> Languages > Arabic Translations & Typesetting Services
Arabic language translations generally don’t pose any particular problems or difficulties to a professional Arabic translator, be it translation from Arabic into English or English into Arabic. Nevertheless, the marked differences between Arabic and Western traditions, thought and culture do create challenges when dealing with certain concepts and subject areas. However experienced Arabic-English translators are familiar with the techniques and approaches needed to overcome these issues.
Arabic is written from right to left – the opposite direction to English. Most Arabic letters are attached to one another, even when printed, and their
appearance
changes depending on which letters they are connected to.
Several Arabic fonts are supplied with Windows 2000 and XP, so Arabic translations can be supplied as standard Microsoft Office documents – Word, Excel, PowerPoint. However due to Arabic running from right to left and therefore being mainly right justified, our experience is that the formatting of documents can sometimes change from computer to computer and system to system. For this reason Arabic translations created in Microsoft Word are generally also supplied as pdf files.
Arabic Typesetting
The immediate issue in typesetting Arabic is that Arabic text will not display correctly in most English graphic design programs. Even those that can handle Arabic fonts, such as Illustrator and the most recent versions of InDesign, still have complications requiring certain workarounds and sometimes specific additional plugins.
Most Arabic typesetting is therefore done in specific Middle Eastern versions of design programs where these are available. ME InDesign and Illustrator for example handle Arabic text easily and without problem. With these applications clients' English files can be opened in our Arabic version of the program, the typesetting completed, and text outlined to curves for delivery to the client.
For applications where there is no Arabic version or plugin, each page of text needs to be typeset in ME Illustrator or InDesign and placed into the original graphic file as an image, generally an eps. This is obviously time consuming, expensive, and creates much larger files.
Another significant issue with Arabic typesetting is that the language reads from right to left (the opposite direction to English), so the order and/or layout of English artwork will need to be adjusted to accommodate this. It is generally preferable for our typesetter to do this as part of our typesetting process.
Apart from these issues Arabic typesetting is relatively straightforward. However sometimes space can become a problem as Arabic has both superscripted and subscripted diacritics, meaning lines of Arabic text require greater leading and take up more vertical space than English text.
Arabic Translations & Typesetting - Our Advantages:
The Best Arabic Translators
We use only experienced, professionally qualified Arabic translators with a proven track record of consistent professional-quality work.
Quality Assurance
All Arabic translations undergo full checking and proofing procedures to ensure accuracy and eliminate ‘human error’. All typesetting is double checked and subject to translator sign off before delivery.
Confidentiality
Full confidentiality of all material is guaranteed at all times.
Arabic Language Experience!
We have over 20 years experience translating and typesetting all types of materials in over 80 languages.
