Looking for expert Bosnian translation services? Since 2003, Green Crescent has been delivering professional translation services between English and Bosnian to clients worldwide. We specialize in various industries, including legal, technical, marketing, and business sectors. Our experienced team ensures accurate, high-quality translations tailored to your specific needs. Get a fast, free Bosnian translation quote today!
Our Comprehensive Bosnian Translation Services
Green Crescent’s skilled team of Bosnian translators includes subject matter experts for industry-specific needs. We provide translations tailored to all major Bosnian dialects and regional variations, ensuring accuracy and cultural relevance.
- Standard Bosnian
- Regional Dialects (Herzegovina, Sarajevo, etc.)
We specialize in both English to Bosnian and Bosnian to English translations, offering the following services:
Simple Translation
Our simple translations in the English/Bosnian language pair are designed for basic communication needs. These translations are completed by a single Bosnian 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 Bosnian text.
Standard Translation (TEP)
Our Standard Bosnian 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 Bosnian communications.
Organization Critical Translation (TEP+)
Our Organization Critical Bosnian 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 Bosnian translation, editing, and proofreading (TEP) process.
Bilingual Editing
Bilingual Editing for Bosnian Translation is the process of editing a translated text by comparing both the source and target texts in the English/Bosnian language pair. The editor, fluent in the source language and a native speaker of Bosnian, ensures that the translation is accurate, consistent, and faithful to the source text while also maintaining clarity and fluency in Bosnian. 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 Bosnian and Bosnian 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 Bosnian 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 Bosnian 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 Bosnian 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 Bosnian language. Green Crescent is equipped to accommodate requests for localized Bosnian translation, ensuring that your content resonates with the intended audience. Our experienced linguists are well-versed in the nuances of Bosnian 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 Bosnian, we help you effectively connect with your audience and enhance the impact of your message.
Website, App, and Software Localization for Bosnian
At Green Crescent, we leverage our extensive experience in software development to provide specialized Bosnian localization services. We excel in adapting your website, app, or software’s content, design, and functionality for Bosnian-speaking audiences. Whether you need a fully multilingual solution or specific adaptations for Bosnian, 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 Bosnian-speaking regions while adhering to platform-specific guidelines. Let us help you create an engaging and culturally relevant experience for your Bosnian-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 Bosnian/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 Bosnian 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 Bosnian 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 Bosnian 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 Bosnian to English or English to Bosnian 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 Bosnian- and English-speaking markets.
Transcreation
Our Bosnian Transcreation Service goes beyond simple translation by creatively adapting your content to resonate with Bosnian-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 Bosnian, helping your brand connect meaningfully and effectively with Bosnian-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 Bosnian 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 (Bosnian 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 Bosnian
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 Bosnian 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 Bosnian language services, including interpretation, transcription, website design and development, and desktop publishing.
About the Bosnian Language
Bosnian, known locally as "bosanski jezik," is one of the three official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is spoken by Bosnian communities around the world. As a South Slavic language, Bosnian shares many similarities with Croatian and Serbian but maintains its own distinct vocabulary, especially in the context of religious and cultural differences. The language has been influenced by Turkish, Arabic, and Persian due to the region's historical ties with the Ottoman Empire.
The Cultural Context, History, and Linguistic Features of Bosnian
Bosnian’s cultural and linguistic heritage is deeply rooted in the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Throughout centuries, the Bosnian language has absorbed a range of influences from neighboring cultures and languages. The formal standardization of Bosnian as a separate language occurred following the breakup of Yugoslavia, highlighting distinct vocabulary choices and cultural identity. Bosnian literature has produced many notable works, including the novel Derviš i smrt by Meša Selimović, which reflects on existential and philosophical themes.
In terms of usage, Bosnian has been shaped by its religious and ethnic diversity, with Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks) being the primary speakers. The language borrows heavily from Arabic and Turkish due to the Islamic influence in the region, and certain religious expressions are unique to Bosnian.
The Writing System: Latin Script
Bosnian is written in the Latin script, and its alphabet consists of 30 letters. Historically, both Latin and Cyrillic scripts were used, but today, Latin is the dominant script. Each letter in the Bosnian alphabet corresponds to a single sound, making the language phonetically straightforward for both reading and writing.
Vowels and Consonants: Bosnian vowels are consistent and include: A, E, I, O, U. Bosnian also includes specific consonants such as "Č," "Ć," "Đ," "Dž," "Š," and "Ž," which are not found in English. These phonetic differences require careful consideration when translating between Bosnian and English to ensure proper pronunciation and meaning.
Bosnian Alphabet
The Bosnian alphabet is based on the Latin script and includes the following letters:
- A, a, B, b, C, c, Č, č, Ć, ć, D, d, Dž, dž, Đ, đ, E, e, F, f, G, g, H, h, I, i, J, j, K, k, L, l, Lj, lj, M, m, N, n, Nj, nj, O, o, P, p, R, r, S, s, Š, š, T, t, U, u, V, v, Z, z, Ž, ž
Key Linguistic Differences Between Bosnian and English for Translation
When translating between Bosnian and English, several linguistic factors must be taken into account to ensure accuracy and cultural relevance. Below are some key differences:
Sentence Structure: Both Bosnian and English follow a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) sentence structure, but Bosnian allows for greater flexibility due to its case system. This flexibility can shift emphasis within a sentence, which may not always be possible in English without rephrasing the sentence.
Case System: Bosnian uses seven grammatical cases (nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, vocative, instrumental, and locative) to indicate the role of nouns in a sentence. This differs from English, where word order generally dictates meaning. For example, the Bosnian word "grad" (city) can appear as "gradom" (with the city) or "gradu" (to the city), depending on the case, altering both meaning and sentence structure.
Gendered Nouns: Like many other Slavic languages, Bosnian assigns gender to all nouns (masculine, feminine, or neuter). Adjectives and verbs must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify, a complexity absent from English. For example, "the beautiful city" would be "lijep grad" (masculine) or "lijepa rijeka" (feminine), depending on the noun’s gender.
Verb Conjugation and Aspect: Bosnian verbs conjugate according to person, number, and tense, and they also reflect verb aspect (whether an action is complete or ongoing). These aspects must be accurately conveyed in translation to capture the intended time and completion of an action. For instance, "I have eaten" and "I was eating" would be distinct in Bosnian: "pojeo sam" (completed) vs. "jeo sam" (ongoing).
Politeness Levels and Formality: Bosnian has distinct forms of address for formal and informal situations, which are important in business or legal contexts. Translating this formality accurately into English while maintaining the intended tone is crucial, especially when dealing with business documents or official correspondence.
By recognizing and adapting to these linguistic differences, Green Crescent ensures that our Bosnian translation services are both linguistically precise and culturally relevant. Whether your project involves legal documents, technical manuals, or creative content, we deliver high-quality translations that effectively resonate with Bosnian-speaking audiences.
An Insight into Bosnian Wit and Expression
This passage is from Derviš i smrt (The Dervish and Death) by Meša Selimović, first published in 1966. This iconic novel is a cornerstone of 20th-century Bosnian literature, exploring themes of existentialism, faith, and the human condition.
- Bosnian: "Čovjek je proklet da traži i kad zna da ne može naći."
- English Translation: "Man is cursed to seek, even when he knows he cannot find."