Looking for expert Welsh translation services? Since 2003, Green Crescent has been delivering professional translation services between English and Welsh to clients globally. We specialize in various industries, including legal, educational, cultural, and government sectors. Our team ensures accurate, high-quality translations tailored to your specific needs. Get a fast, free Welsh translation quote today!
Our Comprehensive Welsh Translation Services
Green Crescent’s skilled team of Welsh translators includes subject matter experts for industry-specific needs. We provide translations tailored to both major dialects of Welsh, including:
- North Welsh (Gogledd)
- South Welsh (De)
The standard dialect for written communication is typically based on "Cymraeg Safonol" (Standard Welsh), ensuring consistency and clarity across various types of documents.
We specialize in both English to Welsh and Welsh to English translations, offering the following services:
Simple Translation
Our simple translations in the English/Welsh language pair are designed for basic communication needs. These translations are completed by a single Welsh 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 Welsh text.
Standard Translation (TEP)
Our Standard Welsh 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 Welsh communications.
Organization Critical Translation (TEP+)
Our Organization Critical Welsh 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 Welsh translation, editing, and proofreading (TEP) process.
Bilingual Editing
Bilingual Editing for Welsh Translation is the process of editing a translated text by comparing both the source and target texts in the English/Welsh language pair. The editor, fluent in the source language and a native speaker of Welsh, ensures that the translation is accurate, consistent, and faithful to the source text while also maintaining clarity and fluency in Welsh. 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 Welsh and Welsh 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 Welsh 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 Welsh 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 Welsh 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 Welsh language. Green Crescent is equipped to accommodate requests for localized Welsh translation, ensuring that your content resonates with the intended audience. Our experienced linguists are well-versed in the nuances of Welsh, allowing us to provide translations that are not only accurate but also culturally relevant and engaging. By focusing on the unique linguistic characteristics of Welsh, we help you effectively connect with your audience and enhance the impact of your message.
Website, App, and Software Localization for Welsh
At Green Crescent, we leverage our extensive experience in software development to provide specialized Welsh localization services. We excel in adapting your website, app, or software’s content, design, and functionality for Welsh-speaking audiences. Whether you need a fully multilingual solution or specific adaptations for Welsh, 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 Welsh-speaking regions while adhering to platform-specific guidelines. Let us help you create an engaging and culturally relevant experience for your Welsh-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 Welsh/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 Welsh 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 Welsh 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 Welsh 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 Welsh to English or English to Welsh 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 Welsh- and English-speaking markets.
Transcreation
Our Welsh Transcreation Service goes beyond simple translation by creatively adapting your content to resonate with Welsh-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 Welsh, helping your brand connect meaningfully and effectively with Welsh-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 Welsh 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 (Welsh 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 Welsh
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 Welsh 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 Welsh language services, including interpretation, transcription, website design and development, and desktop publishing.
About the Welsh Language
Welsh, known locally as "Cymraeg," is a Celtic language spoken by approximately 900,000 people, primarily in Wales, with some speakers in England and the Welsh diaspora around the world. It is one of the oldest living languages in Europe, with roots that trace back over 1,500 years. Despite the dominance of English in the United Kingdom, Welsh remains a vital part of Welsh national identity and cultural heritage, and it has official status in Wales alongside English.
The Cultural Context, History, and Linguistic Features of Welsh
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic language family, alongside Breton and Cornish. Its history stretches back to the early medieval period, and it has a rich literary tradition that includes epic poetry, folklore, and law texts. One of the earliest surviving pieces of Welsh literature is the *Gododdin*, a series of elegies for warriors who fell in battle, composed in the 7th century.
The survival of Welsh through centuries of English influence is a testament to the resilience of Welsh culture. Today, the language is taught in schools, used in government, and features prominently in the arts. Welsh also has a complex grammatical structure, especially when compared to English. It is known for its initial consonant mutations, where the first letter of a word changes depending on grammatical context, as well as its verb-subject-object (VSO) word order, which is rare among European languages.
The Writing System: Latin Script
Welsh is written using the Latin alphabet, which consists of 28 letters. While the script is the same as English, Welsh has distinct pronunciation rules and includes several digraphs, such as "dd," "ll," and "rh," that represent unique sounds not found in English.
Vowels and Consonants: Welsh has seven vowels (a, e, i, o, u, w, y), with "w" and "y" also functioning as vowels. Welsh consonants are similar to English, but certain sounds, like the voiceless lateral fricative "ll" and the voiced dental fricative "dd," are unique to the language.
Welsh Alphabet
The Welsh alphabet uses the following letters and digraphs:
- Vowels: A, a, E, e, I, i, O, o, U, u, W, w, Y, y
- Consonants: B, b, C, c, Ch, ch, D, d, Dd, dd, F, f, Ff, ff, G, g, Ng, ng, H, h, J, j, L, l, Ll, ll, M, m, N, n, P, p, Ph, ph, R, r, Rh, rh, S, s, T, t, Th, th
Key Linguistic Differences Between Welsh and English for Translation
Translating between Welsh and English requires attention to several unique linguistic features:
Word Order: Welsh typically follows a verb-subject-object (VSO) sentence structure, unlike the subject-verb-object (SVO) structure found in English. For example, the English sentence “I am eating” becomes “Dw i’n bwyta” in Welsh, where the verb “dw” (am) comes first.
Consonant Mutations: Welsh features a system of initial consonant mutations, where the first consonant of a word changes depending on its grammatical role. For instance, the word “car” (car) becomes “gar” after certain prepositions. This feature must be carefully managed in translation to ensure grammatical accuracy.
Pronouns and Gender: Welsh has two grammatical genders—masculine and feminine—which affect not only pronouns but also adjectives and mutations. English lacks gendered adjectives, so translations must account for this difference while preserving the intended meaning.
Complex Verb Conjugation: Welsh verbs are conjugated for tense and person, similar to English, but Welsh has more complex conjugation patterns. It uses periphrastic constructions with auxiliary verbs to indicate tense, which requires careful handling in translation to preserve clarity and accuracy.
By understanding these key differences, Green Crescent ensures that translations between Welsh and English are both accurate and culturally appropriate, maintaining the linguistic integrity of Welsh in all types of documents.
An Insight into Welsh Expression
This passage is from Mabinogion, a collection of medieval Welsh tales, first compiled in the 12th century. These iconic stories are a cornerstone of Welsh literature, offering a deep reflection on the cycles of life, heroism, and the enduring strength of the Welsh spirit.
- Welsh: "Yn wyneb stormydd amser, rhaid i ni ddal ein tir, gan ddilyn goleuni gobaith yn ein calonau."
- English Translation: "In the face of the storms of time, we must stand our ground, following the light of hope within our hearts."