We’ve said it before and we’re saying it again: the world is getting smaller. Digital communication has opened the planet up to businesses and industries everywhere, and language services are helping companies tap into this.

Recent research by market research firm Common Sense Advisory reveals that the industry the language service community should particularly be targeting is the manufacturing sector. Indeed, its research reveals that within the top ten categories making up nearly 50 per cent of language solution firms’ total revenues, four are manufacturing sub-categories.

“Manufacturers face a huge global challenge that won’t disappear anytime soon: rising content volumes that must be published faster and faster in an increasing number of languages across multiple channels,” says senior analyst at Common Sense Advisory Rebecca Ray.

High demand for language services

The manufacturing sector is, of course, not the only one that increasingly requires language services and another group turning to linguists for assistance more frequently is the legal profession. The Economist recently reported that specialist language service providers are filling the gap in lawyers’ knowledge as more legal practices choose to outsource.

A particular service linguists are offering is to run software programmes that search through the huge amounts of discovery data used in legal proceedings. While a software programme can do the searching, it takes an expert in the relevant language to monitor it so they can be certain the most valuable information is identified through the correct search terms. “Translation is still something that computers do badly much of the time, especially when the topic (a drug patent, say) is a difficult one full of technical details,” the publication notes.

Such is The Economist’s optimism for the future of language service providers it claims that while technology and globalisation could wipe out “mediocre” legal firms, “those who master languages and computers may find themselves in demand”.

We wrote earlier in the week about how vital the services of interpreters are becoming in hospitals. Increasing multiculturalism means more patients require such services – and it’s always preferential to speak to a doctor in your mother tongue about matters concerning your health.

The benefits of outsourcing

In terms of business, as more companies set their sights on expanding into international markets, language services will become ever more important. Whether it’s translating a website and marketing materials or interpreting at a conference, linguists are the experts who ensure a business is represented the way it wants abroad.

Handling all of this in-house is a mammoth task as you need to hire an expert in every target language you deal with. Ideally, you would have a team of two for each language to ensure every translation you produce is quality assured. That’s why outsourcing is advantageous.

For instance, when you outsource your translations to Transcription Global, we will select the best linguist for the job. We will assign someone whose mother tongue is your target language and who is based in the country where it is spoken. This means that your completed translation will be localised to take into account any changes in the vocabulary, idioms and other language updates. We will also, where possible, select a linguist who has prior experience working in your industry. This means they will have the necessary knowledge of your sector to handle any technical terminology.

Once your translation is complete, it will be subject to our vigorous quality assurance check. It is so important for a second set of eyes to check through a translation to ensure it reads fluently and that your original message comes through correctly.

Do you have plans to expand your business to an overseas’ market? Why not share your experiences below?