Looking for expert Bikol translation services? Since 2003, Green Crescent has been providing professional translation services between English and Bikol to clients worldwide. We specialize in various sectors, including legal, business, community, and marketing. Our team ensures precise, high-quality translations tailored to your specific needs. Get a fast, free Bikol translation quote today!
Our Comprehensive Bikol Translation Services
Green Crescent’s skilled team of Bikol translators includes subject matter experts for industry-specific needs. We provide translations tailored to the linguistic diversity of the Bikol language, ensuring cultural and contextual accuracy across its various dialects.
- Central Bikol (Naga)
- Albay Bikol
- Rinconada Bikol
We specialize in both English to Bikol and Bikol to English translations, offering the following services:
Simple Translation
Our simple translations in the English/Bikol language pair are designed for basic communication needs. These translations are completed by a single Bikol translator without the involvement of an editor or proofreader, and therefore should not be considered final or polished work for most professional or formal use cases. While they are typically of high quality, simple translations are essentially "rough drafts" that do not go through additional editing, proofreading, or other quality control processes. These translations are ideal for personal letters, informal communications, initial drafts that will later be revised, or for situations where you need to quickly understand the general meaning or "gist" of a Bikol text.
Standard Translation (TEP)
Our Standard Bikol Translation service is designed to provide high-quality translations for everyday use, including business correspondence, websites, reports, presentations, and similar content. This service includes translation, editing, and proofreading (TEP) to ensure the highest level of accuracy and clarity in your Bikol communications.
Organization Critical Translation (TEP+)
Our Organization Critical Bikol Translation service is designed for situations where precision is essential. This option is recommended for texts intended for large-scale printing, legal contracts, medical documents, or any case where an error could be critical or costly. Each translated line is reviewed by a minimum of three linguists, with multiple rounds of proofreading. Subject matter experts (SMEs) may be involved as needed throughout the Bikol translation, editing, and proofreading (TEP) process.
Bilingual Editing
Bilingual Editing for Bikol Translation is the process of editing a translated text by comparing both the source and target texts in the English/Bikol language pair. The editor, fluent in the source language and a native speaker of Bikol, ensures that the translation is accurate, consistent, and faithful to the source text while also maintaining clarity and fluency in Bikol. This step occurs after the initial translation in our TEP (Translation, Editing, Proofreading) Organization Critical and Standard Translation services. We also offer this service as a standalone option for translations completed by individuals or organizations not affiliated with Green Crescent.
Proofreading
Our proofreading service for English to Bikol and Bikol to English translations involves reviewing a single-language text to identify and correct surface-level errors, such as spelling mistakes, grammar issues, punctuation errors, and formatting inconsistencies. This step is the final phase in our TEP (Translation, Editing, Proofreading) Organization Critical and Standard translation services. We also offer proofreading as a standalone service for translations completed by individuals or organizations not affiliated with Green Crescent.
Legal Translation
Green Crescent's elite team of linguists, each with subject matter expertise in legal fields, is ready to assist you with the translation of a wide range of judicial, administrative, and private legal documents between Bikol and English. We can also implement enhanced security measures to ensure strict confidentiality upon request.
Technical Translation
Technical translations involve any text that features specialized vocabulary or language registers, necessitating additional research and terminology verification. Common technical subject matter includes legal, medical, scientific, and IT topics. These translations require the expertise of linguists with in-depth knowledge of the relevant technical field in both Bikol and English.
Medical Translation
Green Crescent provides professional Bikol medical translations with a focus on accuracy and confidentiality. Our team of skilled linguists, specialized in medical terminology, ensures that your translations are both precise and secure.
Localization
Our translation services are tailored for specific target markets that require localized varieties of the Bikol language. Green Crescent ensures that your content resonates with the intended audience. Our experienced linguists provide translations that are not only accurate but also culturally relevant and engaging.
Back-translation
Back-translation is a crucial component of quality control, particularly for critical translations in the Bikol/English language pair. This process involves translating a previously translated text back into its original language, either Bikol or English, and comparing the result to the original translation for accuracy.
Peer Review
Green Crescent offers professional peer review services where one or more linguists not involved in the original translation process assess the quality, style, and overall fitness of the translation for its intended purpose.
SME Review
Subject Matter Expert (SME) review is a specialized form of peer review conducted by non-linguist professionals with expertise in specific fields. This process ensures that Bikol to English or English to Bikol translations of highly technical texts are both linguistically accurate and technically precise.
Transcreation
Our Bikol Transcreation Service adapts your content creatively to resonate with Bikol-speaking audiences. We ensure that your brand’s messages maintain their original intent, emotional impact, and tone while aligning with the cultural and linguistic nuances of the target market.
MTPE-Full (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Full)
MTPE-Full involves comprehensive post-editing of machine-generated translations to meet the highest standards of linguistic quality. This includes correcting grammar, syntax, and terminology to ensure the text flows naturally in Bikol or English.
MTPE-Light (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Light)
MTPE-Light is a streamlined version of post-editing designed for situations where speed and cost-efficiency are prioritized. The human editor fixes major errors, ensuring the overall meaning is clear and understandable.
Additional Language Services and Options for Bikol
Certified Translation
Green Crescent provides certified translations of a wide range of legal documents, including birth, marriage, and death certificates, diplomas, school transcripts, passports, and much more, in both Bikol and English. Our certified translations are recognized for their accuracy and compliance with legal standards, making them suitable for official use. You can receive hard copies of our standard certificate of translation mailed directly to your home or business.
Rush Service
If you require expedited service, Green Crescent can usually accommodate such requests. However, please note that rushing translations may come with trade-offs, which could affect both price and consistency. Please consult with a project manager for more details.
Discounts
Volume discounts are available for large projects, long-term clients, and for non-profits, charities, NGOs, and government organizations.
Minimum Fee
There is a minimum project fee of $75.00 USD per language, which can be reduced or waived for regular clients.
Additional Language Services
In addition to translation, Green Crescent offers a range of other Bikol language services, including interpretation, transcription, website design and development, and desktop publishing.
About the Bikol Language
Bikol, also known as "Bicol" or "Bikolano," is a major Austronesian language spoken in the Bicol Region of the Philippines, primarily in the provinces of Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, and parts of Masbate. The language has several dialects, with Central Bikol, or "Bikol Naga," being the most widely spoken and understood. Bikol has over 2.5 million speakers, making it an essential part of the linguistic and cultural landscape of the Bicol Region. The language has close ties to Tagalog and other Philippine languages, but it retains distinct vocabulary, pronunciation, and cultural expressions.
The Cultural Context, History, and Linguistic Features of Bikol
Bikol has a rich cultural heritage that is deeply rooted in the history and traditions of the Bicolano people. It is a language of storytelling, poetry, and religious expression, particularly through the region’s unique blend of Christian traditions and indigenous beliefs. Folk tales, songs, and oral traditions are integral to the preservation of Bikol, reflecting the values and history of the Bicolano communities.
Bikol is part of the Central Philippine language group, sharing many similarities with Tagalog, Cebuano, and Hiligaynon. However, it has evolved with its own set of grammatical rules, vocabulary, and phonological features. One of the distinctive aspects of Bikol is its complex system of verbal affixes that indicate tense, mood, and aspect, allowing for precise expression of time and action.
The Writing System: Latin Alphabet
Bikol is written using the Latin alphabet, which was introduced by Spanish colonizers in the 16th century. The writing system uses 28 letters, including all the letters of the modern Filipino alphabet. The language’s orthography is phonetic, meaning that words are generally pronounced as they are written, though some sounds, such as glottal stops, are not always indicated in writing.
Vowels and Consonants: Bikol has five vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u) and uses a range of consonants that are common in other Philippine languages. The pronunciation of vowels can vary slightly depending on the dialect and context, which is a key feature of the language.
The Bikol Alphabet
Bikol is written using the following alphabet:
- 5 vowels: A, a, E, e, I, i, O, o, U, u
- 23 consonants: B, b, C, c, D, d, F, f, G, g, H, h, J, j, K, k, L, l, M, m, N, n, Ñ, ñ, Ng, ng, P, p, Q, q, R, r, S, s, T, t, V, v, W, w, X, x, Y, y, Z, z
Bikol uses phonetic spelling, which means that words are generally pronounced as they are spelled. The digraph "ng" represents a nasal sound similar to the "ng" in "sing," and the presence of Ñ reflects the influence of Spanish, especially in loanwords.
Key Linguistic Differences Between Bikol and English for Translation
When translating between Bikol and English, several linguistic differences must be considered to ensure accuracy and cultural relevance:
Verb System: Bikol has a complex system of affixes that are added to verbs to indicate tense, mood, aspect, and voice. For example, the root word "sabi" (to say) can become "magsabi" (will say), "sinabi" (said), or "sinasabi" (is saying) through the use of different prefixes and infixes. This is quite different from English, where tense is typically indicated by changes to the verb form itself or by auxiliary verbs. Translators must ensure that the intended time and aspect are clearly conveyed in English.
Focus and Subject Marking: Bikol, like other Philippine languages, uses a focus or voice system that indicates the relationship between the verb and its arguments (subject, object, etc.). For example, a sentence may change focus depending on whether the subject, object, or location is emphasized. Translators must be careful to maintain the correct focus in the English translation, as English does not have a directly equivalent system.
Reduplication: Reduplication is a common feature in Bikol used to indicate repeated actions, intensity, or plurality. For instance, "dikit" means "close," while "dikit-dikit" implies something that is very close or packed together. This feature does not have a direct equivalent in English, so translators need to find suitable ways to convey these nuances.
Word Order: Bikol typically follows a Verb-Subject-Object (VSO) or Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) word order, with flexibility depending on the focus of the sentence. English, which uses a more fixed SVO structure, may require careful reordering of words to maintain clarity and meaning when translating from Bikol.
Loanwords and Indigenous Terms: Due to Spanish colonization, Bikol has many loanwords from Spanish, especially for religious, legal, and everyday terms. These words often have meanings specific to the cultural context of the Bicol Region. Translators need to decide whether to retain these terms or find appropriate English equivalents based on the target audience.
Politeness and Formality: Like many Philippine languages, Bikol has different levels of politeness and respect, particularly when addressing elders or people in positions of authority. Translators must ensure that these levels of formality are maintained in the English translation to reflect the cultural context and respect conveyed in the original text.
By addressing these linguistic and cultural differences, Green Crescent ensures that our Bikol translation services provide accurate, culturally sensitive translations. Our approach respects the richness of the Bikol language and delivers clear communication for both Bikol and English-speaking audiences.
An Insight into Bikol Expression
This passage is from the renowned Bikol work “Sarong Banggi” by Potenciano Gregorio, a cherished figure in Bikol literature and music. The work captures the essence of longing and beauty in the Bikolano experience.
- Bikol: "Sarong banggi sa higdaan, nasususog an sakong mata, nakadangog ako nin huni, huni nin harana."
- English Translation: "One night in bed, my eyes closed, I heard a melody, the melody of a serenade."