Looking for expert Lao translation services? Since 2003, Green Crescent has been delivering professional translation services between English and Lao to clients globally. We specialize in areas such as legal, governmental, business, and educational sectors. Our team ensures high-quality, precise translations tailored to your specific needs. Get a fast, free Lao translation quote today!
Our Comprehensive Lao Translation Services
Green Crescent’s skilled team of Laotian translators includes subject matter experts for industry-specific needs. We provide translations tailored to various contexts, ensuring accuracy and cultural relevance for every project. The Central Lao dialect (Vientiane) is widely recognized as the standard for official and formal communications.
- Northern Lao (Luang Prabang)
- Central Lao (Vientiane) - Standard Dialect
- Southern Lao (Champasak)
- Isan (Northeastern Thailand)
We specialize in both English to Lao and Lao to English translations, offering the following services:
Simple Translation
Our simple translations in the English/Lao language pair are designed for basic communication needs. These translations are completed by a single Lao translator without the involvement of an editor or proofreader, and therefore should not be considered final or fully reviewed 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 Lao text.
Standard Translation (TEP)
Our Standard Lao 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 Lao communications.
Organization Critical Translation (TEP+)
Our Organization Critical Lao 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 Lao translation, editing, and proofreading (TEP) process.
Bilingual Editing
Bilingual Editing for Lao Translation is the process of editing a translated text by comparing both the source and target texts in the English/Lao language pair. The editor, fluent in the source language and a native speaker of Lao, ensures that the translation is accurate, consistent, and faithful to the source text while also maintaining clarity and fluency in Lao. 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 Lao and Lao 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 Lao 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 Lao 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 Lao 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 Lao language. Green Crescent is equipped to accommodate requests for localized Lao translation, ensuring that your content resonates with the intended audience. For example, we offer translations in regional dialects such as "Northern Lao," "Central Lao (Vientiane)," "Southern Lao," and more. Our experienced linguists are well-versed in the nuances of these dialects, allowing us to provide translations that are not only accurate but also culturally relevant and engaging. By focusing on the unique linguistic characteristics of each Lao dialect, we help you effectively connect with your audience and enhance the impact of your message.
Website, App, and Software Localization for Lao
At Green Crescent, we leverage our extensive experience in software development to provide specialized Lao localization services. We excel in adapting your website, app, or software’s content, design, and functionality for Lao-speaking audiences. Whether you need a fully multilingual solution or specific adaptations for Lao, 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 Lao-speaking regions while adhering to platform-specific guidelines. Let us help you create an engaging and culturally relevant experience for your Lao-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 Lao/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 Lao 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 Lao 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 Lao 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 Lao to English or English to Lao 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 Lao- and English-speaking markets.
Transcreation
Our Lao Transcreation Service goes beyond simple translation by creatively adapting your content to resonate with Lao-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 Lao, helping your brand connect meaningfully and effectively with Lao-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 Lao 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 (Lao 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 Lao (or Laotian)
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 Lao 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 Lao language services, including interpretation, transcription, website design and development, and desktop publishing.
About the Lao Language
Lao, known locally as "ພາສາລາວ" (Phasa Lao), is the official language of Laos, spoken by over 7 million people. As part of the Tai-Kadai language family, Lao shares linguistic similarities with Thai, making it mutually intelligible in many instances. Lao holds a rich cultural and historical significance, with its roots influenced by Pali, Sanskrit, and French, contributing to its diverse vocabulary and structure.
Lao is spoken primarily in Laos, but it also has speakers in neighboring countries like Thailand and Cambodia, particularly in regions near the Lao border. Additionally, there are Lao-speaking communities within the Lao diaspora worldwide.
The Cultural Context, History, and Linguistic Features of Lao
Lao is a tonal language, much like Thai, where the meaning of words can drastically change depending on the tone used. This tonal system is crucial for accurate communication and translation. Furthermore, Lao is deeply rooted in the country’s religious and literary traditions, with many texts written in Pali, the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism.
One of the most famous works in Lao literature is "Phra Lak Phra Lam," an epic that narrates the Lao version of the Ramayana, highlighting the intertwining of religion, mythology, and cultural history in the language. This epic reflects the moral and spiritual values central to Lao society.
The Writing System: Lao Script
Lao is written using its own script, which derives from the ancient Khmer script. The Lao script is an abugida, where each consonant is accompanied by an inherent vowel sound that can be modified using vowel signs.
Lao Alphabet: The Lao script consists of 27 consonants and 28 vowels, represented as vowel signs, which can either precede, follow, or surround consonants. Unlike English, Lao script does not use spaces between words but instead between phrases or sentences.
- Consonants: ກ, ຂ, ຄ, ງ, ຈ, ສ, ຊ, ຍ, ດ, ຕ, ຖ, ທ, ນ, ບ, ປ, ຜ, ຝ, ພ, ຟ, ມ, ຢ, ຣ, ລ, ວ, ຫ, ອ, ຮ
- Vowels: ອາ, ເອ, ແອ, ໂອ, ໄອ, ໃອ, ອັ, ອິ, ອີ, ອຶ, ອຸ, ອູ, ເອັ, ເອີ, ແອັ, ໂອະ, ໄອເລິກ, ໃອເລິກ
Key Linguistic Differences Between Lao and English for Translation
When translating between Lao and English, several linguistic factors must be considered to ensure accuracy and cultural relevance. Below are some critical differences:
Sentence Structure: Lao typically follows a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) structure, similar to English, but with variations in word order for emphasis. For example, "I eat rice" translates to "ຂ້ອຍກິນເຂົ້າ" (Khony kin khao), mirroring the SVO structure but allowing flexibility in syntax.
Tonality: Lao uses tones to differentiate word meanings, which is absent in English. For instance, the word "ma" can mean "come" or "dog," depending on the tone used. This tonal distinction makes it crucial to translate with precision, ensuring the correct meaning is conveyed.
No Capitalization: Like other Southeast Asian scripts, Lao does not have upper or lowercase letters, which simplifies writing but requires extra attention in translation to indicate proper nouns and sentence boundaries.
Gender and Formality: While Lao lacks grammatical gender, it has formal and informal speech levels depending on the social context and relationships. This formality must be appropriately adapted during translation to maintain respect and politeness, especially in formal or business contexts.
By recognizing and adapting to these linguistic differences, Green Crescent ensures that our Lao translation services are both linguistically accurate and culturally sensitive. Whether your project involves legal documents, technical manuals, or creative content, we provide high-quality translations that effectively resonate with Lao-speaking audiences.
An Insight into Lao Culture and Expression
This passage is from The Sacred Tree by Outhine Bounyavong, first published in 1975. This classic of 20th-century Lao literature explores the tensions between tradition and modernity, highlighting the importance of cultural heritage and family bonds in Lao society.
- Lao: "ໃຜຈະກ່າວທຳມະນູນຂອງຕົວຕົນເຮົາເມື່ອບໍ່ຮັກພົບຮູ້ຮີວັດຖະພົນຂອງຕົວຕົນເຮົາ?"
- English Translation: "Who can claim to understand our true nature when they do not cherish our cultural roots?"