Living in a global economy implies that on many occasions, we find ourselves in need to translate both personal and professional documents. The accuracy of translated documents is of utmost importance in order to maintain its validity and also retain its essence. This is where a professional and accredited translator comes into the picture. The translator, in addition to having the necessary skills, also takes into account the required guidelines for the translated text so that it is as effective as possible in conveying the original message.
It is important to remember that translation is much more than simply moving phrases from one language to the other. It is a creative process that involves taking into account key aspects like the purpose of the message, its target audience, language, social and cultural nuances. Therefore, it is interesting to review some of the usual errors that appear when we consider the translation of a document.
Neglecting the Quality of the Original Text
Having a well-written text, with the right style, sentence structure and consistent word choice is essential before moving on to its translation. After all, the quality of a finished product is always decided by the quality of its raw materials!
Good communication knows no boundaries – if the original document is poorly written or its content is confusing, the translation will most likely have the same deficiencies. It is worth spending time reviewing every detail in order to ensure that the document from which we translate is clear and faithfully conveys what we intend to communicate.
Translating Too Much
It is not always convenient to literally translate everything that is a part of the original document. Sometimes there is a lot of text that is not useful for the audience of a different country, for example, local issues. In such a case, these content blocks should be previously identified to decide which ones can be deleted in order to focus on the quality of the rest of the text.
Not Having an International Vision
Keep in mind that the audience from a different country could see the world from a different perspective. Consequently, it is advisable to avoid reflections or expressions applicable only in a particular culture of origin since they can be misunderstood in other cultures. A native professional translator can be of great help in such a scenario and can help avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.
Hiring Low-cost Translations
The number of choices available in the translation market can be overwhelming, making it difficult for a company to zero down on the perfect translation partner . However, cheap is often expensive in the long run, especially when it affects communication. A good translation is laborious and complex work – it takes time, and time is money! Do not rely only on prices when making a decision. Compare other elements such as quality of previous work, workflows, team structure and professionalism. Keeping a balanced view of all these aspects is ideal.
Doing it Yourself
Knowledge of a language does not necessarily mean that you know how to communicate effectively. Correct writing with a proper style is not always easy to achieve. If you do not translate regularly, it is advisable to let a professional take care of the job. Past experience and mastery of the native language is essential in order to achieve an accurate translation that is completely understandable by the target audience. If you still want to try, keep in mind that nobody likes to read a poor translation of their own language and you may end up offending a majority of your target audience.
Trusting Automatic Translations
Technology has come a long way, but not enough to provide translation software tools that are completely reliable. Yes, it is true that modern machine translation systems offer a higher quality than a couple of years back, but it is still far from regular human quality. For now, programmers have not achieved a product capable of matching the skill and experience of a professional human translator.
Not Checking the Final Text
Reviewing the text well, if possible by several people, is a fundamental step that is sometimes ignored due to lack of time or resources. It is essential to proofread the documents in order to spot any translation, grammar or spelling mistakes. Checking the final text for accuracy and language quality is essential and should never be ignored. It is also a good idea to ask a second opinion from an acquaintance who is a native.
Getting translations done from a certified translation company is unarguably the best move, as it will remove the unnecessary hassles and maintain accuracy along with an assurance of quality.
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