Dutch Translation Services
Business Language Services is one of the UK’s leading language service providers with its head office in Cardiff. BLS supports businesses locally, in South Wales, across the UK, and around the world. We have in-house Dutch expertise and specialise in professional Dutch translation (both English to Dutch and Dutch to English translation). Furthermore, we work with an extensive network of experienced and qualified Dutch translators, and for your peace of mind, all our Dutch translations are reviewed by a second, independent linguist.
BLS is a Corporate Member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) and a Full Member of the Association of Translation Companies (ATC). We are also certified to the ISO 9001:2008 standard, and as such all our operations comply with the corresponding guidelines for quality assurance.
We have a dedicated team of linguists and Project Managers in-house, and also work with a select network of translators, encompassing a huge variety of specialisms, all of whom have experience in Dutch translation, editing and proof reading. Many of our freelance translators have worked with us for well over 10 years; testament to the value we place on our relationships. Every translator wishing to work with us must meet strict criteria, including the successful completion of at least one test translation. Furthermore, all our translators undergo regular and ongoing reviews and quality assessment processes.
More Information
English to Dutch translation is one of BLS’s major specialisms and we have a lot of experience translating a wide variety of content. We provide a number of our clients with regular, top-quality translations into Dutch on all manner of subjects. We translate ingredients and allergen warnings for a well-known, well-loved potato crisp producer, we translate substantial technical manuals and software strings for various manufacturers, and we also translate educational materials for a company that publishes specialist resources for teachers.
Our Project Managers have a wealth of experience dealing with Dutch translation projects that extend over a period of weeks or months. They can oversee long-running projects to ensure that the client receives the highest quality translation every time, and are able to ensure that consistency is maintained throughout, even when a number of different linguists are involved. We have excellent knowledge when it comes to coordinating projects of a longer duration, or those which are complex or involve multiple files and file types. We are proud to offer a flexible approach to every customer’s project. We can work with a huge variety of file formats, including all MS Office programs, HTML, InDesign, PDF and other Adobe software.
We appreciate that every project is unique and we therefore adapt our approach to each specific customer and each individual project. When you assign a translation project to BLS, you can be safe in the knowledge that a dedicated Project Manager will oversee your project from start to finish. This Project Manager will maintain constant contact with you, to keep you informed of progress, and they will also communicate regularly with the linguists working on your project. They will also undertake the final quality assessment checks before delivering your finished project. All of our Project Managers are translators themselves and therefore extremely well qualified to offer advice and assistance with any aspect of your project.
BLS works with a select group of professional Dutch interpreters in order to offer additional support for your business needs. Whether you are expecting Dutch visitors from abroad, need someone to accompany a staff member to the Netherlands, or require interpreting booths for a conference, we can find the right interpreter for you, whether in South Wales or further afield. We work hard to select the perfect Dutch linguist based on the specific requirements of each job. By hiring an interpreter through BLS, you can be assured of a reliable and friendly service.
BLS also provides Dutch language training sessions. We work with a number of native Dutch tutors who can offer courses tailored to you at very competitive prices. We can teach you or your staff from beginner to advanced level. Classes can be one-to-one or in groups, and we can come to your work place at a time to suit you. If you prefer, we have fully equipped offices in Cardiff city centre where we can hold classes.
If you’re looking for a dependable, professional and flexible language service provider, then you’re in the right place. We offer a tailored approach to all of your language needs. We are passionate about language and would relish the opportunity to strike up a working relationship with you.
If you require any Dutch language services, please contact us, either by phone on + 44 (02920) 667666 or by email to in**@bu**********************.uk. We look forward to hearing from you.
The Dutch Language
Dutch (Nederlands) is an official language in the Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten. It is also one of the official languages of the European Union, the Union of South American Nations and Benelux. There are an estimated 27 million speakers worldwide (22 million of which are native speakers). It belongs to the West Germanic branch of Indo-European languages. The English term ‘Dutch’ used to refer to all Germanic speakers on the European continent.
Standard Dutch was introduced in the 1960s. Dutch dialects are remarkably diverse throughout the Netherlands and northern Belgium, though are in decline in most of the Netherlands (where Standard Dutch is favoured) as opposed to Belgium where they are thriving. Flemish is the name given to the variety of Dutch spoken in Belgium. Other variations include Jersey Dutch (from New Jersey, USA) and Pennsylvania Dutch (spoken in the USA but descended from German). Dutch is the parent language of Afrikaans, developed from the agricultural settlers in South Africa – an estimated 90-95% of Afrikaans vocabulary derives from Dutch. The two languages are mutually intelligible, though Afrikaans grammar is significantly simpler than that of Dutch.
Dutch uses the Latin alphabet but its pronunciation can cause difficulties for learners, as it has 13 simple vowel sounds and 4 diphthongs. It is grammatically similar to German (in terms of sentence structure and verb formation). As is the case with other Germanic languages, Dutch can form arbitrarily long noun compounds, one of the longest examples being ziektekostenverzekeringsmaatschappij (health insurance company) with 36 letters.
Dutch vocabulary is one of the richest in the world, with predominantly Germanic origins, though there are also Greek, Latin and French influences. The dominance of English in the media has led to a significant number of loanwords from the language, particularly in recent years, including ‘computer’ and ‘internet’. English has also adopted a number of Dutch words, such as ‘aardvark’ and ‘coleslaw’. The Dictionary of the Dutch Language is the biggest dictionary in print in the world today, and took 147 years to compile.
Historically, Dutch was widely spoken worldwide during the period of the Dutch Empire (17th to 20th centuries). Dutch rule in Indonesia led to significant linguistic influence on the local languages, with some estimating up to 20% of Indonesian vocabulary is derived from Dutch, e.g. ‘kantor’ (office) from the Dutch ‘kantoor’. Even now, several thousand students study Dutch in Indonesia each year.
The Dutch Language Union (NTU, Nederlandse Taalunie) is an international regulatory organisation for the Dutch language and its literature. It publishes official grammar guides and vocabulary lists, and was responsible for both Dutch spelling reforms (1995 and 2005), the latter of which is still regarded as controversial and boycotted in some regions.
Business Language Services Ltd. (BLS) specialises in Dutch translation (both English to Dutch and Dutch to English Translation). We have a broad network of highly experienced, qualified professional Dutch translators, who only translate into their mother tongue. What’s more, all our Dutch translations are proofread by a second, independent linguist. BLS has an extensive database of Dutch interpreters, selected according to their expertise, specialist knowledge, friendly attitude and professional reliability. BLS also works with some of the best Dutch language tutors, enabling us to offer you tailor-made courses to match your precise needs and suit your ongoing work commitments.