Transcription

What is transcription or transcribing?

Transcription, also known as transcribing, involves converting audio or video recordings into written text. It can also be described as turning spoken language into written language. It is an important process in communication and information management, and has many uses in different industries.

When is transcription needed?

Transcription is needed when you want a written record of what is said in an audio file or video recording. Example areas of use include the questioning of witnesses and persons of interest by the police or prosecutors, or other oral evidence in court proceedings; various types of interviews, e.g. for surveys or research projects; meetings and lectures.

Take advantage of our experienced team of transcribers and translators

Do you have an audio file or video recording that needs to be transcribed or translated? Our team of transcribers and translators are skilled in a variety of languages and have extensive experience in converting audio to text.

 

How precise will the transcription be?

There are different levels of transcription. When ordering this service, it is important that you specify how detailed the transcription should be. Sometimes it is what is said that is most important, while other times it is more important to know how it was said.

We offer three different levels of transcription services:

1. Standard transcription
   We write (and translate) what is said, flagging any sections of text that are inaudible or difficult to decipher. However, we omit any extraneous information that is not relevant to the context (e.g. mumbling, repetitions, filler words, acknowledgement tokens, background music, pauses, etc.). This is the transcription level used most frequently by e.g. the courts, the police and customs.
2. Exact transcription
   When a client requests this level, we write (and translate) exactly what is heard, including all extraneous information, such as filler words, exclamations, background noise, laughter and hesitations. This level of transcription may be requested by clients who need a complete picture of what is said and heard, e.g. for certain interviews and research projects.
3. Edited transcription
   At this level, we convert (and translate) what is said into grammatically, orthographically, etc. correct language, without interrupted sentences, filler words, etc.
   This level of transcription is mostly used for meeting minutes and lectures.

 

How much does transcription cost?

The cost of transcription is based on the amount of (extra) time that the transcription work takes. There are a number of factors that affect how much time is required:

• Audio quality
• Multiple speakers – it is difficult to understand what is being said when several people are talking at the same time and you do not know who is speaking
• Distracting background noise from various outdoor environments, echoes, music
• Poorly positioned microphone
• Dialects, e.g. people speaking with an accent or in a dialect that is difficult to understand
• Specialised fields that may use specific technical jargon, internal abbreviations, etc.

 

Do you have needs that extend beyond transcription and translation?

We translate the transcribed text into the language of your choice. If you then want to use the translated texts as subtitles or as a voice-over in e.g. a video on YouTube, we can also help with that.

Contact us today to have your audio files and videos transcribed and translated by our experienced team. We will be happy to discuss your needs and how we can best help you. Alternatively, you can use the link below to request a quote or place an order.