CONTEXTUAL TRANSLATION THAT PRESERVES MEANING
Our interpreters and translators bring cultural understanding to every word, ensuring accurate communication across languages and contexts.
BEYOND WORDS: CULTURAL CONTEXT IN TRANSLATION
Effective research with multilingual communities requires more than literal translation—it demands an understanding of cultural context, nuance, and lived experience. At De Spiegel Onderzoek, our interpretation and translation services bridge not just languages but cultural worlds.
Our team of interpreters and translators, many from refugee backgrounds themselves, combine professional language skills with cultural knowledge and research understanding. This unique combination ensures that meaning—not just words—is accurately conveyed across languages, leading to more authentic research outcomes.
Our Approach
THE DE SPIEGELONDERZOEK DIFFERENCE
Cultural Competence
Our interpreters understand cultural references, idioms, and contextual meanings that literal translation might miss, preserving the full meaning of communications.
Research Understanding
Unlike general translation services, our team understands research contexts and methodologies, ensuring accurate translation of technical concepts and research terminology.
Lived Experience
Many of our interpreters share similar backgrounds with research participants, allowing them to understand and convey nuances related to refugee experiences.
Ethical Awareness
Our interpreters are trained in research ethics and understand their role in maintaining confidentiality, neutrality, and participant comfort.
Relationship Building
Our interpreters help build trust between researchers and participants, creating an environment where authentic communication can flourish.
Service Details
OUR INTERPRETATION & TRANSLATION SERVICES
Research Interview Interpretation
We provide skilled interpreters for research interviews, focus groups, and other qualitative research activities, ensuring accurate communication between researchers and participants.
Document Translation
Our team translates research materials including consent forms, surveys, interview guides, and reports with attention to both linguistic accuracy and cultural appropriateness.
Back-Translation
For critical research materials, we offer back-translation services to verify accuracy and identify potential misunderstandings or cultural misalignments.
Multilingual Data Analysis
We assist in analyzing data collected in multiple languages, ensuring that cultural and linguistic nuances are preserved throughout the analysis process.
Cultural Consultation
Our team provides consultation on cultural aspects of research design, helping researchers develop culturally appropriate approaches and materials.
Languages We Cover
OUR LANGUAGE CAPABILITIES
Our team provides interpretation and translation services in multiple languages relevant to refugee communities in the Netherlands, including:
- Arabic (multiple dialects)
- Tigrinya
- Farsi/Dari
- Kurdish (Sorani and Kurmanji)
- Somali
- Turkish
- French
- English
- Dutch
We can also access interpreters for additional languages as needed for specific projects.
The Process
HOW WE WORK
1. Needs Assessment
We begin by understanding your specific interpretation or translation needs, including languages, context, and purpose.
2. Interpreter Selection
We select interpreters with appropriate language skills, cultural background, and subject matter understanding for your project.
3. Preparation
Our interpreters are briefed on the research context, terminology, and sensitive topics to ensure they’re fully prepared.
4. Quality Assurance
For document translations, we implement quality checks including review by a second translator and, when needed, back-translation.
5. Interpretation/Translation
Our team provides professional interpretation or translation services with attention to both linguistic accuracy and cultural context.
6. Feedback and Refinement
We gather feedback on the interpretation or translation process and make adjustments as needed to improve quality.
7. Documentation
For research purposes, we provide documentation of the translation process to support methodological rigor.
Case Study
CASE STUDY: UNCOVERING CRITICAL HEALTH INFORMATION
The Challenge
A health research project was struggling to understand discrepancies in survey responses from Arabic-speaking participants that seemed inconsistent with other data.
Our Approach
We conducted a cultural review of the translated survey and then facilitated focus groups with Arabic-speaking interpreters who had health research experience.
The Insight
Our review revealed that the original translation, while linguistically accurate, used terminology that had different cultural connotations in Arabic, leading to misunderstandings of key questions. Additionally, some health concepts didn’t have direct equivalents in Arabic.
The Impact
We developed a culturally adapted translation that preserved the research intent while being culturally appropriate. The revised survey yielded more consistent and accurate data, leading to better health interventions.
Benefits
WHY CHOOSE OUR INTERPRETATION & TRANSLATION SERVICES
Cultural Accuracy
Ensure that translations capture not just words but cultural meanings and contexts.
Research Quality
Improve the validity and reliability of multilingual research through accurate communication.
Participant Comfort
Create a more comfortable environment for non-Dutch speaking participants through skilled interpretation.
Ethical Research
Ensure informed consent and ethical engagement with participants across language barriers.
Methodological Rigor
Support the methodological integrity of multilingual research with documented translation processes.
Testimonial
CLIENT TESTIMONIAL
“The interpretation services provided by De Spiegel Onderzoek transformed our research with Arabic-speaking communities. Their interpreters didn’t just translate words—they conveyed meaning, built trust with participants, and helped us understand cultural contexts we would have otherwise missed. The quality of our data improved dramatically, and participants reported feeling truly heard and understood.”
– Lead Researcher, Public Health Institute
Call to Action
READY TO COMMUNICATE ACROSS LANGUAGES AND CULTURES?
Contact us to discuss how our interpretation and translation services can help you conduct more accurate and culturally sensitive research with multilingual communities.