You will find below answers to the questions we are most frequently asked. Please do not hesitate to contact us directly for further explanations.
How do I send you my document?
You can send us your document in complete confidentiality by email to info@expressum.eu with the document as an attachment.
How do I count the words in the document?
If the document is in Word® format, in recent versions of Word® you will notice the number of words in the status bar at the bottom of the page. In earlier versions, the word count function is in “Statistics” in the “Tools” menu. If your document is in another format (pdf, html, php, asp, etc.) you can just upload it on our website or attach it to an email and send it to us and we will get back to you with a quote.
Will you keep my document’s layout and formatted style?
The document’s layout and formatted style will remain unchanged. We know how every scientific journal has its own guidelines and how long it takes to format an article to meet these guidelines. Except in the case of website translations, we work on the original document, transcribing the text directly without changing the layout.
A collaborative work
We work mainly on specialised documents where arguments are structured in a precise, dense and complex fashion. Our translations often include a few specific questions to avoid misinterpretations. The translator will need the author’s feedback on these questions to go forward especially if these are recurrent points found throughout different chapters of a book.
It is also reasonable for the author to raise certain points or comment on the translation. A translation of a scholarly work is an opportunity to collaborate on an intellectual level with your translator, especially in the context of long scientific articles or books.
Books : how does it work?
Long texts (50.000+ words) such as books, conference proceedings, scientific journals, festschrifts, etc., are usually translated and delivered in segments and invoiced individually. However, the quote for the entire work will not change. These segments, or steps, generate a more thoughtful and flexible collaboration between the author and the translator.
It is important to note that once a book has been entirely translated, we will re-read and eventually edit for no extra charge the entire work to harmonize the text, ensuring the same expressions and turn of phrases are found throughout the text.
Copy-editing, Substantive editing, proofreading... what a confusion!
Copy-editing consists in checking the spelling, punctuation and grammar as well as correcting stylistic errors and ensuring consistency, clarity and accuracy in a text. We may also sometimes request the original document if it was translated from another language to check inconsistencies. We do not offer substantive editing (complete rewriting of the paper), or proofreading (examination of the final draft of a document after it has been edited to ensure there are absolutely no errors).
External links on the subject: thewriteoneblog.com and The Expert Editor.
Which languages do we translate?
We only translate French to English and English to French. Our translators only translate into their mother tongue.
Prices
Translation prices can vary significantly. Urgent needs will increase the price whereas large volumes of text or recurrent translation needs will fetch lower prices.
We apply a minimum fee for small jobs to cover the costs of managing the project. Conversely, we will apply a significant discount on a larger volume of text, and the price per word will reflect this volume.
In the case of recurrent needs and in the hope of creating partnerships (such as scientific journals published annually), preferential rates may be negotiated.
When will I receive the translation?
The time-factor is linked to the length of the document and our availability. The average delivery time is based on a rate of 2500 translated words/day (roughly 10 to 12 pages for 8 hours of work). Obviously, if you have an urgent need for the translation, we may be able to offer you a faster solution.
What are these audio recordings of conference papers?
When you request the translation of a conference paper, please let us know whether you would also need an audio recording of the translated text. In French, the accent is academic French. In English the accent is that of an academic British speaker with a clear pronunciation. The audio recording format is the common .mp3 format which you can listen to on any audio digital device (ipod, mp3 player, etc.) or simply your computer.
Copyright
You retain all intellectual rights to the translated text as the author of the original text.
What does Expressum mean?
Expressum means in Latin : to mold or form one thing in imitation of another ; hence to copy, express, represent; especially to express in words, describe, to articulate, to translate.
Why you should never use machine translation
Websites
Expressum has produced numerous websites for a wide variety of clients, the vast majority of whom are researchers. They need a personal website to centralise all their research, publications and news in a place of their own, where they can make changes and additions as they see fit at any given time, be it during the night or five minutes before a conference. They are now developed in WordPress so that with a minimum of training (1h-2h) they can make most of the changes themselves (adding text, images, videos, etc.).
We’ll help you buy a domain name and hosting from OVH, so that all the data on your site stays in your hands. We only charge you for the design of the site.
