The Russian Language
The official language in the Russian Federation and spoken in countries such as Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, Russian sits comfortably within the world’s top ten most spoken languages. Russian is also one of the languages that you will be required to learn if you want to go to the International Space Station, with Tim Peake having to learn to speak fluent Russian as part of his astronaut training. When it comes to studying Russian, many people find both pronunciation and grammar a challenge. However, with only three tenses, learning Russian isn’t as hard as it first seems.
Brightlines Translation offers superior English to Russian and Russian to English translation services. Our commitment is deeply rooted in providing expertly crafted translations powered by our skilled mother tongue linguists who have an intimate knowledge of the Russian language. When it comes to brands that want to communicate with Russian speakers, it is key to only use translators who have used Russian since birth and fully understand the cultural nuances.
Here, we’ve pulled together some fascinating details about the Russian language to highlight the complexities of the job and how we navigate these with ease.
History and Scope of the Russian Language
- Originating from the Slavic languages, Russian began to stand out as a distinct language around the 14th century. Its evolution was heavily influenced by Church Slavonic, a liturgical language, and later by Western European languages due to political and cultural shifts.
- Russian is the most widely spoken Slavic language and the largest native language in Europe. It’s the 7th most spoken language globally, with an estimated 166 million native speakers.
- As one of the official languages of the United Nations, Russian extends beyond the borders of Russia and is widely spoken in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and even in communities in North America and Israel.
Russian Alphabet and Typesetting Challenges
The Russian alphabet is unique and poses specific challenges when it comes to translation and typesetting:
- The language uses the Cyrillic script, consisting of 33 letters. This can present typographical difficulties in design and printing processes that are usually optimised for the 26 letters of the Latin alphabet used in English.
- Certain Russian letters don’t directly correspond to any in the English alphabet. So False Friends (words that look similar in two languages but carry different meanings) can create pitfalls for inexperienced translators.
Brightlines’ Approach to Russian Translation
At Brightlines, we are committed to overcoming these challenges and providing flawless Russian translations.
- Our team comprises Russian translation specialists who have used the language since birth. This means they have an innate understanding of its nuances, allowing them to deliver accurate translations that maintain the original message’s integrity.
- With extensive expertise across a wide range of industry fields, our translators have the contextual knowledge necessary to ensure your translations are industry-appropriate and culturally sensitive.
- Our specialists are proficient in handling typesetting and DTP for the Russian language. They are well-versed in the software and technical skills required to manage Cyrillic text in various formats, from PDFs to web pages and print layouts.
- Brightlines prioritises quality assurance, using rigorous checks to guarantee your translated text is error-free and meets the highest professional standards.
To sum up, with its rich history and widespread use, the Russian language can pose particular challenges to translation and typesetting. However, the Russian team at Brightlines have the expertise and experience to overcome these hurdles, ensuring that your message resonates as powerfully in Russian as in English. Let us bridge the linguistic divide for you, enhancing your communication with Russian speakers worldwide.
Our translation services - FAQ
Do you use native translators?
Yes, always. All our translators are native speakers and most are still resident in their native country. We pride ourselves on ensuring that all Brightlines’ translators are native. We do not accept applications from non-native candidates or allow them to register on our online recruitment database. All our translators are rigorously tested.
How long will the translations take?
The turnaround for the translation will depend on the word count. As a rough guide, assume that the translators can comfortably process about 2500 words of non-specialised text per day. Proofreading can effectively be completed on a basis of 4000-6000 words a day. Our minimum turnaround time is usually about three days, although it is possible to shorten this if you are in a rush for the final files and we will always be happy to discuss this with you.
What is the variation in your translators’ experience and qualifications? Are they native speakers? Will the cost increase if we use a more experienced translator?
All our translators have to go through a series of tests to make sure they are as good as they say they are, and only if they pass are they allowed to work for Brightlines. There is quite a range of experience and qualifications, but all translators have a minimum of five years’ experience. All translators translate into their mother-tongue without exception and are generally based in-country so they are up-to-date with the local language. We match translators with projects/clients depending on the subject matter, and most of our translators have industry experience in their speciality – there is no better experience than being immersed professionally in the industry they specialise in. Our costs are based on translator experience, speciality (i.e. medical, creative, scientific) and the language choice.
Which languages can you translate into?
We have an extensive database with hundreds of trusted and tested translators covering all commercial languages. If you cannot see the language or dialect you need please ask.
I don’t know the word count; can you base the quote on the number of pages?
Our pricing structure is based on a rate-per-word, but we can estimate from a page count. If we can’t see the source document then we would usually estimate between 300 – 500 words a page depending on the density of the text and the presence of photos and images.
Does the translation need to be proofread?
Brightlines is an ISO 9001:2015 certified company. This means that quality is safeguarded. We adhere to the “four-eyes principle” and translations are always checked by a second professional proofreader (who is not the translator). If the translation is for internal use and reference purposes only (i.e. not to be published, distributed or used in a court of law), or you simply don’t wish to have proofreading, we can remove the proofreading stage.
Get in touch
If you need Russian translations, get in touch with our team, or get a quick quote.
