Translation

Translation

Sharing meaning in different languages – that’s what translation is about for us. The aim of our translation service is to make sure that your message is accessible to more people in more languages. We offer professional translation in all 11 official South African languages and major European languages such as French, German and Portuguese. Usually we work with written language in text format.

We place a premium on expertise and quality, and our work is rooted in the best of translation theory and translation practice so we can offer you only the very best.

Share your message

Our experienced translators tailor the translation to meet your needs and the needs of your target audience. Over the years we’ve worked with a wide variety of text types for a range of readers – from class notes and annual reports to social media posts, websites and scholarly writing. Since we’re part of Stellenbosch University (SU), we have a lot of institutional knowledge and can be trusted with sensitive University information, making us a perfect in-house support for our colleagues. Whether you are from the University or an external client, we are keen to work with you.

We offer a professional translation service in all 11 official South African languages and major European languages such as French, German and Portuguese. Most of our work is in the Western Cape’s official languages, Afrikaans, English and isiXhosa, but we also translate into Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, isiNdebele, and isiZulu.

So, if you would like to share your written message in more than one language, you have found the right team to work with.

Use our quote calculator for a quick, preliminary cost estimate or contact Marguerite van der Waal (021 808 3096) for a quote.

We find that it’s best to have your text edited before it’s translated, so remember to discuss that with Marguerite.

Give your research a boost

If you’re involved in research where respondents speak different languages, connect with them in a language they understand. Improve the validity of your data by having us translate your documentation, including –

  • consent forms;
  • questionnaires;
  • brochures; and
  • user manuals.

If your study design specifies that you need a back-translation, we will manage the back-translation process and issue a letter as proof that the correct procedure was followed.

Use our quote calculator for a quick, preliminary cost estimate or contact Cobus Snyman (021 808 9726) for a quote. We find that it’s best to have your text edited before it’s translated, so remember to discuss that with Cobus.

What about machine translation?

Living in the age of automation doesn’t mean that translators can or should be replaced by machines.

We use computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools, such as translation memories, for some jobs to ensure consistency and help us to work faster and better, but rest assured that all translations are finalised and signed off by a professional human translator.
Although online machine translation has improved dramatically over the years, Google Translate still cannot do the job as well as we do it. The context of the translation and its target audience are things that machine translation cannot factor into its translations, for example, and those aspects could make or break a translation.

We follow progress in this field with great interest. Read some of the research we’ve done here.

Meet our team

Cobus Snyman
Cobus Snyman
Coordinator

| Tel: 021 808 9726

Language Service
Elzette Wickens
Elzette Wickens
Language practitioner

| Tel: 021 808 9008

Language Service
Marguerite van der Waal
Marguerite van der Waal
Head: Language Service

| Tel: 021 808 3096

Language Service
Susan Lotz
Susan Lotz
Language practitioner and content coordinator

| Tel: 021 808 4646

Language Service and Office of the Director
Yandisa Joko
Yandisa Joko
Administrative officer

| Tel: 021 808 2761

Language Services and Comms Lab

Other services

This post is also available in: English

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