Translation services and tips
Professional document translation services are important to hire to have a successful run overseas. The translation is a challenging process and when it comes to the translation of documents, it is rather technical.
Translators have to ensure that they follow the right pattern and format. It is also important to inspect that documents and content provided in the source language are accurate, correct, and good enough to have a good translation.
Translation involves the contribution of translators, editors, and proofreaders. Companies should ensure that it is up to the mark, and it is quality content.
Here are 9 translation tips, following these can help in a quality translation. Checkout for the more services Hmong Interpreters.
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Keeping sentences short
Sentences should be precise and short. Long sentences bore the reader, and they often lose interest. It is a good strategy to keep sentences short for better readability.
There should be a maximum of 20 words in a sentence to make it a joyful reading for the readers. It is important to convey the main crux in the best and most precise words.
The sentence should be as short as possible so that readers find it easier to read. However, it is also important that it should not lose the main point and idea.
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Using standard English and word order
People often believe that using complex words can help get more readers. This is not true. Translation caters to a general class of people. So, easy and standard English will make them helpful.
Considering Chinese masses, they don’t speak English and prefer their native language. Hence, it is also favorable to go for Chinese document translation services for this purpose. There should be proper placement of subject, verb, and object in a sentence. The translators should ensure that there are correct grammatical structure and proper punctuation.
Furthermore, it is also important that translators check the basics. Mistakes can also come from source language to target language.
Hence, the content provided for the translation should also be correct. Translators often find source errors but these should not replace proofreading original text for spellings and errors.
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Avoiding long noun-strings
When it comes to noun strings, it is always suggested to go for a local translation company for translation purposes. As for China, entrepreneurs should always hire a Chinese translation company for the translation of documents and content. As they know their masses better and can translate the content considering all factors.
Whenever connecting elements are removed or omitted from noun strings, readers have to infer the relationship between words. If a reader has to go through the sentences multiple times to comprehend properly, there are chances that translation will be even more complicated and the content would be ignored.
Hence, all the efforts would go fruitless. In such scenarios, translators often replace such words with either literal meanings or misinterpret them, which leads to poor translation. Therefore, it is important to consider the noun strings.
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Using one term to convey a concept
Translators often go for synonyms to make it look fancier and good to read. However, the fact is synonyms complicates the clarity. Writing single words for the same scenario and concept is important so that readers understand what they are reading.
Looking for different terms and synonyms to elaborate a single concept not only affects the overall consistency of translation but also leaves an impact on translation memory.
The translation management system can not offer the words accordingly in future translation. Eventually, such a scenario leads to decreased quality, much more cost, and delayed turnaround.
Translation memories leverage the terms in segments, so changing a word or even term with additional spelling can have an impact. It is better to consider writing and reusing existing content that has been translated earlier rather than writing from scratch. This helps in making most of the translation memory.
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Avoiding humor
Humor is not needed for informal content and translation. It has no equivalency in the translation. It is the same for jargon, metaphors, and regional phrases. Many translators are unaware of many terms used in different regions.
These terms have different implications in different corners of the world. expressions and humor are generally not well received or appreciated in the same terms universally. Hence, the best way is not to translate these terms.
However, if it is inevitable to add humor and is an important part of a global brand then transcreation services can be use.
It serves the purpose of communicating the same key message achieving the same effect with evoking the same feelings and usage of similar style and tonality that is clear in the source text.
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Clarity with international dates
Translation quality matters a lot and even minor things contribute greatly. When it comes to professional document translation services, quality is even more important. The translators have to be clear with the international dates and format to put the content.
Dates are written in different formats in different countries. The style guides should document the handling of numerals, units of weight, measurements, temperate, phone numbers, and times. These all are written in different patterns in different countries. The style of writing currency is also different.
For instance, 09/07/2021 is one date. Now is it September or July? It entirely depends on the location. For the US, it Is September, however, in Switzerland, they will read it as July.
However, the safest move could be spelling out the month to avoid confusion. In case of space issues, the month names can be abbreviate.
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Using relative pronouns like and which
These pronouns are quite common in translation. these are harmless. Translators may believe that they can proceed without these, however, using these pronouns improve understanding and grace the sentence structure.
Using that and which is imminent to make the sentence clear and precise. There are sentences that don’t have these and confuse the readers by creating ambiguities.
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Using active voice
Translation and its content’s quality are extremely important for companies. As companies opt for translation as a process of globalization, so, these are require for a foreign audience for business associates and consumers.
Hence, this has to be good. There are writers and translators who believe in detailing things in passive voice. However, using ‘was’ or ‘by’ may imply that a passive is in use. Using an active tone and active voice brings more clarity, lucidity, and precision to the content.
So, it is better to always opt for active voice, until the passive voice is unavoidable.
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Avoiding phrasal verbs
Phrasal verbs complicate the sentences and translation making content quite hard to read and comprehend. Phrasal verbs have multiple meanings and little information as well. The reader may be stuck with the right meaning of the verb in a particular sentence.
It is imperative to use words that make more sense, are formal, and are easily understand with the right context. Interestingly there are no phrasal verbs in the Chinese language and important to keep in mind while working on Chinese document translation services.
Final words
The translation process is challenging and draining. However, it always has room for improvement. Translators should ensure that they are taking care of certain factors while attempting translation. A poor translation is of no use and no one appreciates it.
Companies invest in translational tasks for a purpose, and it is a prerequisite of a successful process of globalization. Hence, they should ensure that the above-mention tips are use and follow while translating the content.
