Find a foreign language partner

[nomis5]

I've found a partner who has translated my English site into Russian and it's doing fine. "Translating" is really a misinterpretation because after the initial translations he has built the site to his own vision just barely using my original vision as a template.

I have another site which I think would be financially viable in the Russian market. I don't want to use a translator, I want a partner who will add Russian value to the the translation. Any ideas where I should look / advertise for such a person?

[LifeinAsia]

Anything wrong with using the same person? If the first site is doing well, it sounds like he may know what he's doing.

Or ask him to recommend someone- maybe he knows some people who would love this type of opportunity.

[nomis5]

The partner I have at the moment has a full time job as well as updating the site. He appears to be very busy so I don't really want to encourage him to divert his efforts away from the existing site.

I think you're right in suggesting I go down the personal recommendation route. I have very little knowledge of the language the site will be translated into, so I need to trust the partner to a high degree. I can't check their work (except by SERPS results) and could easily be led up the garden path.

The thought behind my original post was that I could cut costs by using a partner living abroad. Pay in Russia is a lot less than here. The lure of using cheap labour keeps nagging at the back of my mind. But maybe "cheap" won't equate to good results.

[Habtom]

Get it translated by someone else, and let the person you trust check everything for you.

[Rumbas]

That's good advice from Habtom!

Also, I think you're doing it right by employing local native speakers to "translate" the site and keep it updated.

I have struggled with translation for a long time and the right way IS by using local guys and not just someone that translates.

However finding good peopl that wont stiff you or do a poor job, is very difficult. Have you considered contacting universities or student portals?

Good luck! :)

[edited by: Rumbas at 3:08 pm (utc) on Dec. 6, 2007]