Looking for expert Flemish translation services? Since 2003, Green Crescent has been delivering professional translation services between English and Flemish to clients globally. We specialize in various industries, including legal, business, and cultural sectors. Our team ensures accurate, high-quality translations tailored to your specific needs. Get a fast, free Flemish translation quote today!
Our Comprehensive Flemish Translation Services
Green Crescent’s skilled team of Flemish translators includes subject matter experts for industry-specific needs. We provide translations based on Standard Dutch, which is used in Flanders (northern Belgium) as well as localization for the regional variations of Flemish spoken across different provinces.
We specialize in both English to Flemish and Flemish to English translations, offering the following services:
Simple Translation
Our simple translations in the English/Flemish language pair are designed for basic communication needs. These translations are completed by a single Flemish 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 Flemish text.
Standard Translation (TEP)
Our Standard Flemish 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 Flemish communications.
Organization Critical Translation (TEP+)
Our Organization Critical Flemish Translation service is designed for situations where perfection is essential. This option is recommended for texts intended for large-scale printing, technical documents, legal contracts and patents, 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 Flemish translation, editing, and proofreading (TEP) process.
Bilingual Editing
Bilingual Editing for Flemish Translation is the process of editing a translated text by comparing both the source and target texts in the English/Flemish language pair. The editor, fluent in the source language and a native speaker of Flemish, ensures that the translation is accurate, consistent, and faithful to the source text while also maintaining clarity and fluency in Flemish. 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
With each additional round of editing and proofreading, the error rate of a document approaches the perfection horizon. Our proofreading service for English to Flemish and Flemish 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 specialized legal fields, is ready to assist you with the translation of a wide range of judicial, administrative, and private legal documents between Flemish and English. Nearly all countries recognize that submitting documents for translation does not compromise attorney-client privilege. Furthermore, we can 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, engineering, and IT topics, but any text that utilizes industry-specific terminology or neologisms may be considered technical in nature. These translations cannot be executed by generalists alone; they require the expertise of linguists with in-depth knowledge of the relevant technical field in both Flemish and English.
Medical Translation
Green Crescent has established protocols to ensure compliance with HIPAA and HITECH regulations, which you can learn more about here. Our Flemish medical translations are treated as "organization critical," unless otherwise specified, and we are committed to implementing the necessary digital security measures and legal safeguards for every project subject to HIPAA and HITECH requirements. Our team of skilled linguists, specialized in medical terminology, ensures that your translations are both accurate and secure.
Localization
Our translation services are tailored for specific target markets that require non-standard varieties or dialects of the Flemish language. Green Crescent is equipped to accommodate requests for localized Flemish translation, ensuring that your content resonates with the intended audience. Our experienced linguists are well-versed in the nuances of Flemish, allowing us to provide translations that are not only accurate but also culturally relevant and engaging. By focusing on the unique linguistic characteristics of Flemish, we help you effectively connect with your audience and enhance the impact of your message.
Website, App, and Software Localization for Flemish
At Green Crescent, we leverage our extensive experience in software development to provide specialized Flemish localization services. We excel in adapting your website, app, or software’s content, design, and functionality for Flemish-speaking audiences. Whether you need a fully multilingual solution or specific adaptations for Flemish, our services encompass translating text, adjusting images, and modifying layouts. We also adapt and program code for both mobile and desktop applications, ensuring that your app functions seamlessly across Flemish-speaking regions while adhering to platform-specific guidelines. Let us help you create an engaging and culturally relevant experience for your Flemish-speaking users.
Back-translation
Back-translation is often a crucial component of the quality control process, particularly when translating highly technical documents or for critical translations in the Flemish/English language pair where an error could have significant consequences. This process involves an independent linguist translating a previously translated text back into its original source language—either Flemish or English—without reference to the original document. The resulting text is then compared to the original translation to verify its intelligibility, accuracy, and suitability for its intended use. Back-translation is also relevant in situations such as the translation of legal documents, medical texts, and marketing materials, where precise wording is essential. It can be particularly beneficial when adapting content for different cultural contexts, ensuring that the intended message is preserved and resonates appropriately with the target audience in both Flemish and English.
Peer Review
Green Crescent offers professional focus group services that include a comprehensive "read-through" conducted by one or more linguists who were not involved in the original translation process. This approach allows for an unbiased assessment of the translation's quality, style, and overall fitness for its intended purpose. The focus group can evaluate various aspects of the text, including linguistic accuracy, cultural relevance, and the effectiveness of the messaging in reaching the target audience. Feedback is provided on how well the translation conveys the original intent and nuances of the source material, ensuring that it resonates with readers in both Flemish and English contexts.
SME Review
Subject Matter Expert (SME) review is a specialized form of peer review conducted by non-linguist professionals with deep expertise in specific fields. This process is particularly important for Flemish to English or English to Flemish translations of highly technical texts, ensuring that the content is both linguistically accurate and technically precise. In fields such as legal, medical, scientific, and engineering, SMEs help verify the correct use of industry-specific terminology, adherence to regulatory or technical standards, and the contextual relevance of the translated material. By incorporating SME review into the translation process, we ensure that your final product is not only fluent and culturally appropriate but also technically sound and ready for professional use in both Flemish- and English-speaking markets.
Transcreation
Our Flemish Transcreation Service goes beyond simple translation by creatively adapting your content to resonate with Flemish-speaking audiences. At Green Crescent, we ensure that your brand’s messages, campaigns, and communications maintain their original intent, emotional impact, and tone, while aligning with the cultural and linguistic nuances of the target market. Whether it’s marketing, branding, or advertising, we reimagine your content to feel authentic and compelling in Flemish, helping your brand connect meaningfully and effectively with Flemish-speaking audiences.
MTPE-Full (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Full)
MTPE-Full (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Full) refers to the comprehensive post-editing of a machine-translated text between Flemish and English, ensuring the final product meets the highest standards of linguistic quality. In this process, once the machine generates the translation, a skilled human editor thoroughly reviews the entire content, ensuring that it is not only accurate in meaning but also flows naturally and fluently in the target language. This detailed editing process includes correcting grammar, syntax, and terminology, adapting the text for the intended audience, and ensuring it adheres to any stylistic preferences or regulatory requirements. MTPE-Full is suitable for business-critical texts where precision and quality are paramount.
MTPE-Light (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Light)
MTPE-Light (Machine Translation Post-Editing - Light) is a more streamlined version of post-editing, designed for situations where speed and cost-efficiency are prioritized over linguistic perfection. In this process, the human editor focuses primarily on fixing major errors and ensuring that the overall meaning of the machine-translated text is clear and understandable in the target language (Flemish or English). While MTPE-Light may not deliver a translation that is fully polished or ready for publication, it provides an efficient and cost-effective solution for internal documents, reports, and communications where basic comprehension is sufficient.
Additional Language Services and Options for Flemish
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 Flemish 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 often comes with trade-offs, which may 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 Flemish language services, including interpretation, transcription, website design and development, and desktop publishing.
About the Flemish Language
Flemish, known locally as "Vlaams," is the variety of Dutch spoken in Flanders, the northern region of Belgium. While Flemish and Dutch are essentially the same language, Flemish has its own regional vocabulary, pronunciation, and some grammatical differences that distinguish it from Standard Dutch spoken in the Netherlands. With over 6 million speakers, Flemish is one of the three official languages of Belgium, alongside French and German, and it plays a significant role in the cultural identity of the Flemish people.
The Cultural Context, History, and Linguistic Features of Flemish
Flemish has a rich cultural history rooted in the medieval period when Flanders was a major center for trade, arts, and political power in Europe. As part of the Dutch-speaking world, Flemish shares the literary traditions of the Netherlands, but it has also developed its own cultural expressions in literature, theater, and art.
Over time, Flemish has been influenced by neighboring languages, particularly French, as Belgium is a bilingual country. This has led to the incorporation of French loanwords into Flemish vocabulary, especially in everyday speech and administrative contexts. Despite this influence, Flemish retains a strong identity and pride in its language, with many speakers advocating for its distinction from Standard Dutch in terms of cultural and linguistic representation.
The Writing System: Latin Script
Flemish, like Dutch, is written in the Latin alphabet, consisting of 26 letters. The written form of Flemish largely follows the rules of Standard Dutch, but there are notable differences in word usage and idiomatic expressions, particularly in informal writing and spoken language.
Vowels and Consonants: The vowel and consonant systems in Flemish are similar to Dutch, but the pronunciation differs, particularly in the way certain vowels are articulated. Flemish speakers also tend to soften consonants more than their Dutch counterparts, leading to a more fluid and melodic speech pattern.
Flemish Alphabet
The Flemish alphabet, identical to the Dutch alphabet, includes the following letters:
- Vowels: A, a, E, e, I, i, O, o, U, u, Y, y
- Consonants: B, b, C, c, D, d, F, f, G, g, H, h, J, j, K, k, L, l, M, m, N, n, P, p, Q, q, R, r, S, s, T, t, V, v, W, w, X, x, Z, z
Key Linguistic Differences Between Flemish and English for Translation
Several important linguistic factors must be considered when translating between Flemish and English to ensure accurate and culturally sensitive translations:
Vocabulary Differences: Although Flemish and Dutch share a common grammar and structure, there are notable vocabulary differences. For instance, certain everyday terms, such as "zetel" (sofa) and "schouw" (fireplace), are used in Flemish but not in Standard Dutch. English translations need to account for these regional variations to maintain the intended meaning.
Word Order and Verb Placement: Flemish, like Dutch, often uses a Verb-Second (V2) word order, where the finite verb appears in the second position in main clauses. This differs from English's more rigid Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) structure, which can require significant reordering during translation.
Pronunciation and Regional Variants: Flemish pronunciation is softer and more fluid than Standard Dutch, and it features several distinct regional accents. While these differences are primarily a concern in spoken language, they can influence word choice and idiomatic expressions, making them important to consider in translation.
Gender and Articles: Like Dutch, Flemish nouns have grammatical gender (masculine, feminine, and neuter) that affects the articles and adjective agreements. English lacks grammatical gender, so translations must ensure that these distinctions are appropriately conveyed where necessary.
Politeness and Formality: Flemish, like Dutch, uses different levels of politeness, especially in formal contexts, where specific pronouns and verb forms are used to convey respect. Care must be taken in translation to preserve these distinctions, particularly in business or legal documents.
By addressing these linguistic and cultural factors, Green Crescent ensures that translations between Flemish and English are accurate, culturally appropriate, and sensitive to the nuances of the Flemish-speaking community.
An Insight into Flemish Expression
This passage is from De Leeuw van Vlaanderen (The Lion of Flanders) by Hendrik Conscience, first published in 1838. This iconic work is a cornerstone of Flemish literature, portraying the struggle for independence and national identity.
- Flemish: "Vlaanderen zal altijd de leeuw blijven die zijn vrijheid verdedigt."
- English Translation: "Flanders will always be the lion that defends its freedom."