Frequently Asked Questions
Thank you for your interest in Quality Language. If you have any questions, please read the following FAQ. If you cannot find the answer to your question, or would like to receive additional information on a specific topic, please feel free to contact us at any time.
General
> Where is Quality Language located?
> What services do you provide?
> What forms of payment does Quality Language accept?
> Do you have any job openings?
Translation
> In what languages do you offer translation services?
> What kinds of documents can you translate?
> Does Quality Language provide free sample translations?
> How are prices for your translation services determined?
> When translating a document into English, what spelling rules are used?
Technical
> How do I display Chinese characters on my computer?
> How do I input Chinese characters on my computer?
> Which browser is best to use to access QualityLanguage.com?
> In which file formats does Quality Language accept submitted documents?
> In which file formats can Quality Language deliver final documents?
Language
> What is the difference between Simplified and Traditional Chinese characters?
> What is the difference between Mandarin and Cantonese?
> What is Hanyu pinyin?
> In which countries and regions is Chinese spoken?
General
> Where is Quality Language located?
Quality Language is based in Toronto, Canada.
> What services do you provide?
We specialize in providing professional English-Chinese and Chinese-English translation services. In addition, we also offer website localization, editing and proofreading, Chinese character conversion, and pinyin transcription services. Please visit our Services page for further information.
> What forms of payment do you accept?
Quality Language accepts cash, certified cheque and bank transfer as method of payment.
> Do you have any job openings?
Quality Language accepts applications for translators and other team members on an ongoing basis. For additional information, please visit our Careers page.
Translation
> In what languages do you offer translation services?
Quality Language specializes in translation between English and Chinese, as well as additional services in these two languages.
> What kinds of documents can you translate?
Our professional translators are proficient in a wide range of subject areas, including science, medicine, engineering, information technology, business and finance.
> Does Quality Language provide free sample translations?
Yes, Quality Language can provide a free sample translation upon request for documents exceeding 2,000 words (or Chinese characters) in length.
> How are prices for your translation services determined?
Our rates are based on the number of English words (for English-Chinese translations) or Chinese characters (for Chinese-English translations) contained in your document. Please contact us for a free quote.
> When translating a document into English, what spelling rules are used?
For clients in Canada, the United States, Great Britain or Australia, documents are translated using the English spelling rules and conventions of the client's country, unless otherwise requested. For clients in other countries, American English (AmE) spelling rules and conventions are applied, unless otherwise requested.
Technical
> How do I display Chinese characters on my computer?
For Windows OS users, please refer to the article "Regional and Language Options overview". For MAC OS users, please refer to the article "Chinese Language Kit 2.0: Read Me".
> How do I input Chinese characters on my computer?
For Windows OS users, please refer to the article "What is an IME (Input Method Editor) and how do I use it?" For MAC OS users, please refer to the article "Chinese Language Kit 2.0: Read Me".
> Which browser is best to use to access QualityLanguage.com?
QualityLanguage.com can be accessed by all web browsers, including Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Google Chrome, and Netscape Navigator. Chinese fonts must be installed on your computer in order to access the site's Chinese language pages.
> In which file formats does Quality Language accept submitted documents?
We accept files in all mainstream formats, including DOC (Microsoft Word documents), PDF (Portable Document Format), RTF (Rich Text Format), TXT (plain text), XLS (Microsoft Excel spreadsheets), PPT (Microsoft PowerPoint presentations), HTM/HTML (web pages), and WPD (Corel WordPerfect documents).
> In which file formats can Quality Language deliver final documents?
Translated documents can be sent to you in any mainstream format (see above). If required by the client, a hard copy of the document can be delivered in addition to, or in place of, a soft copy.
Language
> What is the difference between Simplified and Traditional Chinese characters?
Simplified Chinese characters and Traditional Chinese characters refer to two different character sets of the written Chinese language. Simplified Chinese is used throughout mainland China, in Singapore, and in some overseas Chinese communities. Traditional Chinese is used in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and various overseas Chinese communities.
> What is the difference between Mandarin and Cantonese?
The Chinese language family consists of multiple dialect groups. Traditionally, the seven dialect groups recognized as constituting the Chinese language are Mandarin, Wu, Cantonese, Min, Xiang, Hakka, and Gan. Dialect groups—and the individual dialects of which they are comprised—refer to spoken varieties of the Chinese language. While Chinese dialects are generally mutually unintelligible, written Chinese is consistent across all dialects.
> What is pinyin?
Pinyin (or Hanyu pinyin) is a romanized form of the Chinese language. It uses the letters of the Latin alphabet in conjunction with tone-marking diacritics to represent the pronunciation of Chinese characters.
> In which countries and regions is Chinese spoken?
In addition to mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, the Chinese language is also widely spoken in Singapore, Malaysia, and overseas Chinese communities around the world.
