Can I afford to hire a professional?
You can’t afford NOT to. Poor translation and interpreting services can be disastrous for your business. See what’s at stake.
What's the difference?
Translators do the writing. Interpreters do the talking. ATA helps you find the right language professional.
Can't a computer do all this?
There are times when machine translation is useful, and times when it's not. Learn when to use Google Translate, and when to hire a professional.
Follow the ATA Compass
The ATA Compass is your guide to translation and interpreting in the global market.
If you work in healthcare, chances are you’ve encountered limited English proficiency (LEP) patients who aren’t fully comfortable communicating in English. When no professional interpreter is available, it’s tempting to turn to whoever is bilingual in the room, such as a staff member or family member. But bilingual doesn’t equal…
Audio description (AD) is narration used to convey visual information to audiences with low or no vision. It occurs between bits of dialogue in order to add relevant information that an audience member doesn’t receive visually. At its most basic, audio description essentially means an additional voice-over to help Blind…
Millions of people in the United States have limited English proficiency (LEP), which can create barriers when accessing healthcare, legal services, education, and other essential resources. To help LEP individuals request language support more easily, the American Translators Association (ATA) now offers Language Access Cards. These cards are available for…
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Buying Language Services
ATA has developed buying guides to help you navigate the process of hiring and working with a language professional. Download these free guides.
Guide to agreements and contracts
ATA provides guidance for standard terms, conditions, and clauses. Adaptable samples of agreements and contracts are available.
Need a certified translation?
In the U.S. anyone can certify a translation. A translator does not need to be certified in order to provide a certified translation.