Education for Members
See the Events section of this website.
Education for Companies Seeking Help
If you are company looking for help with a translation, interpreting, or localization project, please see the information below. For more information call 703-418-0391.
Need Help Finding a Language Services Company?
Send us your request for proposal (RFP) or complete the ALC profile form and we'll see which of our more than 100 language services company members are best suited to your needs and offer the best possible price. For additional information or help finding a company, call 703-418-0391 or send us an email.
How To Select a Language Company
Click here to download a brief document that offers quick tips on selecting the company that is right for your firm and your project by preparing a complete and accurate RFP.
Language Services Resource Guide for Health Care
If you work in health care and need help finding translation and interpretation resources, be sure to consult the guide prepared by the National Health Law Program and the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care. The document is on the National Health Law Program website. You may also request an electronic copy from the ALC by email or by calling ALC Headquarters (703-418-0391).
Language Services Industry Glossary of Key Terms
New to the purchase of language companies? Here are the key terms to help you define your project.
- Translation: Converting a written document into another language (often a specific dialect of a language).
- Interpretation: The oral translation from one language to another, such as at a conference or international meeting (just like at the UN General Assembly). Telephonic interpretation is an increasingly popular tool in the medical and legal fields, allowing customers to use individuals from across the country and around the world.
- Language Company: A firm that helps with translation, interpretation, or localization projects that typically require the services of several translators, interpreters, database designers, desktop publishers, and computer programmers. Language companies offer quality assurance processes by have work reviewed by several individuals, usually native speakers of the languages involved.
- Localization: Changing a product container, publication, website, brochure, or other document into another language, while also ensuring that it culturally appropriate for the target audience. To accomplish this a language company will pay particular attention to the choice of symbols, colors, currency and time formats to ensure that they are appropriate in the country or region where the document or website will appear.
- Internationalization is similar to localization. Internationalization is the adaptation of products for use virtually everywhere, while localization is the addition of special features for use in a specific location or region.