In the world today, companies frequently require communicating across languages. Let’s be real – translation isn’t just about swapping words like a magic trick. It’s about ensuring your message hits home, no matter the language. And if you’ve ever tried to use Google Translate to order food abroad, you know things can get… lost in translation.
So, how do you avoid a language disaster?
This blog provides six practical tips on how companies can effectively collaborate with translation services to deliver accurate, culturally rich translations that support business objectives.
1. Define your project scope clearly
Without knowing what you want, translators will deliver what may not align with your objectives, and you end up wasting time and effort. Before getting a translator or looking for translation services near me, ensure you have a clear plan in place.
What should be in your scope?
- Type of Content: Are you translating legal documents, marketing materials, user manuals, or website content? Different types of content require different approaches.
- Target Audience: Who is the translation for? Consider the language dialect, cultural background, and even age group of your audience.
- Desired Tone: Should the content be formal, friendly, or technical? Defining the tone enables translators to make the right word choice decisions.
For example, if you’re translating a marketing campaign for a new product launch, ensure you communicate the brand voice and image to your translation partner.
2. Provide context and reference materials
One of the most frequent mistakes in translation projects is providing only the text to be translated without sufficient context. Translators need to understand not only the words but the meaning behind them. Without context, translations can be inaccurate, especially when dealing with idiomatic expressions, industry jargon, or culturally specific terminology.
Here’s what to provide:
- Glossaries: If your company has unique terms or jargon, provide a glossary to ensure consistent terminology in all translations.
- Previous Translations: If there are existing translations, providing them can ensure voice and style consistency.
- Style Guides: Style guides that outline tone, formatting preferences, and brand voice can be a big contributor to the success of your translation project.
“Context is king in translation,” Localization Industry Standards Association co-founder Nataly Kelly says. “Without context, translators have to guess at the meaning, and that can cost a lot.”
The price of unclear instructions can be steep. Think about translating an ad campaign with no context—what could go wrong? The message may not resonate with your target audience, resulting in a potential loss of business. Giving as much context as possible allows translation services to do good work, reducing misunderstandings and rework.
3. Engage key stakeholders early
Another essential aspect of collaboration is engaging all the key stakeholders at the beginning. This is more than collaborating with just the translator and project manager. Depending on the project, you should invite people from various departments to ensure that the translation is in line with company goals.
Key stakeholders may include:
- Marketing teams: Ensure the brand tone and message are translated correctly across languages.
- Legal teams: Check legal documents to ensure correctness in the context of language and local compliance.
- Subject-matter experts (SMEs): Translating technical manuals or medical reports and having an SME involved can assist in ensuring correctness in industry-specific language.
According to a Localization World study, engaging stakeholders earlier enhances the accuracy of translations by 25%.
4. Take advantage of translation technology
The translation industry has come a long way in recent times, and advanced tools and technology are now more within reach. By using these tools, companies can enhance efficiency, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness in translation work.
Some helpful tools include:
- Translation Management Systems (TMS)
- Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) Tools
- Machine Translation (MT)
Gartner Research states that firms using both human and machine translation cut project costs by 30% and project completion time by 40%. These tools can be of particular value if you have a large translation project and want to save on translation service costs without sacrificing quality.
Table: translation tools comparison
| Translation Tool | Purpose | Benefit |
| TMS (e.g., Awtomated) | Project management | Organizes workflow, stores translations |
| CAT Tools (e.g., SDL Trados) | Assists human translators | Ensures consistency in large projects |
| MT (e.g., Google Translate) | Quick, automated translation | Handles bulk content quickly |
5. Set Realistic Deadlines
One of the most common problems with translation projects is the issue of tight timelines. Tight timelines can compromise the quality of the translation and introduce bugs, especially for technical or complicated material.
In setting deadlines, factor in the amount of text, the content’s complexity, and reviews from stakeholders. For instance, translating a marketing tagline would take less time than translating a complex legal contract or technical manual.
What affects translation timelines:
- Content Volume: The greater the volume of text to translate, the more time it takes.
- Complexity: Technical or specialized content requires research and careful attention to detail.
- Number of Languages: Translating to multiple languages can extend project timelines, especially for languages with few translators.
Ann Friedman, CEO of a top translation agency, discovers, “Always build in extra time for reviews and revisions. Even the best translators benefit from a second set of eyes.” Rushing the process can also raise the price of translation services, as changes made at the eleventh hour typically incur extra costs.
6. Foster two-way communication and feedback
Co-operation is successful if and only if there is communication. You must keep channels of communication open between your staff and the translation service provider during the project.
Tips for communication:
- Give feedback: Double-check the first translation and give constructive feedback to the translator upon completion.
- Ask questions: Translators can be unclear on certain words or content. Ask them to ask questions instead of guessing.
A study by Translators without Borders reveals that giving feedback improves the quality of translation by 20%.
According to John O’Shea, an experienced translator, “The more information and feedback a client provides, the better the final translation will be.”
Final words
Co-operating with translation services can make a huge impact on the perception of your business worldwide. By clearly defining the project scope, giving reference material, getting stakeholders on board, using technology, making realistic deadlines, and keeping channels of communication open, you can guarantee top-quality translations.
In searching for translation services near me, keep in mind that the cost of translation services could vary based on the complexity of the project, language pairs, and the technology used. However, collaboration is necessary in optimizing costs and outcomes. With these six tips, you can streamline your translation process and form a successful collaboration with your translation service provider, attaining global success for your brand.
Key Takeaways:
- Project Clarity: Define scope, audience, and tone to avoid confusion.
- Provide Context: Provide glossaries, past translations, and style guides.
- Involve Stakeholders: Engagement of key team members at an early stage ensures accuracy.
- Use Technology: Use TMS, CAT tools, and MT to increase efficiency and reduce the cost of translation services.
- Set Realistic Deadlines: Give translators ample time to deliver high-quality work.
- Communicate Openly: Provide feedback and ensure two-way communication for better results.
These practices will enable your business to optimize translation efforts while ensuring high quality and consistency standards.
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