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10 The Source Language: the language and culture you translate from – variations in formality, dialects, regionalisms and so forth

9 The Target Language: the language and culture you translate into

8 The Text Type: the genre, style, topic and content affect the choice of vocabulary and grammar

7 The Purpose of the Translation: why does the text need to be translated? This influences the translation strategies; especially if the translated text is to have a different function to the Source Text

6 The Intended Audience: the audience of the translated text may differ to the Source audience; this might include subject knowledge!

5 The Source Text: the text to be translated; if this is poorly written, or illegible, the translation suffers as a result

4 The Medium: is the text written to be spoken or read? By the many or the few?

3 The Deadline: rush jobs may save time but tight deadlines invariably lead to slips and poor quality

2 The Client: the individual needs and demands change from client to client

1 The Translator! Human? Computer assisted? Individual? One of a team? Expertise and experience?

Translation is hotpot of variables. But like a chef who recognises the nuance and subtle impact of each ingredient, a good translator must recognise the significance of each variable to produce the finest five star translations.