Michael Dutton Language Services (MDLS) is a boutique translation and communications company. We specialise in creating captivating and authentic marketing content and accurate and accessible informational materials for a wide range of corporate, public, and third sector clients, primarily in English and Finnish. We don’t seek to compete with large communications and translation companies on prices or volumes. Instead, we draw on our strengths in delivering a service that’s genuinely tailored to meet your needs. We want to be your trusted partner and support you at every step of your communications journey. We are experts at leveraging the kind of hands-on, agile communications solutions that correspond to today’s rapidly changing digital landscape.
Our in-house team and small, carefully screened partner network consists of communications and language professionals with extensive experience and outstanding expertise in various roles in the translation and localisation industry. We have a deep commitment to excelling in what we do and producing the kinds of highest quality services that both we and our clients can take pride in.
Translation
We mainly translate into and from English and Finnish because we are native speakers of those languages. We take advantage of modern technology by using computer-assisted translation and terminology tools (CAT tools) that help us ensure the consistently high quality of our translations. While technology definitely has its place, we are firm believers in the unique ingenuity and creativity the human touch brings. Context and authenticity are key.
We are highly skilled at providing clear and accessible administrative content, highly adept at editing and proofreading complex academic research materials, and we truly excel in producing creative and marketing translations. We know how to look behind the structure and vocabulary choices of the source text and are able to choose the right words and expressions to accurately and authentically convey the message to your audience in the best possible way. Translating for marketing purposes often blends traditional translation methods with the creative approach used in native copywriting, and is often referred to as ‘transcreation’.
We are passionate about offering a comprehensive service and can deliver translations ready for publication.
Our in-house translation team specialises in the following areas:
– Marketing and social media
– Health and social care
– Medicine
– Sustainability, recycling, and the circular economy
– Corporate responsibility
– Public administration
– Scientific research
– Finnish and EU legislation (criminal law, general law, family law, human rights legislation)
– Equality, diversity & inclusivity (EDI)
– Accessibility
– Finnish and EU government and policy
– Business support services
Here are some examples of materials we have translated:
– Websites (including full website translation & localisation)
– Press releases and reports (internal & public)
– Academic research reports, journal articles, and conference papers
– Guides & administrative documentation
– Social media marketing campaigns
– Brochures & portfolios
– Training packages & online courses
– Printed publications & e-books
Revision
Does your text need a review to add an extra layer of polish? We offer proofreading, review, and editing services in English and Finnish. These services are always provided by native language specialists.
At MDLS, proofreading refers to reading a text and making the necessary corrections to it. This service is suitable for fluently-written texts that need to be checked for orthographic and grammatical errors only (such as punctuation, spelling mistakes, and formatting errors).
We also edit and revise texts to enhance the fluency and readability of the text in addition to ensuring the grammatical accuracy. Through our revision service, we will also check the vocabulary and terminological consistency throughout your text. Verifying a translation against the source text is also called reviewing.
Sometimes texts require more extensive alterations. In addition to the grammar and textual consistency, changes may be made to the structure and style of the text. This kind of extensive review is usually referred to as editing.
We always confirm any specific instructions and requests you may have regarding the review before we start working on your text. When your revision is completed, you will receive two versions of your text: one in which you can see all the changes and comments we’ve made, and a second in which all the changes have been accepted and the comments have been removed, ready for use.
Content creation
If you’re looking for original content, our copywriting and content creation services are the ideal solution to meet all your written communications needs. Whether it’s website content, marketing materials, video subtitles, or internal reports and strategic documents, we’ve got your back. Our extensive education and experience as copywriters and translators means we’re super detectives when it comes to background research for all our content creation assignments! This includes SEO and keyword research and implementation.
Here are some examples of texts we have produced for our clients:
– Blogs and social media posts
– Marketing materials
– Bulletins and newsletters
– Reports
– Non-fiction books
Our content creation wizards work mainly in English and Finnish but we can also provide you with content in other languages thanks to our extensive partner network.
Consultation
You can draw on our finely honed international communications knowledge and expertise in a broader setting than stand alone translation or content creation projects. We offer consultation services in the following areas:
– Communications, content creation, and social media strategies
– Accessibility & EDI audits of your existing communications material
– Internationalisation and localization consultancy