Based on the Semitic group of languages, Arabic has several regional variations that only exist in the verbal or spoken form. Aside from modern standard Arabic, the only written form of the language is the classical one, which is found in the Qur’an and is never used in conversation or writings that have no religious purposes. Although classical Arabic is the official language of all Arab countries and the only form of the language taught in schools, it is the modern standard Arabic that is used by the media in Arabic-speaking countries.

So when accepting an Arabic translation job, the important first step is to determine the purpose of the translation. If it is a business or marketing document, chances are the target language is modern standard Arabic. One should also remember that although many Arabs speak English or French, the majority of those living in Middle Eastern countries prefer to use Arabic. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman are good markets for localization purposes, and targeting them by speaking the language they use is the only sensible way to do so. Companies looking to expand their business and are considering entering the Arabic-speaking world will find that they are faced with financially healthy markets.

As with other categories of language translation, Arabic translation has its own unique challenges. For instance, Arabic is read and written from right to left. Also, when translating from English to Arabic, word volume increases approximately by 25 percent, whereas Arabic to English translation decreases the word volume of the output by the same amount. These may be trivial and inconsequential, but for translation agencies that charge on a per-word fee, and for clients who hire them, knowing these peculiarities beforehand can help avoid conflict.

Moreover, the difference in word volume between source and output may not matter in simple documents. But if you are translating documents that have already been designed or laid out (such as for magazines and books), the difference in word volume can throw the entire design out of kilter. This is most apparent in long documents, as the 25 percent difference stacks up by the page, and the final translated output may have almost double the number of pages, and vice versa.

Getting a well-qualified Arabic translator can be a challenge in itself. That is why the few good translation agencies, eager to highlight their quality and translation proficiency, boast of certifications or translator affidavit to come along with every translation job. Others will point out the team that gets assembled for every Arabic translation job—how there will be a group of professional highly educated translators to be handled by a seasoned project manager, and how the client can observe or take part in the process for each phase of the project’s completion.

Charlene Lacandazo works for Rosetta Translation, a leading New York translation agency http://www.rosettatranslation.com/newyork/ specialising in Arabic translation http://www.rosettatranslation.com/language/arabic_translation/ and Arabic interpreting services: