Documenteries

Translation agencies operate all over the world, and are used by a variety of individuals and business enterprises. A translation agency (Übersetzungsbüro) should be able to perform a number of different jobs, and translate source documents into the desired target language. Translation agencies differ a lot in terms of their size, with some smaller operations working exclusively with one or two languages and larger agencies working with dozens. In this day and age of globalisation and Internet based commerce, translation is essential for many businesses who want to expand their operations all over the world. While machine translation is improving all the time, agencies are still very much in demand. The act of machine translation is still very difficult to get right, due to the idioms of language and the act of interpretation that is such a big part of any translation endeavour. Some of the common jobs performed by a modern translation agency include website translation, marketing translation, direct mail translation, and the translation of communication between customers and companies.

A language translation industry has existed since the mid 18th century, due to the rising demands of business documentation and international commerce. Since this time, translation schools and associations have existed, making it easier for people to find trustworthy companies for the mass translation of business documents. Translation agencies can generally perform a large variety of jobs, and are able to meet the demands of their individual clients. For example, individual clients may require the simple translation of letters and personal documentation, while larger enterprises may need an entire marketing campaign translated into multiple languages for an international launch. Some other common jobs include the translation of product manuals, the translation of web content, and the translation of personal correspondence.

Translation agencies exist all over the world, especially in the developed world and places with a large import and export industry. Globalisation has expanded the demand for language translation during the last few decades, as more and more businesses launch products and services around the world. While the English language may be the global default for international commercial activity, translation into local languages is absolutely essential for global domination. Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Mandarin, and Japanese are all important languages for businesses who want to expand around the world, and professional translation agencies are one of the most important links in the chain of global success.