Urgent Chinese to US English Identity Document Translation

A client approached Tomedes recently in need of an extremely urgent translation. She was a Chinese native who was required to produce two documents in US English – her birth certificate and her driving licence. The problem was, she only had the original documents, as she had misplaced her previous translations – something that she only realised three hours before she needed to produce the English versions. 

As such, the Tomedes team sprang into action. We had two hours to find a suitably qualified linguist to provide Chinese to English translation, translate the identity documents and return them to the client with a certificate of translation. Thankfully, our team enjoys a challenge, and little inspires us more than a client for whom the right professional translation service will make a real difference. 

Rapid Chinese to English Translation Services

We got straight to work on finding the perfect Chinese translator. Over the past decade and more, Tomedes has worked with translation professionals around the world. We’ve built up a network of linguists based not just on their prowess with different languages, but also focused on the range of different translation tasks that they are used to undertaking. 

This means that when it came to finding a translator who would be able to provide a certified identity document translation from Mandarin to English at very short notice, we knew just where to start. 

Mastering both English and Chinese to the degree required to translate professionally is no easy feat. The two languages – and their writing systems – are very different. One of the trickiest differences to master is the way that pitch is used. Chinese is a tonal language, so changing the pitch that you use when saying a word can later the meaning of that word. For English speakers, who are used to using pitch to convey emotion, it’s an interesting concept to grasp. 

Some English consonant sounds are awkward for Chinese speakers to master. The difference between the ‘l’ and ‘r’ sounds is a prime example. English also has more vowel sounds that Chinese speakers are used to using, which adds further complexity. 

Then, of course, there are the writing systems. While English uses the Roman alphabet, Chinese uses a logographic system, where symbols represent entire words. This can make it a long and arduous process for English speakers to learn to write Chinese, just as it can for Chinese speakers who are looking to be able to write in English. 

Certified Identity Document Translation 

There are some 72,000 Americans living in China, while the Chinese American population numbers somewhere in the region of 3.8 million. As such, there is a steady need for document translation services as a result of those who are moving between the two countries. Accuracy when translating documents of this nature is essential, as a single typo can cause all manner of headaches. 

Government bodies and other organisations that frequently ask to look at identity documents usually require that those documents be certified. This is a formal way to confirm the authenticity of the translated document. Tomedes is happy to offer certification for any document that we translate, from birth certificates and driving licences to educational documents, research papers and more. 

As part of our translation work for this client, we delivered not only two perfectly translated identity documents, but also a certificate of translation to accompany them, just as she required – all within her two-hour timeframe. 

Making Customer Care a Top Priority 

We were delighted to be able to meet this client’s translation needs at such short notice. Customer care has been a cornerstone of the service that we deliver since Tomedes was first established over ten years ago. It’s the reason that we provide a dedicated account manager for each client. 

Making customer care a priority is also why we’ve grown and expanded the sorts of translation services that we offer over the past ten years. Demand for translation services changes over time, so we’ve added on extra services to ensure that our clients always have access to the precise kind of expertise that they need. 

This flexibility means that Tomedes clients now have access to everything from sector-specific translation services to interpretation, content writing in multiple languages and desktop publishing expertise. 

If you or your business could benefit from any sort of language service, it’s a good idea to give Tomedes a call. Our professional team is here to help, no matter how small nor how large the job in question. We’ll discuss your needs in detail and then source the ideal language experts to assist you. You can call, email or live chat with us to get started. If you’re in a hurry, you can also use the instant quote function on our website to obtain an indicative price before you pick up the phone. We look forward to talking to you!