In addition to selecting a reputable translation
provider, there are many ways in which a
consumer can improve the quality of a document
that she wants translated. |
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Provide Context |
Context helps translators
get a better feel for a subject matter.
While what you want to emphasize about the
document or project is up to you (what comprises
“good context” varies across
projects), a translator will do a better
job if he can understand the target audience
of the document. The key point to take away
is that spending a little time spent thinking
about how you can facilitate the job of
the translator reduces risk of translation
error and is thus in your best interests.
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Avoid Culture-Bound
References |
| Culturally
specific references are often difficult
to translate. Be wary of references to popular
culture such as television programs, movies
or sports. Avoid Jargon, Abbreviations,
Ambiguous Phrases and Puns: like
references dependent
upon a shared culture for robust meaning,these
modes of expression
may make writing more colorful and entertaining
when the audience shares a vocabulary with
the writer, but are often very risky to
translate (if translation can be accomplished
at all). Overuse of these writing tools
will likely confuse or perhaps even offend
your targeted audience. While I recommend
avoiding hackneyed expressions like “think
outside the box” and “mind your
p’s and q’s” to English
speaking audiences as well, they are infinitely
more likely to baffle a foreign audience.
|
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Budget
Time Realistically |
| Be wary of how fast a
translator can work. Quality translations
must be carried out by human beings, and
human beings have natural limitations on
how fast they can work. |
| |
Allow For Changes
In Text |
| Certain
target languages lend themselves to inflation
or deflation in the volume of text, and
thus you shouldn’t be surprised if
the text of the translated document contains
50% more words than the original, or vice
versa. |
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