5 Effective Tips For Successful Translation

by Bhanvi Kumari All in one business management software

Organizations across the world use translation services in one way or the other. Either to reach out to new customers or due to legal obligations, translation becomes necessary.

A good translation is imperceptible. It makes the translated text look like the original. Whereas, a bad translation will damage your credibility. That is why successful translation is a challenge.

But, here are 5 effective tips that will enable a successful translation.

1. Plan Ahead

Planning is the key to a successful translation. It involves understanding your translation needs before you start the translation process.

Assess which documents or which web pages you need to translate. Identify the target languages to which your documents need to be translated. Provide all these necessary details to your translator ahead of the project.

Also, set a deadline for the project. But, make sure that you have given enough time to the translator for proofreading and making the final ready.

As translation is a creative process giving ample time will bring out the best in the translator and you will have a successful translation.

2. Quality of the Source Text

Often, bad translation is due to the quality of the source text. As a translator can translate only what he/she gets, make sure that the quality of the original text is good. Plan and prepare the source text accordingly.

Avoid unwanted jargon, idioms, and colloquialisms. These are difficult to translate. Also, remember that not all languages have the ease of your language.

It is why, for a successful translation, you have to create the source text as simple as possible. Use short sentences and small paragraphs. But keep your message intact.

Also, remember that not all text can follow the above rules. Consider, for example, legal documents. These are loaded with terminology and jargon. To successfully translate such documents, you need to hire specialized translators.

3. Provide Glossary and Style Guide

According to experts from a leading translation agency in India, organizations that provide a glossary and a style guide achieve successful translation.

These are two important things that you can provide to your translator before starting a project.

A glossary contains terms, expressions or words that need to be present in the translated text. The style guide gives an idea about your organization's communication style. For example, some show humility in their communication, while some are upbeat.

4. Consider Localization

Though the world is globalized, people are emotionally attached to their native languages. It is why you need to consider localization for a successful translation.

Hire an agency or translator that can provide localization services. They should be able to use appropriate local dialects, words, phrases or expressions according to the local language and culture.

5. Choice of Design

|Successful translation does not mean merely translating words from one language to another. It involves keeping the page layout or design of the source text intact.

In many languages, it takes more words to express something. This disturbs the original design of the source. It is where your choice of design in the original text becomes important.