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When it comes to your translation process, it can be tempting to oversimplify what it’s truly all about. In reality, it involves a lot more than simply processing the words and translating them into Chinese, Spanish, Russian or some other language. It goes beyond simply capturing the general gist of the content. Rather, a successful translation process requires a lot more than mere fluency. Careful attention to detail is also absolutely critical.
However, it’s one thing for you to understand that the translation process is a lot more complicated than it might appear at first glance. It’s quite another for you to understand how to spot the difference between a great translation and a less-than-great one. Here we’ll take a closer look at the qualities every good translated piece should have. We’ll likewise explore how you can make sure your company’s projects are always at an acceptable standard.
1. Flawless Clarity
To begin with, a good translation absolutely needs to be as clear as possible. Consider the number of English documents you’ve read. Some of them were clear and concise and utilized language that was easy for you to follow and understand. Others may not have been so easy to process. They may have rambled or included odd word choices that made it difficult to grasp what the author was trying to say.
You often see the same kinds of discrepancies with translated documents. Some pieces are clear enough to get the point across properly. Meanwhile, others really struggle to meet the end goal. So, you should make sure your company’s translation provider has both a firm understanding of the languages involved and solid writing and document handling skills.
2. Accuracy and Detail
A good translation is thorough and detailed. As touched on above, this thoroughness means more than capturing the general gist of the original document. Good translations accurately and efficiently translate every sentence and every word within that sentence. Nothing is embellished and nothing is omitted.
An expert translation service understands the importance of attention to detail. The translators they assign to your projects will be patient and detail-oriented. They will take pains to go through a document and accurately translate every part.
3. Natural Flow
It’s also important to capture a good degree of balance between fine detail and natural flow. While it’s definitely important to make sure discrete words and phrases are accurately translated, the finished document shouldn’t read like something a machine spit out. This will lead to a reading experience that is stilted, hard to follow, and even harder to understand. (Just think of the monstrosities Google Translate has the ability to generate!)
A great translation ought to thoroughly and accurately convey all the ideas in the original text. This should be done in a way that makes perfect sense to someone who speaks the translated language. What’s needed here is an ability to make use of localized turns of phrase and colloquial expressions. This is an especially important consideration when it comes to ultra-complex documents covering nuanced topics like medicine or law.
How Can You Make Sure Your Projects Measure Up?
When you aren’t multilingual yourself, it’s only understandable that you wouldn’t quite know where to start when you check a translated work for quality. That’s exactly why it’s so important that you only work with companies and professionals you know you can trust.
Work with a team of professionals who have completed many projects of a similar nature for other clients in the past. Ask for references, and make sure to follow up with each and every name you receive. Let your fingers do the walking. Check out the company’s professional reputation online. After all, nothing prepares you for the experience you’ll have with a given service quite like the experiences of similar customers before you!
Last, but definitely not least, always trust your gut. If you have any qualms about a given option, there’s most likely a good reason for it. Steer clear of companies you don’t really gel with on a personal level. At the end of the day, you’ll be glad you did.
Consider a Partnership with TrueLanguage
Are you looking for a partnership with a language service provider? If so, you may wish to consider TrueLanguage. We offer ISO-certified state-of-the-art business translation services that are on budget, on time, and to the exact specification. Every time. Or perhaps you’re just looking for a cost-free, no-obligation estimate for your next translation project. Either way, we’d love to hear from you!
