How to Ensure You’re Receiving A Quality Translation, Every Time

When you are getting an important personal or business-related document translated, it can be a stressful experience. How can you know that you are receiving a accurate and professional translation if you can’t read the language? Well, a lot falls to being able to trust your translator, but there are still several things you can look for when choosing said translator to ensure that you’re getting the quality you expect.

Let’s begin with an overview of the translation process: Before translating a document, the language translator must first read through the source text thoroughly: analyzing it, making sure they understand all the nuances and meanings, and compiling a list of any specialized terms that will require further research. They can then begin to translate the document meticulously into the target language. It then undergoes several careful revisions and a final read through before being considered finished. Clearly, the translator must thoroughly understand the grammar, syntax, and complexities of both the source and target languages.

Because of the level of understanding required for a professional translation, the first thing to look for are translators who are native speakers of the language you are translating into. This way, they will be familiar with the nuances of the language and with the culture involved.

When dealing with a freelance or independent translator, it is important to check their references and that they have several years of experience (generally speaking, the more the better). If you’re dealing with a company, it is a good idea to ask what they look for in a translator and how they choose which one is right for your project.

It is vital that the cultural references be right or the whole document can fall apart. For example, in a famous campaign, a company tried to promote their whitening toothpaste in Southeast Asia. They didn’t realize that locals chewed betel nuts to blacken their teeth and that darker teeth were considered most attractive. They further offended them with their slogan “wonder where the yellow went” which was perceived as a racial slur. Of course, their marketing attempt was an embarrassment and a failure; No one will trust their business to a company who doesn’t seem to understand them, or worse yet, offends them.

Finally, many wonder about machine translation/electronic translators. If there are many documents (or a long term project) that require translating, would it be better to invest in an electronic translator? The short answer is no. While many language translators make use of translation software (word processors and databases) to speed up the process, machine translation error rates remain quite high and it is best to avoid companies who use electronic translators.

Quality and accuracy are of utmost importance when translating a document for a target market. If you’re diligent when selecting your language translator/translation company, you’ll be able to avoid embarrassing mishaps, have a professional translation you can be proud of, and be well on your way to generating leads!