When writing something that you know will be translated, there are often things you can do to make the translator's job easier and reduce the chances of error. Here are some writing strategies that will help prevent your ideas from being "lost in translation."
1) Use simple, clear sentence structures to avoid misunderstandings.
2) Stay away from unnecessary colloquialisms and slang. They can be difficult to translate, and there is a high potential for confusion. If you say that a woman is a "fox" in the U.S., this means that the woman is attractive. But if you say that a woman is a fox -- "zorra" -- in Spain, it is a strong insult.
3) If you are translating small fragments of text (for example, for website buttons), make sure that the translator has enough context information. Let's say you are translating a website from English to Spanish and the English button text says "Open." The translator needs to know if the word is being used as a verb or an adjective. If it is an adjective, the correct translation will also depend on whether the noun it describes is singular or plural, masculine, or feminine. Just the word "Open" is not enough information!
4) If you use acronyms or abbreviations, include an explanatory note for the translator. For example, the acronym ROR can stand for "Rate of Return," "Return on Relationships," or "Rules of the Road," among other possibilities. Don't assume that the translator will be able to guess the meaning you intended.
5) Avoid puns and word-play, such as saying that a cat is a "purr-fect" pet. Such puns can be almost impossible to translate. And if the translator is not a native of your language, he or she might not even notice that a pun is intended!
6) Avoid unnecessary local references that might not be recognized in the target culture, including references to:
- celebrities, politicians
- TV shows
- local sports
- local holidays, customs
- local products, brands
An American knows what it means if someone talks about "kicking off" a meeting or says that something was a "home run," but these expressions may be meaningless in another country.
7) Be very careful to avoid accidentally offending with references to religion, politics, or other sensitive topics that might be seen differently in another culture.
8) Be aware that humor doesn't always translate well. Different things are funny in different cultures. Even if the translator finds the right words to express a joke in a new language, it might not amuse.
9) Proofread, proofread, proofread. A misspelled word can confuse your translator, who may not know what word you actually meant to write. Similarly, if you forget to punctuate or end a sentence, copy and paste something incorrectly, or make other writing mistakes, this is going to be a problem for the translator, who is responsible for staying true to the original text, but who cannot read your mind.
More ways you can help your translator:
- Send as much information as possible about how the translation will be used (Is it for a marketing brochure? An instruction manual? An informal e-mail?)
- If you have similar translations in the same language that have been completed in the past, provide these as a terminology reference.
- Do you know of specific websites or other information sources about the topic of your translation? It is always helpful to provide links and materials to the translator as background.
Think of your translator as a partner, whose goal is to provide the most accurate and appropriate possible translation of your text. Help your translator help you.
Sylvia Wagner is a marketing assistant at TranslationAdvisor.com, the professional translation services guide, with translator price comparison information and free translation help. Check out Translation Advisor's free English to Italian translation resources - Copyright: You may republish this article provided that the text, author credit, active links and this notice remain intact.
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