Our Services
For Business
Our translations are not a mere transposing of words from one language to another—all of our documents pass through a diligent and careful translation process, consisting of translation, revision, localisation, copyediting, proofreading, and, if required, certification. All our documents are translated by associate or certified members of ATIA, ATIO, ATINS or STIBC.
For our business clients, we offer the following services:
Although our business focuses mainly in Spanish, we also offer translation services in other languages, such as Chinese, Russian, Arabic, French, German and Ukrainian, among others. Please contact us to learn more.
Translation
Interpreting
Multilingual copyediting
Transcription
Translation
A proper translation involves much more than just replacing one word with another. A skilled translator transposes the style, tone, and intent of the text from the original to the target language, while taking into account differences of culture and dialect. When done right, the translated document will read as if it had originally been written in the language of the intended audience.
All documents are written with a purpose: to instruct, to convince, to persuade or to inform. The purpose and the content of your document is what all skilled translator will focus, not on your words. The translation process entails understanding the original text and transferring its message and purpose to the target language, in such a manner that the text in the target language have the same effect on the target audience that the original text had on the audience of the language of origin.
Because we understand the diverse characteristics that different texts may have, we have divided our fields of specialization into the following areas:
Technical Translations
ETS Capabilities/Experience in this sector
An effective technical translator must be familiar with unique words and terms that are specific to a given field and be able to accurately transpose them to the target language. In many cases, it is not a simply matter of transposing words, but, rather, translating meaning. All our technical translators have more than twenty years of experience working in the technical arena, and we understand the nuance of technical jargon and the importance of rigorous research during the translation process.
Introduction to the subject
Technical translations are often thought to be the easiest texts to translate. Nothing is further from the truth! Technical documents tend to be more structured than, say, a narrative-oriented document, but the underlying concepts are every bit as difficult to transpose to a new language.
Details of the subject
To be able to deliver a good technical translation, a translator has to understand the original document, then decode it to its constituent parts, and, finally, re encode it to the target language. One must also keep in mind the cultural differences and how that might impact on both comprehension and accuracy. Among others, these are the areas we categorize as technical translations:
- energy, oil and gas
- mining and metallurgical engineering
- agriculture
- civil engineering
- electrical engineering
- mechanical engineering
- environmental sciences
- earth sciences
- computer sciences
- biology and bioengineering
- chemistry
- archaeology
- geology
- sociology
- aircraft and aerospace engineering
- nuclear engineering
- automotive
- others
Within these fields we have extensive experience translating, among others, the following types of documents:
- Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs)
- proposals
- technical specifications
- design memoranda and reports
- technical reports
- preliminary reports and studies
- progress and final reports
- technical manuals
- MSDSs
- SDSs
- instruction and operation manuals
- safety manuals
- catalogs
- others
Legal Translations
ETS Capabilities/Experience in this sector
To translate legal documents, an effective translator must be very knowledgeable of the legal terminology and conventions specific to the two languages he is translating, as well as of the differences of the two legal systems he is trying to pair. Our certified translators are very well versed in the different legal areas, such as international, corporate, and labor laws, and we understand the nuances of the legal jargon and the importance of maintaining the formalities and terminology of legal documents during the translation process.
Introduction to the subject
The purpose of legal documents – contracts in particular – is to establish clearly defined rights and duties between the parties involved. For this reason, it is paramount that both the original document and the translation equally portray these rights and duties, keeping in mind the particularities of the different two legal systems and cultural dissimilarities of the original and final users of both the translation and the original documents.
Details of the subject
Only professional certified translators specialised in legal translation should translate legal documents. A legal document translated by a non-specialised individual could lead to errors, which may eventually lead to lawsuits. A certified translator must be sensitive to the differences of the two legal systems that are pairing, something that our certified translators are very aware of. In Canada, for example, the legal system is a combination of common law and civic law, while most of the Latin American countries follow civil law systems. We have extensive experience translating legal documents, such as:
- international agreements
- articles of incorporation
- corporate bylaws
- patents
- union agreements
- business contracts
- policy manuals
- codes of ethics
- litigation materials
- trusts
- wills
- tenancy agreements
- evidence documents
- witness statements
- others
Technical-Legal Translations (hybrid)
ETS Capabilities/Experience in this sector
It is not unusual for our certified translators to deal with documents that contain both technical and legal texts. This is particularly common for documents such as patents or task-specific contracts, where the technical component is an integral part of a service agreement, for instance. We know how to address these types of documents, where we translate the legal component following the rules of legal translation, and keep the technical nature of the specific field that the document is dealing with.
Introduction to the subject
A “hybrid” document is one that contains both technical and legal material that are an integral part of the text, and that must be translated according to the nature of their content. Technical texts tend to be more structured than legal documents and often entail certain jargon that is specific to a certain field. Legal texts, in turn, have a more complex structure that generally deals with the rights and duties of the parties involved in certain circumstances, and must be translated taking into account the two legal systems that are being paired.
Details of the subject
Only certified translators with experience translating both technical and legal documents will be able to properly translate documents of this nature. We keep in mind the technical and innovative terminology of the technical text, and use the legal tone and formality proper of legal texts. Hybrid documents include:
- technical-economic proposals
- EIAs
- patents
- others
Medical/Scientific Translations
ETS Capabilities/Experience in this sector
A medical or scientific translator must be familiar with the unique words and terms that are specific to these fields, and be able to accurately translate them to the target language. It is not a simply matter of transposing words, but rather translating meaning. All our medical-scientific translators have years of experience working in this field, and we understand the sensitivity of these documents as well as the nuances, scientific jargon and the importance of a rigorous research during the translation process.
Introduction to the subject
Medical translation is a very specialised area of technical translation. It involves different types of documents, ranging from regulatory to clinical, from pharmaceutical to medical devices. Medical translation requires specific knowledge, because of the highly technical and sensitive nature of these texts.
Details of the subject
Translating medical and scientific texts requires specific training and knowledge in the area, as these types of texts are highly technical and sensitive in nature. The translation of your medical or scientific texts goes through a complete translation and revision process, which includes research, translation, editing, proofreading and localisation. Among others, we translate the following types of medical/scientific documents:
- patient education sheets
- warning labels
- clinical practice guidelines
- medical/scientific articles
- prescription drug monographs
- patents
- discoveries
Business and Financial Translations
ETS Capabilities/Experience in this sector
Annual reports, financial statements, audits … we are the experts! We have been translating these types of documents for over fourteen years, and we are familiar not only with the genre and its terminology, but with the urgent nature and quick turnaround that these documents need. This familiarity allows us offering you a quick turnaround without sacrificing the quality of your text.
Introduction to the subject
It is common practice that at the end of the fiscal year a corporation submits its annual financial and performance reports to their shareholders or stakeholders in general, to share the gains and challenges, and to report where the business stands at that specific moment. Executives also need to share their plans and strategies for the next year, and shareholders must be aware of these plans and strategies to make informed business decisions. When corporations are international, these reports need to be translated in the languages of the country where the corporation has businesses. In other instances, an audit process is requested, and the findings need to shared with the company’s stakeholders in different languages as well, such as Spanish. We know the need—and we know how to help.
Details of the subject
There are innumerable types of business and financial documents that are required to be translated, and some of them have a mix of business, legal and technical content. Our expertise in different areas of translation allow us to address a translation respecting the different writing nature of every component, to offer your final reader a text that has the same quality of the original document. Some business and financial documents may include:
- financial reports
- audit reports
- annual reports
- corporate policy manuals
- contracts
Commercial Translation and Marketing Adaptation
ETS Capabilities/Experience in this sector
ETS has extensive experience in translating documents for commercial and marketing purposes. And all our translators know that commercial and marketing translation is a different kind of breed. We know what translation techniques should be applied specifically to these types of materials, considering the purpose of your material, the impact you want to create, and the audience you intend to reach. We are very aware of cultural differences, and we know that a little misinterpretation may doom your product forever. We know your business—and we can help.
Introduction to the subject
There is still quite some debate among scholars whether translation is an art or a science. We would say it has a little bit of both, but in the commercial and marketing arena, translation is definitively an art, because the translator is not only transmitting your message in the target language, but is re-creating a sometimes entirely different document to cause the same impact in your target language audience than the original material is causing in the original language audience. Some translators would say that marketing materials are the most exciting texts to translate, because they allow the translator to be creative enough to get your message carried across.
Details of the subject
A very well-known story about mistranslation in Spanish comes from the 1960s, where the Chevrolet “Nova” was introduced to the Spanish-speaking market. When spoken, the word “nova” in Spanish sounds like “nova,” meaning the thermonuclear explosion (and probably the intention of the original name), and “no va,” meaning “it doesn’t go.” Even though is has been proven that this mistake did not affect the sales in South America, the marketing team probably did not want to have this word play as part of their sales campaign.
Another unfortunate case of mistranslation of marketing materials is the Braniff International Airways’ slogan: “Fly in leather.” The word-by-word Spanish translation of this creative slogan is “vuela en cuero,” which in Mexican Spanish actually means “fly naked.” We know how important is to keep the exhortative language of your marketing material, not only in slogans, but also in materials such as:
- Product catalogs
- Brochures and posters
- Ads
- Close-captions for videos
- Presentations
- Website content
Legal Translations
ETS Capabilities/Experience in this sector
To translate legal documents, an effective translator must be very knowledgeable of the legal terminology and conventions specific to the two languages he is translating, as well as of the differences of the two legal systems he is trying to pair. Our certified translators are very well versed in the different legal areas, such as international, corporate, and labor laws, and we understand the nuances of the legal jargon and the importance of maintaining the formalities and terminology of legal documents during the translation process.
Introduction to the subject
The purpose of legal documents – contracts in particular – is to establish clearly defined rights and duties between the parties involved. For this reason, it is paramount that both the original document and the translation equally portray these rights and duties, keeping in mind the particularities of the different two legal systems and cultural dissimilarities of the original and final users of both the translation and the original documents.
Details of the subject
Only professional certified translators specialised in legal translation should translate legal documents. A legal document translated by a non-specialised individual could lead to errors, which may eventually lead to lawsuits. A certified translator must be sensitive to the differences of the two legal systems that are pairing, something that our certified translators are very aware of. In Canada, for example, the legal system is a combination of common law and civic law, while most of the Latin American countries follow civil law systems. We have extensive experience translating legal documents, such as:
- international agreements
- articles of incorporation
- corporate bylaws
- patents
- union agreements
- business contracts
- policy manuals
- codes of ethics
- litigation materials
- trusts
- wills
- tenancy agreements
- evidence documents
- witness statements
- others
Publications
ETS Capabilities/Experience in this sector
You’ve received amazing news—your book or article got published! And your publication had such an amazing success that you are hearing suggestions of translating your book into another language. If you are considering translating your masterpiece into another language, we can help. We have experience translating publications, and we know the drill that comes with it, such as the difference stages in copyediting and proofreading, and the back-and-forth process, to make your translation look as amazing as your original. We know it—we can help.
Introduction to the subject
Translating a book, or literary translation, differs greatly from technical, legal or commercial translation. To translate a book, the translator has to put himself in the shoes of the author, understand the author’s feelings and thinking (or even better, feel or think what the author felt or thought) when writing the book, and transmit that same message, that same feeling, that same thought to the target language. This tenet applies for both fiction and non-fiction books, as the author wants his message to be carried across, be it fiction, or non-fiction, such as “how to,” travel or children’s books.
Details of the subject
We understand the process of literary translation, and we love to work side by side with you in the entire translation process. We have experience translating books in single and dual-language format, and we will work collaboratively with you right until before the printing process, to ensure the highest quality of your masterpiece. Among others, we can translate:
- Children’s books
- Parenting books
- Cookbooks
- School textbooks
- Travel books
- Self-help books
- Fiction books
- Others
If you are a little hesitant about translating your book due to financial constraints, there are organizations that offer grants specifically for literary translation. The Canada Council for the Arts (link to the site), for instance, offers grants for translating publications, as long as the author meets certain specific requirements.
Non Profit Organizations
ETS Capabilities/Experience in this sector
ETS is committed to the community. We have translated dozens of documents for several NGOs such as CAWST, Roots of Change Foundation, Norlien Foundation, and Resiliency Initiatives. We understand how important is to find a reliable language partner for your good cause, and we are here to help you reach your noble goals in the international sphere.
Introduction to the subject
Non-profit organizations always have a noble cause—teaching how to treat water to make it drinkable, building houses for those in need, educating teenagers to handle bullying, rescuing dogs and giving them shelter. We get you—we also love to help in these and other causes. We jump out of our cars to help the driver in front of us get unstuck from the snow. We help people every day, and we love to help people communicate. ETS is a proud citizen of Calgary, and we know the “I like to help” spirit.
Details of the subject
Every nonprofit has different translation needs. Some require translating instruction manuals; some others need their articles of incorporation translated to be able to operate overseas. ETS gives back to the community by offering certified and professional translation expertise and services to non-profit organizations at a reduced fee, while maintaining our very high standards in the end-product. Among others, we translate:
- Instruction manuals
- Brochures
- Presentations
- Speeches
- Articles of incorporation
- Meetings’ minutes
- Close-captions
- Annual reports
- Financial reports
- Testimonials
- others
Government
ETS Capabilities/Experience in this sector
Virtually every government agency or department requires translation services for a wide variety of documents, ranging from a simple court letter to the official Canadian presentation in another country. ETS has been working for governmental entities for the last twelve years, at the municipal, provincial and federal levels, and we understand how the translation process works in different situations. The process and needs of translation of municipal authorities, for example, may vary quite substantially from those of the federal government.
Introduction to the subject
Different levels of government require different types of documents to be translated. At municipal level, for example, translation is needed to inform the community regarding new processes, or to make people aware of safety concerns or issues in the city. Courts may also require the translation of documents to facilitate the communication process during a trial. Translation is required by the provincial government for health matters, for instance, or for bilateral relations with other cities. The Canadian Federal Government is a very well organised institution that has their own translation resources, which may use the services of third-party certified translators.
Details of the subject
ETS’s familiarity with translating different materials at different government levels make us your best choice for translating documents to be used by the government or overseas. As certified translators, we know how important it is to have the know-how not only regarding our industry, but regarding the demands of governmental agencies. Among others, we translate:
- court-related documents
- presentations
- industry-specific information sheets and packages
- specifications
- pamphlets
- others
Multidisciplinary Projects
ETS Capabilities/Experience in this sector
Corporations and large business entities commonly have need for the translation of a wide variety of document types, such as Environmental Impact Assessments or major technical endeavors. ETS has performed multidisciplinary translations, with outstanding results.
Introduction to the subject
When involved in large international projects, corporations require the translation of various document types as an integral part of their business needs. For instance, a company may be wanting to start an international operation which would mean translating its articles of incorporation to legally incorporate overseas, or a business may be submitting a proposal for an engineering project. After becoming incorporated in a country, a corporation may need to translate several of its documents to the language of the country where it is operating (corporate guidelines, policy manuals, contracts, safety documents), or a company that just started working on an engineering project may want to translate baseline studies, reports and other similar documents into the language of the country they are operating. The nature of all these documents are quite dissimilar, and we know how to address the translation of texts of different fields.
Details of the subject
ETS has been translating for a wide range of industries for more than fourteen years, and we have experience translating texts for multidisciplinary projects. For instance, an Environmental Impact Assessment will include fields such as biology, archeology, sociology, business, engineering, and sciences, all of them very different from each other, but all of them an integral part of an EIA. We translate every single text based on their nature (technical, legal, financial), keeping the writing style inherent to every field. Among others, we have experience translating multidisciplinary projects involving:
- Technical (link to technical), such as EIAs, technical specifications, others
- Legal (link to legal), such as international agreements, others
- Commercial and marketing (link to commercial), such as brochures and marketing materials.
- Business and financial (link to business), such as audit reports, others
Multilingual Projects
ETS Capabilities/Experience in this sector
Even though our business is mainly focused on English and Spanish translation, ETS’s has the capability to manage multilingual projects involving other languages. It is common for corporations with an international presence to require translation of certain material into several languages, including such items as reports, internal memos, communiqués, and marketing material, among others. We have partnered with certified and associate-level translators in Chinese, Russian, German, French, Ukrainian and Arabic, and can handle your multilingual projects.
Introduction to the subject
Large corporations often times require to translate materials in several languages at once. And it makes perfect sense: you want your original document to be communicated to all your offices in the world at the same time. Even though most of international corporations communicate internationally in English, sometimes documents are required to be transmitted in the language of the country your corporation is operating, due to governmental regulations, or just for best communication. As Nelson Mandela said once: “if you talk to a man in the language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”
Details of the subject
ETS Translations has partnered with certified and associate-level translators in several languages to provide you with the best translation experience. Whether you are a Project Manager assigned specifically to a multilingual translation project or you require a project manager to take care of your multilingual project, with ETS, you will work with the best professionals in the industry. Please contact us for further details.
- reports
- internal memos
- corporate
If your business translation needs involve one of the many fields we cover, please consider us for your next project! We would be happy to provide you with a free consultation and, as always, guarantee 100% satisfaction.
Use the handy form below to get in touch – we would love to hear from you!
Interpreting
ETS Capabilities/Experience in this sector
We provide consecutive and simultaneous interpretation in different settings for the corporate client. Whether you are coming from overseas and trying to communicate in Alberta, or you are part of a delegation coming for different gatherings or to learn about the specific use of certain machinery, we are here to help. We apply our interpreting techniques to different situations, changing from consecutive to simultaneous when required, in order to provide you with the best interpreting experience. Just simply put, you won’t ever notice that your interpreter is there.
Simultaneous interpreting consists of the oral transfer of meaning from one language to another in a few seconds of lag time. This type of interpreting is the one used, for example, at UN conferences, and typically requires the use of headsets. This interpreting technique differs from consecutive interpreting in that the latter requires the speaker to pause to allow interpretation.
Introduction to the subject
Representatives from international corporations often need to communicate orally with representatives of their business in other countries, and they may need the support of a qualified interpreter. For example, you may have problems with the structure that is being built in Chile, and you requested a telephone conference with the specialist in this country, who does not speak English. Or maybe you need to ask questions regarding the details of your agreement, and you need to speak to your counterpart who only speaks Spanish.
Details of the subject
ETS has specialized in interpreting in several areas, which we have divided as follows
Commercial
We provide English-Spanish interpreting services for different business and commercial settings, such as:
- Conference calls
- Courses and seminars
- Health and safety induction and orientation session
- Personal language facilitator
- Group language facilitator
Legal
ETS works with Community and Court Interpreters that are members of the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta (ATIA). By relying on the services of these professionals, you will be provided with the best service in the industry, as these language specialists abide by ATIA’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. We offer consecutive and simultaneous interpreting in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Romanian for:
- hearings
- discoveries
- private investigations
- private conferences
- others
If you require the support of a commercial or legal interpreter, please consider us for your project! We would be happy to provide you with a free consultation and, as always, guarantee 100% satisfaction. Use the handy form below to get in touch – we would love to hear from you!
Copyediting
ETS Capabilities/Experience in this sector
ETS provides copyediting services in English and Spanish. Our translators and copyeditors understand how important is to have a very well-written document to communicate and that a well-crafted text will take you a long way. This is particularly important not only in English, but in other languages as well. Our copyeditors work following specific style guides and grammar conventions in English, and the rules of the Real Academia Española in Spanish, to prepare a final document of the utmost quality.
Introduction to the subject
A good presentation of a document is as important as the content of the document itself. In order to make sure that your message is going to be carried across correctly, keeping the tone, grammar and punctuation rules, and that your text is going to have the impact that you want it to have on your audience, you should have a document copyedited. Sometimes you need these services not only in English, but in other languages as well, and here is where ETS comes in: to help you with your multilingual copyediting needs. Although our business focuses mainly in English and Spanish copyediting, we also offer copyediting services in other languages. Please contact us should you require this service in any other language.
Details of the subject
Because good translators and copyeditors are linguists by nature, we understand how important the copyediting component of a document is. Translators believe that a well-written document that has passed through the hands of a copyeditor will be a thousand times more time-effective when it comes the time to translate it than a poorly written text. ETS offers multilingual copyediting services in the following areas, among others:
- reports
- marketing and promotional materials
- brochures
- technical specifications
- manuals
- others
If you require copyediting services in English, Spanish or other languages, please consider us for your project! We would be happy to provide you with a free consultation and, as always, guarantee 100% satisfaction. Use the handy form below to get in touch – we would love to hear from you!
Transcription
ETS Capabilities/Experience in this sector
Because ETS has the ability to translate in Spanish and other languages, we can also transcribe information in different languages. Either if you eventually want to translate this information into another language or want to keep the information for your records, our multilingual team can help you with your transcription needs. We will provide the information in the format of your preference, and will always work for you to make the transcription of your speech spotless in any language.
Introduction to the subject
Transcribing recorded information sometimes is needed to formalise conversations, or to make information available to other parties that did not participate in certain proceeding. This type of service, for example, is widely used by lawyers or police forces who need to have in writing the subject of a recorded or videotaped conversation, or by companies to have in writing their training sessions or board meetings.
Details of the subject
ETS provides transcription services for any field, such as business, legal, medical or technical, delivering a verbatim text of the upmost quality. Among others, we transcribe:
- conferences
- focus groups
- training sessions
- board meetings, annual meetings, panel discussions
- investigations (police, lawyers, insurance, private)
- hearings and court transcriptions
- corporate and government health and safety
- worker’s compensation
- others
If you require to transcribe information in English, Spanish or other languages, please consider us for your project! We would be happy to provide you with a free consultation and, as always, guarantee 100% satisfaction. Use the handy form below to get in touch – we would love to hear from you!