Once upon a web time there were many automated translation services online. They have all faded away as the search engines have become to dominate this space by integrating translations into search results and browsers.
For automated translating, head over to Google Translate or Bing Translator. You can enter single words, phrases or web page URLs. They can even auto-detect the source language if you do not know it.
Professional Translations
Automated services are fine for web browsing, but if the translation is important to you these companies can do it for a fee:
- Live Translation - live professional translations. Online translation service delivering high quality professional translations in minutes. Ideal for emails, website content, business correspondence and personal users. 10c per word, minimum of $3.49
- Skrivanek - All Central European languages – branches in 29 locations: 18 in the Czech Republic and the remaining 11 in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
- ProZ - marketplace and forum, where translators and their prospective customers can make contact.
- Translation Cloud - high quality, fast turnaround and competitively priced translator services. USA-based.
- ForeignWord - directory of over 7000 professionals
- Capita Translation and Interpreting - claim to have access to 10,000 specialist translators
- NCTA Searchable Translator Database - hundreds of professional translators who are members of the Northern California Translators Association
- ABC Translations - more than a 1000 tested and certified translators and degree-holding linguists at your service
- Panorama Languages – technical translations, based in Germany
- Lingo24 - specialise in translation between English, French, German, Spanish and Italian but undertake projects in all major world languages.
- 101 Translations - has low prices and works for some big corporations. English and French <-> about 20 other languages
- Lengua – to/from all languages - free quotes
- Michael Bastin is an English/Spanish/Dutch to French translator specialising in IT related documents and SEO work.
More Resources
Behind the Name - Etymology of first names: Find out the meaning of someone’s name, then you are able to translate it! Example: Robert means “bright fame” and in German becomes “heller Ruhm”. Also try Think Baby Names
For deep info on the languages of the world, try the Global Language Monitor
How to Type Foreign Language Characters
Omniglot Guide to Writing Systems - Symbols and characters used by languages
American Sign Language - over 1270 terms
The Dialectizer - translates web pages into parody languages, like Redneck, Jive, Cockney, Elmer Fudd, Swedish Chef, Moron, Pig Latin, or Hacker.
Lexicool - lots of technical and specialized dictionaries for many languages
Your Dictionary - links to on-line dictionaries for 260 languages