The Art of Translation
"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is really a large matter — it’s the difference between lightning and a lightning bug”
Mark Twain
Don’t assume that all native speakers are able to translate and just being bilingual doesn’t cut it either.
Translating takes years of experience and detailed subject matter knowledge. Translators work into their native language. They need excellent writing skills in their target language, and excellent comprehension of the source language. They must possess in depth subject matter knowledge.
Back in the day, I was a technical translator for manufacturing companies and I used to walk onto the manufacturing floor to learn the ins and outs of the respective machinery and its functionality before I even started the translation process.
So how do we do it and what do translators have to watch out for?
Tone and style of a language is the most important part of the translation process. This requires a lot of experience and know-how. Tone of voice is also of high importance. Are you thinking of translating a fun video, an operating manual or a legal document?
Synonyms can be disastrous. Certain words mean different things in other languages, they should not be used interchangeably, you may offend someone!
Cultural aspects must be taken into consideration. In order to comprehend such, translators must know all the subtle differences and live in the country the text is being translated into. Idioms and phrases hardly ever translate into other languages.
An experienced German translator knows that “There is no fool like an old fool” translates to “Alter schützt vor Torheit nicht”.
Languages are different and word-for-word translations do not work. Each language has its own style of grammar, its own style of writing, some languages don’t follow the subject verb order in sentences. Different languages, different grammatical structures.
Proofreading is a must to eliminate mistakes like missing punctuation, incorrect spelling and context errors. Our proofreaders will make sure that this won’t happen and saving you money in having to fix costly mistakes afterwards.
Therefore, we prefer to work only with translators that have a degree in translation, at minimum of five years of experience, industry specific knowledge, and they must sign an NDA with us, so you can be rest assured your sensitive material is in good hands with us.
Need help or have questions? We are happy to share our years of global business experience and our advice is always complimentary.
Call us at +1 636 530 1010 with any questions you may have and we will provide you with 10% off your next translation project.
Have a great spring. Susanne Evens, Founder & CEO AAA Translation