A-to-Z
A
ALTO International – the agency with a difference, specialised in linguistic and cultural mediation.
Advertising copy – running an advertising campaign in two or more languages means going well beyond translation and matching the message to the linguistic and cultural context in which it will be received. ALTO International is experienced in this kind of work and can find solutions, whatever languages are involved.
Adaptation – translating a company’s annual report is one thing, adapting it to the audience that will read it is another. This requires careful thought about the target audience and creative writing to make sure the company’s message is appropriately framed. ALTO International has successfully adapted a number of company annual reports
B
C
Coaching – top executives of multinational companies are often required to make speeches and presentations in a language other than their native tongue. ALTO International is able to help them in the preparation of their script (drafting, translation or adaptation) and rehearse it with them to ensure that they are able to deliver their message with clarity and impact.
Conference interpretation – a specialised profession calling on skilled and experienced practitioners in many languages. ALTO International contracts the best professionals available in France, Europe and the rest of the world if necessary to meet the specific needs of each meeting, conference or gathering.
Cross-cultural communication – a buzzword adored by sociologists. ALTO International takes the view that communication between cultures is mediated by language and calls on language professionals who are culturally sensitive and acutely aware of the need not only to translate words but to convey messages and build bridges between cultures.
D
Desktop publishing – reports, brochures and other documents must not only be properly written, translated and adapted, they must also be designed for maximum appeal. ALTO International has skill and experience in this aspect of document production
Digital technologies – the Internet has radically changed the way in which translation and interpretation are practiced and received. ALTO International fully exploits the new digital technologies (search based translation, internet broadcasting to multiple audiences etc.) and passes on the full benefit of these changes to its clients.
E
Equipment – multilingual meetings often require specialised sound transmission equipment and the skilled technicians to service it. ALTO International can call on the best people in the business to ensure that meetings run smoothly for all participants.
Ethics – ALTO International is acutely aware that its clients’ information is often sensitive and must be handled in complete confidence. It ensures that its own core team and all those who work under its banner uphold this vital principle.
Events – Meetings, press conference and product launches are among the many types of event organised by companies and institutions. ALTO International works closely with a number of events organisers to ensure that its specialised services fit seamlessly into the event organisation to ensure the best outcome for the client.
I
International meetings are, by definition, multilingual. From its offices in Paris and London, ALTO International has established good working relationships with language professionals all over the world and can always put together the best team for the job in hand – wherever it is located.
Internet (see digital technologies).
M
Minute writing – meetings often require some kind of record, anything from a brief list of decisions to a verbatim report. ALTO International can supply the right professionals for the job, have audio recordings transcribed, and also take care of translating the resulting document into one or several other languages.
N
Network – any service company requires an extensive network of professionals in order to respond to its clients’ needs. ALTO International’s network of language and technical professionals spans continents and time zones and its core know-how is to activate and coordinate the appropriate parts of this global network as the need arises.
O
Organisation – with its unparalleled knowledge of the dynamics of international meetings, ALTO International has the resources to organise their language services, marrying interpretation and translation with technical expertise to ensure that delegates with different languages and cultures can communicate and understand each other.
Q
Quality control – ALTO International is not only able to find the right professionals for the job in hand but stakes its own reputation, day after day, on client satisfaction. ALTO International systematically requests feedback from clients after meetings or completed translation assignments and is thus able to detect quickly the source of any dissatisfaction. Behind the scenes, ALTO International has an informal system of mentoring newcomers to its networks and also calls on its senior members with extensive client knowledge to exercise oversight functions with a view to ensuring a maximum degree of quality control.
R
Responsiveness – breaking news requires fast reaction to the need for translation and interpretation. An ALTO International core team member is always on call, even outside normal office hours, to handle requests for last minute language services. ALTO International prides itself on being linked in at all times to the varying needs of its clients.
S
Sign language interpreting – more and more companies and institutions are reaching out to their less fortunate stakeholders.
Simultaneous interpretation (also called simultaneous translation) – the mode of interpretation used for the vast majority of multilingual meetings. ALTO International has a long list of professional interpreters on its books and can provide interpretation, even for the most minority languages.
T
Translation – from press releases for immediate consumption to longer texts like company annual reports, clients’ translation needs are many and varied. While aware of the fact that polished translation requires more time than sometimes envisaged, ALTO International works with a large number of seasoned professional translators and will always find a solution to clients’ requirements.
Teamwork – responding rapidly and effectively to clients’ requests is the hallmark of ALTO International’s service. The ALTO International core team in Paris and London, in touch with a large network of language and technical professionals in every corner of the world, will always strive to put together the right team in the right place for the job in hand.
V
Voice over and whispering – modes of simultaneous interpretation without sound transmission equipment, suitable for small meetings using no more than two languages. Interpretation can be performed in voice-over mode in one language direction and whispered mode in the other.
W
Writing skills – high quality written translation does not only require perfect knowledge of the source language and specialised vocabulary but, equally importantly, the writing skills to render a polished text in the target language, very often under tight deadlines. ALTO International ensures that the translators it calls on possess the complete range of skills required for successful translation.
Z
Zenith – not the end, but the top – where ALTO International always strives to be.