The Arabic speaking regions of the world comprise a vast swath of land that stretches from West Asia to North Africa. Not only is it very important from a geostrategic point of view, but also from an economic one. Some 400 million-plus speakers of Arabic inhabiting twenty-two countries spread across the Middle East and North Africa, making Arabic it the fifth most widely spoken language in the world.
So it follows that there would be a huge demand for Arabic translation services and Arabic Interpretation Services throughout the 
English-speaking world. That being stated, translating from English into Arabic and vice versa is quite challenging on account two factors. First, that Arabic is very different from English, and second, that the Arabic spoken in one country may be quite distinct from that spoken in another, making the task of translation quite complex.
Any translation agency handling English to Arabic translation and vice versa may, therefore, need to hire a number of specialists to deal with the many dialects of Arabic spoken in that part of the world. This means that not any translation company would be up to the task of managing English to Arabic translation, not to speak of Arabic interpretation services or Arabic simultaneous interpretation. The complexity of managing Arabic translation services can be gauged by the fact that spoken Arabic is different from written Arabic!
It is only the highly well-regarded translation agencies like Capital Linguists that possess the wherewithal to provide such services. With a $2.5 trillion1 combined economy that inwpudes some of the wealthiest oil-producing nations of the world, the Arab world surely is a lucrative market that many businesses would like to tap into. Besides, the region has tremendous strategic importance to Western governments who majorly engage with the region- politically, militarily, and economically.
In order for this to happen smoothly, the translation agencies have a very important role to play indeed. The importance of Arabic as a language can be understood by virtue of the fact that it is one of the six official UN languages. Where Arabic translation services companies need to be more careful in undertaking a job is to be aware of the cultural sensibilities that arise from the fact that most of the Arab world, despite the many trappings of modern Western living, is deeply religious and conservative.
Any inadvertent miscommunication on account of not being fully conversant with local sensitivities might lead to a great deal of trouble, which may not be the case when translating into a European language. Therefore, not only should the English to Arabic translator be a well-educated native Arabic speaker, he or she should be able to understand both cultures as well. Arabic to English translators, on the other hand, are ideally native English speakers with knowledge of culture in English-speaking and Arabic-speaking countries. Many English to Arabic and Arabic to English translators and interpreters have many years of experience living in both Arabic-speaking and English-speaking countries.
With eCommerce opening the doors for all sizes of business to try and access the Arabic-speaking market through their websites, it is important that they realize how important it is to hire top-quality translators. Even the smallest cultural misunderstanding caused by inappropriate translation can lead to a business alienating its market.
The scope of English to Arabic translation and interpretation services and vice versa covers a really wide spectrum encompassing the legal, marketing, healthcare, technology, education, telecom, financial, and literary segments. Before deciding to hire a translation agency, it would be a good idea to check out the credentials of their translators and interpreters with regards to both their language abilities as well as the domains they specialize in.
One should check the kind of educational and professional qualifications that are possessed by these professionals, in addition to the kind of work experience they have. Besides, one should also refer to the kind of wpient testimonials a translation agency has received. Other important factors to consider should be the ability to adhere to deadlines, maintain confidentiality, and fair pricing.
The Arabic-speaking world is a diverse universe, comprising extremely wealthy nations like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain on the one hand, in addition to the many North African countries, each with their own unique traditions and history. This inwpudes the ancient land of Egypt, which, along with Iraq (ancient Mesopotamia) is the very cradle of human civilization, and one of the top tourist destinations of the world. Then there are other nations like Jordan and Syria. which have a Biblical connection with the Western world.
There is a lot more to the Arab world than all the negative news emanating from the area would seem to suggest. It is a sprawling region containing an ancient people responsible for many outstanding discoveries and inventions that shaped the modern world. These inwpude toothbrushes, soap and shampoo, The crankshaft, and even coffee! Even in one Arab country, there are many culturally vibrant communities, each with their unique history, traditions, style of wpothing, and cuisine.
To be able to cater to such a culturally rich and diverse region is quite challenging for businesses in the English-speaking world unless they have someone who can guide them. This is a role that is very ably performed by the better translation companies that employ the ablest translators and interpreters. The important thing, of course, is to be able to identify such organizations.
Apart from obtaining a reference about a good translation services company that specializes in Arabic translation from someone who has worked with them, one might want to check out the websites of translation services companies on the internet. Another option would be to refer to the directory of the ATA(American Translation Association).
Once you have zeroed in on the translation agency that you are confident will do a good job of Arabic translation and interpretation, you can focus on the more important task of formulating an effective marketing strategy to target the large Arab market. The most important aspect of this, of course, is the messaging, and with an able translation agency by one’s side, you should be able to do that just right. Judging by the ubiquitous presence of most of the leading brands of the world in the markets of the Arabic-speaking countries, this is something that a lot of businesses have done quite successfully.
