Managing preferences in translation
Translation is a critical component in uniting people and businesses across the world. Dating back to its origin, “translation” means “bringing across” or “carrying across.” Thus, with the aid of translation, one can break language barriers, which often stand in the way of effective communication. That’s why, when an individual or organization wants to share information with people and business contacts who happen to speak other languages, they employ the help of a professional agency for translation. However, if you’re on the other side of the fence, where you’ll be managing or handling the translations, there are some preferences in translation that you should know.
Preferences
Preference #1: The Actual Context
Before starting any translation job, it is essential to first understand the actual context of both the source and target language. And in this knowledge, you should have a lucid clue about the language’s meaning and connotations, and when they differ. In other words, their denotative and connotative meanings.
Preference #2. The Grammar Rules
To deliver an excellent translation service, it is significant that a translator is well accustomed to the grammatical rules of the two languages. For instance, understanding how verbs are used in English, and when to use an auxiliary verb in French.
Preference #3. The Spellings
So that you know, a single misspelling, especially during translation, could convey a whole new meaning to the original context. Thus, a good translator is always on the watch for the right spelling. And how can s/he do that? Through the use of a dictionary by their side. For instance, in America, it is ‘color’, in Britain, it is ‘colour’, Same words and meaning, but different spelling.
Preference #4: Writing conventions
Any good translator must always know the writing conventions of the target language. Conventions in the area of how they punctuate, make paragraphs. and so on. Now, this is important because it will help promote the readability of the translated piece. For example, while translating in specific languages like Hebrew and Arabic, a translator must translate using a right-to-left alphabet, for the job to be perfect. In essence, be aware of the target language conventions before starting your translation.
Preference #5: Proofreading
The best translators always carefully proofread their work, or (even better) use professional proofreaders, because no one is above mistakes. It’s that simple! So, when carry outing a translation service, let’s say from Spanish to Italian, make sure you proofread the Italian translated piece, to be sure that it aligns properly with the original context of the Spanish write-up.
Preference #6: Expertise
The truth is, when it comes to translation, it’s beneficial for a translator to stick to what they know best. For instance, if you need a technical or legal document translated, try to find a translator with that skill set.
These preferences are the factors that need to be considered to manage translations and achieve great results! Those who don’t follow these preferences, often deliver substandard translations which are more confusing than useful!
For expertise and a quality service, contact us for a quote!
