At the Center for Lao Studies (CLS), one of our main objectives is to promote and preserve the languages and cultures of the peoples of Laos. To this end, CLS offers professional Lao-English, English-Lao document translation services. Whether you have an official or legal document, or audio/visual projects to be translated, CLS can meet your needs. We use highly trained translators and services to ensure that the integrity of your document, its meaning, and the Lao language stays intact.
Translation fees are competitive, calculated on a per-project basis and vary according to complexity of the document, length of text, required turnaround time, file format and layout (see sample prices below).
Specifically, prices are based on these factors:
- Number of source words (words from the language being translated from)
- Complexity of the subject matter (i.e. legal contracts will be more expensive than business letters)
- Complexity of Lao language (vs. romance languages) and scarcity of quality linguistic resources in Lao
- Amount of time required to complete the assignment
- Translation for films/videos, song lyrics, or oral interviews will be priced separately
What you get from our services:
- Translation using pre- or post-1975 Lao spelling
- Native-speaking, educated and experienced translators
- Secondary translators to edit and proofread each document
- General formatting in commonly used software programs(Word, WordPerfect, Excel, PDF)
- All administration and account management
- Prompt service
Sample starting prices and turnaround times:
Document type/length (English into Lao) |
Turnaround Time (business days) |
Price per word |
Between 0 and 10,000 words Between 10,000 and 100,000 words Between 100,000 and 200,000 words Between 200,000 and 500,000 words Between 500,000 and 1,000,000 words Between 1,000,000 and 2,000,000 words Between 2,000,000 and 5,000,000 words Above 5,000,000 |
5 days 7 days 10 days 15 days 30 days 45 days 60 days to be discussed with client |
.25 cents/word .24 cents .23 cents .22 cents .21 cents .20 cents .19 cents .18 cents |
Document type/length (Lao into English) |
Turnaround Time (business days) |
Price/word |
Between 0 and 10,000 words Between 10,000 and 100,000 words Between 100,000 and 200,000 words Between 200,000 and 500,000 words Between 500,000 and 1,000,000 words Between 1,000,000 and 2,000,000 words Between 2,000,000 and 5,000,000 words Above 5,000,000 |
5 days 7 days 10 days 15 days 30 days 45 days 60 days to be discussed with client |
.30 cents per word .29 cents .28 cents .27 cents .26 cents .25 cents .24 cents .23 cents |
Editing/Proofreading:
- We can proofread and/or edit documents translated by another party, for approximately 50% less than a fully translated project
Rush Services:
- Please inquire about rush services. If it is possible, the price will typically be a 30% charge above regular rates