addition to translation.