January, 2014
Technovate Translations would like to thank you for your patronage in 2013. We have enjoyed the past year, but now it’s time for a new year and for continued growth. We are ready to take on new challenges and tackle new hurdles so that we can serve you better!
Happy New Year!
What Is the Difference Between Translation and Localization?
Translation and localization are two related but distinct concepts that work together to help make sure your material reaches its audience effectively in a way they’ll understand. Knowing the difference can help you make an informed choice about the type of service you need for your next document, software, or other type of translation.
Translation is easy to define. It involves expressing the concepts and ideas given in one language into another language. But there are many different approaches to translation, depending on what is needed. For example, if the exact meaning of the source text has to be maintained, a much more literal (word-for-word) translation is needed than if the artistry and feeling of the source text is instead the more important factor.
Localization: Levels of Localizing Content
Localization, on the other hand, involves adapting a translation to the specific audience that will be using the translation. Every time professional translation happens, some degree of informal localization occurs because the translator is translating for a specific group: speakers of the target language. But this is only one level of localization.
A translator who is intimately familiar with the target audience for a translation can also adapt that text so that it meets the audience’s expectations and needs. For example, native speakers of the language can tell whether a translation is speaking to the audience in their preferred dialect (languages aren’t the same worldwide!) and whether all of the terms used are translated into correct equivalents.
Coca-Cola’s Translation Failure
For example, Coca-Cola had to apologize when it failed to realize that its use of the French-language word retard (slow) in dual-language Canadian bottle caps for Vitamin Water would be offensive when English-language customers picked up the bottle caps.
Localization helps to prevent errors like these by considering who is reading your translation to make sure the translation is not offensive and is appropriate for their culture. A reputable translator like Technovate Translations can provide localization services to help you gain customer appreciation and increase sales.
Looking back, Setting Goals and Looking Forward
As we enter 2014, I’d like to take a moment to look back at what we did right over the past twelve months and a few places where we can improve. Ultimately, success entails getting better at what one does, and 2013 showed us a path to greater success and provided us with important tools for achieving it.
In 2013, we focused primarily on our corporate client base, composed of several hundred regular corporate clients for whom we manage internal language translation needs. We completed projects that were complex in nature, including important manuals, legal documents, print-ready books, product launches and websites, just to name a few.
In 2013, we committed ourselves to implementing total quality improvement. This involved increasing our roster of translation specialists to 5,000 and ensuring that every project is reviewed through our formal quality control process. In fact, for many projects we’ve instituted a tertiary quality control process where a third translator rechecks a complex project to ensure absolute quality assurance.
We improved our systems, and this has allowed us to manage projects more easily and find the right translator for a project more quickly. In turn, this allows us to handle larger projects with shorter deadlines. This has empowered us to maximize our project managers’ efficiency to ensure seamless client care. In so doing, we undertook an important internal reorganization to ensure we can reach our company goals by meeting staff and translator needs and, more importantly, delivering the best possible product for our clients with the most comprehensive customer service.
This year will see a continued effort to strengthen our relationships with our clients, generate new business and bring new corporate clients into the fold through our focus on exceptional quality.
Last year we set a goal of contributing a percentage of our profits every quarter to a worthy cause, and we hope you enjoyed reading how we accomplished that goal in our previous newsletters. During the course of this year we look forward to seeing the strengthening of our existing long-established relationships as well as the flourishing of new corporate clients and business relationships.
Here’s to great quality in 2014 and terrific relationships with clients old and new!
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