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Four paths to the perfect translation

So you have a text and need it in one or multiple different languages? That’s a clear-cut case for translation. Right?

In fact, it’s a bit more complicated than you might think. First you have some decisions to make in order to get a text that ticks all the necessary boxes.

Not all translations are the same, and expectations can differ widely. Below we’ve listed four possible methods that can be used to relay a given text in another language and we describe when each method is most appropriate. These are: simple translation, localisation, transcreation and copywriting. So which method is suitable for which cases?

Simple Translation

When we say “translation”, many people imagine taking the words from one language and replacing them with their equivalents in another. But even simple translation is not as simple as all that. Even if two languages are relatively similar, it’s important to pay attention to the small details so that the translation does not sound awkward or clunky. Just think about idioms – translating those word-for-word would be as useful as a chocolate teapot!

Localisation

Localisation goes one small but important step further than literal translation. Although it remains relatively close to the original text, localisation goes beyond the individual words and places greater focus on their meaning. Localisation is chosen so that the text reads well as a whole. Units of measurement, for example, will be altered to suit the target culture. A localisation exactly reflects the contents of the original and only deviates if the target text would otherwise not be understood.

When do we recommend localisation?

Localisation is most appropriate for technical texts in wich the structure and individual sections of content musst directly correspond to one another. Such texts include:

  • Contracts
  • Manuals and installation instructions
  • Software

What are the advantages of localisation

  • Content doesn’t deviate from original document
  • Text is easy to understand
  • Excellent transparency due to sentence by sentence translation

Transcreation or adaption

With other text types, it might be necessary to move a little further afield from the source text. This strategy is known as “transcreation” or “adaptation”. While linguistic expertise and specialist knowledge about the topic at hand are a given, the translator who produces a successful transcreation must also be well-versed in the cultures in question and have a knack for creative writing. Using transcreation means the translated document will deviate more from the source text in order to evoke the same (emotional) response in both or all languages.

When do we recommend transcreation?

The more a target market differs from the source market in terms of cultural background and society, the more a translation will differ from the original. That is particularly true for texts where emotions and cultural norms play an important role. Such texts include:

  • Marketing and website texts
  • Advertising
  • Newspaper and blog articles

What are the advantages of transcreation?

  • Evokes the same (emotional) response as in the original document
  • Texts are creatively appealing
  • Cultural norms are taken into greater consideration

Copywriting

In advertising and marketing, it can sometimes make more sense to leave the source text to one side and start afresh in the language of the target market. This is called copywriting. Based on a language-independent briefing, copywriters create a text for the target market in question. This enables the copywriter to unleash all their creativity, without the constraints imposed by a source text, in order to create a text which fulfils a certain purpose. In fact, copywriters are not necessarily multilingual; what matters is that they boast exceptional talent in the language in which they write.

When do we recommend copywriting?

There is a huge overlap between transcreation and copywriting. A new text, independent from the original, is most beneficial if the demands in each market broadly differ. Such texts include:

  • Texts which form part of a large marketing campaign
  • Email campaigns
  • Texts and campaigns posted on social media

What are the advantages of transcreation?

  • More opportunities to tailor texts to target group(s)
  • Even more creative freedom
Check out the following table to compare the different types of translations:
LocalisationTranscreationCopywriting
DefinitionA translation which has been checked for accurate meaning. Context-dependent terminology, adjustment of units of measurement etc.The text is tailored to the target audience. It does refer back to the source text, but does so without using it as an exact templateNew text, created specifically for the target audience. This is done using a language-independent brief that ensures the same impact in all markets
SpeedRelatively quicklyNeeds some timeNeeds some time
AccuracyReflects content accurately, only deviates if otherwise hard to understand or problematicCan differ substantially from the literal meaning in order to send the same message; target-market corporate language is usedCan differ substantially from the original while retaining the same effect
Added valueYesSignificant added valueSignificant added value
Cultural implicationsNo faux pas, easily understandable by reader in target languageAdapted to target culture/market, fulfils the same function as the source text but for the target audienceAnchored in the cultural setting of the target audience
Types of textsTechnical texts (contracts, IT texts, manuals …)Advertising, marketing, articlesAdvertising, marketing, articles
RequirementsTranslator needs cultural and technical knowledge in addition to linguistic skillsTranslator needs technical knowledge, cultural awareness and linguistic creativity in addition to linguistic skillsTechnical knowledge, cultural awareness and linguistic creativity. Copywriter does not necessarily need to know how to translate or speak the source language.

As you can see, there are plenty of questions that need to be answered. Let us help you find the right type of translation for your project. Contact us now.

AI Interpreting

People often ask me whether my work as an interpreter will soon be taken over by Artificial Intelligence (AI). After all, translators and interpreters are often found at the top of the list of jobs most affected by AI. I find this a little worrying, but at the same time I am fascinated by the progress we have seen in the past few years. So it’s time to find out what AI is actually capable of.

I was able to attend a presentation of an AI interpretation system, which is currently hailed as the “best there is”. 

The setup:

The system was asked to simultaneously translate a speech from German into English, French, Spanish and Italian. The text chosen was the script of a General Annual Meeting. This is a pre-written text, which was read out in clear and accent-free German. As a listener, I was able to select subtitles, or listen to the sound, in any of the languages.

The output:

I am an English interpreter, so I was particularly interested in the English translation rendered by the AI interpreter. The German-English language combination can be expected to be comparably good because the volume of training data is considerably larger than for the other combinations tested here.

The voice of the AI interpreter was male and spoke with an English accent. So far, so good. Listening was extremely cumbersome right from the start, though. The AI interpreter tries not to leave out a single word – which means that it has to speak very fast indeed. The time delay between the original voice and the interpreter was much bigger than it is with a human interpreter. Apart from the speed, the fact that there were no pauses where there should have been – but pauses in unusual places – made understanding difficult. Word stress, pauses, variations in speed and volume of speech were all missing. These are acoustic cues that help convey meaning beyond words. Once I had stopped feeling dizzy, I started concentrating on the actual content of the speech. It was possible to have a vague idea of what was going on, but no more than that. There were some hilarious errors, such as “we have to put a tooth on”, which is the literal translation of a German idiom that means notching things up a gear. For the most part, all I heard were sequences of words without meaning.

The process:

AI interpreting is a process that consists of several steps:

  • Step 1: Speech recognition: Even though our speaker spoke clearly and without an accent, the automatic speech recognition struggled. This is a serious problem, since the output of the speech recognition is the basis for the next step, the machine translation. 
  • Step 2: Machine translation: Machine translation such as with DeepL has some basic problems that become very obvious here:
    • The machine is a universalist. But our speech was on financial topics. The AI interpreter would not be able to tell whether the German “Bank” should be translated as “bank” or “bench” because it is “context blind”.
    • The AI interpreter translates EVERY SINGLE WORD, but not the meaning. In spoken language, we use a lot of redundancies, unnecessary repetitions, go back to correct ourselves, do not always use correct grammar. The AI interpreter will do the same. Human interpreters smooth out any imperfections, so that ultimately they translate the content and the intention, rather than the words.
  • Step 3: AI generated voice. Choosing a pleasant voice and a preferred accent seems to be the easy part. But when we speak, we use a lot of cues that go beyond our choice of words: we adapt and vary the speed, pause, use intonation, vary volume within a sentence – the AI interpreter can’t do any of that.

The verdict:

At today’s level, AI interpreters are not even suitable for simple, non-critical applications. Even though the test I attended did not include any particular challenges, such as a strong accent, grammatical mistakes or cultural references, the output was simply unusable. If there is such a thing as “more unusable”, the translations into French, Italian and Spanish were it. The large group of interpreters who had dialled in for the test agreed that they had not expected the results to be this bad.

The demonstration brought home the complexity of the interpreting process, which is a cognitive performance that depends on words as its building blocks. But building blocks can only be used to construct a stable structure if we actually understand what we are doing. That includes understanding the context, the cultural environment, knowing who the speaker is, who the audience are, and much more. 

As interpreters, we do not translate mere words. We are like a filter that ensures that the output matches the speaker’s intention. Of course we need to know our vocabulary. But we also know who we are communicating with and how to do so in an appropriate manner. In other words, interpreting is a deeply human activity.I am fully aware that this is just a snapshot. Immense investments are being pumped into developing the technology. I have no doubt that we will be seeing progress in the next few years. But we still have a long way to go.

If you would like to book human interpreters for you next event, please do not hesitate to contact us.

How to keep your eyes healthy at work

With the digital takeover in recent years plus the sudden transition to working from home catalysed by the Covid-19 pandemic, there’s more need than ever to keep an eye out for our vision (no pun intended…). Read on to find out about the dreaded “computer vision syndrome”, how it’s caused, and how to beat it.

Do you suffer from computer vision syndrome?

Do you spend multiple hours a day in front of a screen?

Are you burdened with:

  • dry/itchy/irritated/watery eyes, 
  • headaches,
  • feeling dizzy or nauseous, 
  • sensitivity to light, 
  • the sensation that you have got something in your eye
  • and/or blurred vision?

If yes, then it’s possible you’ve been in the firing line for computer vision syndrome.

What’s more, this issue may affect your sleep since blue light interferes with your inner circadian rhythm by delaying the release of melatonin, the sleep hormone.

But let’s not skew off topic.This issue impacts our physical health and our sleep – for one, that’s no way to achieve a good work-life balance. That’s why we’ve got some tips to help you get to the root of the problem and nip it in the bud.

What causes this problem?

It can be caused by multiple factors:

  • incorrect distance from the screen
  • incorrect screen settings
  • not blinking enough
  • wrong/poor lighting
  • lack of ventilation, dry heating air 

So how to alleviate the problem?

  • The 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet (6m) away for 20 seconds.
  • Check your distance from the screen! According to screen size for 50-75cm, make sure the upper edge sits at around 10cm below your eye level. Also tilt the screen 5 degrees backwards. You can also do the “arm test”. If you think you are sitting too close to the screen, outstretch your arm while sitting in your usual working position – if you can touch the screen, you are most definitely sitting too close!
  • Check your screen settings: low amount of blue light and a high contrast are recommended, but in general, every person has his/her own preference.
  • If you work with multiple screens, make sure they all have the same brightness settings and are located right next to each other (no gap between them).
  • Lighting: The lighting in your office is also important. Make sure you have a source of (natural or artificial) light, ideally shining in from the side of your desk.

And finally: make sure you are blinking enough! When staring at a screen we often blink significantly less than usual. Ensure you blink enough to help prevent dry eyes.

Terminology Management – what is it good for?

Every industry and every business has its own terminology. Here‘s how a company-specific database of terminology helps your company attain consistent quality and brand recognition, saving you time and money. 

The words and phrases you use to describe and identify your company, products and services are your corporate terminology. It may include technical nomenclature, phrases, trademarks, product names, slogans and abbreviations. These reflect your industry’s standards and speak to your expertise. They also make your company recognisable and ensure consistency. 

Terminology management is the process of identifying, storing and maintaining your terminology. The identification of specific terms that are relevant and affiliated with your company is called extraction. Unlike a dictionary, terminology management is organized by concept, not by word. 

Overall, terminology management will strengthen your company’s identity through coherency, relevance, and consistency. It helps you to:

  • be recognisable and inspire confidence in your customers;
  • ensure quality and avoid embarrassing or even costly mistakes;
  • save time and money by having the terms you need at your fingertips;
  • ensure your internal communication runs smoothly.

Why can terminology be a challenge and what can you do about it?

No one knows your products and services better than you do. Likewise, you are a real expert in your industry. So why should terminology management ever be a challenge? Here’s why:

  • For many terms, there is more than one option.
  • Different communication channels and communicators need to be coordinated.
  • You don’t speak all the languages for all your markets.
  • You might lack a centralised place to store and maintain terms.
  • The staff across your company may not recognise the importance of coordinated terminology use.
  • Terminology may change over time.

Even once you have identified the relevant terms and phrases, you still need effective processes to document, maintain and communicate your choices and ensure they are upheld. This is all the more relevant when it comes to non-domestic markets, whose language and stakeholders you might not be entirely familiar with. Terminology management enables everyone within your business to use the same language when describing your products, services and processes.

How can you organize your terminology management in all markets?

The key to good terminology management is a centralised location to store and maintain terms. This can be a simple glossary or a multilingual database if you are active in more than one language. Such a database enables you to:

  • Give all stakeholders access to the relevant terms, slogans and phrases
  • Keep terms consistent and relevant with real-time updates
  • Save time and ensure quality and consistency

You also need someone who can dedicate time and effort to maintaining your database and to ensure that the terminology is actually used. A very effective option is to work with your language service provider and tap into their existing technology. They routinely manage customer-specific termbases and can help you to not just establish the right terminology but also maintain it long term. 

Save time and money: a return on investment

Sounds great, but won’t that cost you more money? It is understandable you may view terminology management as an additional cost. However, return on investment is guaranteed through ensuring effective and efficient internal and external professional communication

Integrating terminology management will speed up content creation and translation by having a corporate language database with preferred wording at your fingertips. Not only will terminology management save you time and money. It is also a cost avoidance measure, preventing your entity from producing content that needs to be removed or revised – for example because it doesn’t perform, is inaccurate or even illegal. Incorrect terminology can cause significant financial damage. 

You can reduce these risks while saving time and money by employing a qualified language service provider to establish a custom terminology database across all the languages you need.

Curate your global corporate identity and generate a custom terminology database that is right for your company. 

Contact Peschel Communications for our terminology management services.

Save money on translations without compromising on the outcome

Why cheaper doesn’t always mean spending less – and what really pays off

In the era of machine translation, why would you invest in an expensive, professional translation? Because what may look like a bargain could end up costing much more down the line! Here’s how you can still save without compromising on the outcome.

Most companies know that outstanding product and service quality comes at a certain cost. They happily invest in talent, research, product development and marketing. But when it comes to selling their products and services in foreign-language markets, the same companies are often more reluctant to part with their money. Is it really necessary to pay so much for a translation? Haven’t we all been told about the wonders of machine translation? Or why not at least use one of the cheaper vendors? Didn’t Jenny from marketing used to live in Spain? Surely she can do a quick translation? Sadly, what looks like saving money on paper doesn’t always cost you less. 

The hidden costs of a cheap translation

There can be several reasons why saving money on translations doesn’t actually pay off.

  • Quality

Quality is the main factor leading to hidden costs. You may pay less initially when you opt for machine translation or just any vendor. But will the result actually get you what you want? Without a doubt, machine translation has made great progress in recent years. But human beings still beat machines in many areas – such as cultural know-how and market knowledge, intuition and creativity. What’s more, machine translation often produces factual errors or omits important parts, while cheap vendors may work with inexperienced or unqualified staff and not have proper quality assurance processes in place. This might not matter if all you need is an “FYI translation” that tells you roughly what a text says. But when it comes to product information or marketing materials that will go out to your customers and prospects, surely you want a text that flows, makes sense and does not contain errors. The same goes for the countless “discount vendors” who are all over the internet and translation portals these days. Translations produced this way are not even worth the little money you did pay.

  • Reputational damage

The kind of quality issues described above can cause direct damage: reputational damage. You think no one is going to notice a few typos and not so elegant phrases? Don’t count on it! There are many regions, markets and industries where a lack of linguistic quality will be associated with inferior product and service quality. Even worse, it might even be considered ridiculous or – worst case – insulting. Content errors, for example in a package leaflet for a medication or an installation manual, can cause liability issues that jeopardise your entire business.

  • Direct losses due to a lack of success

A translation that fails to address the target audience properly or doesn’t serve the intended purpose is dangerous for another reason: If the translation is a fail, you won’t sell. While you might be saving money on the translation, you lose money later by simply selling less or not gaining a foothold in your target market. Don’t forget: You only pay for a translation once – but it will be the face of your product or service for years to come. So while you are paying less money in the first place, a badly translated text can cost you again, and again, and again.

The cost-shifting behind a cheap translation

As we’ve seen, machine or non-professional translations have a very direct impact on your sales and your financial success. But there are also indirect consequences, when costs are simply shifted from A to B.

  • Internal capacities and resources

Many companies make do by having translations checked and updated internally. Some even ask their own employees to do the translations, even if they are not qualified for the task. Someone who is a great salesperson or marketing expert is not automatically suited to translate. Here’s the catch: Firstly, paying your internal employees for the time spent on these updates is likely to be more expensive than paying an external service provider.These are running costs. But that doesn’t mean that you’re not paying. Secondly, you’re wasting precious resources. If internal employees are forced to spent a lot of time on translations, they arenot spending on what they’re actually meant to be doing. A sales representative won’t be selling anything during this time. A marketing team member won’t be planning any campaigns etc. 

  • Endless editing

  What is often advertised as “could you just quickly double-check that” regularly amounts to many hours of work. Turning a bad text into a good one takes a great deal of time, skill and concentration. Not only do internal employees frequently lack the linguistic skills that are needed to properly understand the source text. They also lack writing skills. After all, being a native speaker of a language is not the same as having a qualification that enables you to write or translate in a professional capacity. Not every sales rep is a linguistic genius. They went into sales for a reason, this being what they’re good at. If you ask your sales people (or anyone else who is not a qualified linguist) to revise a text, you might end up with an insufficiently “corrected” text.  Again, this costs you time and money.

  • Complex proofreading and quality control

        Correcting a badly translated text is a lot of work. You might end up paying more to have a text edited than a good translation would have cost you in the first place. Whole passages may need to be rewritten or rephrased, unclear passages clarified. In the end, you’ll have saved neither saved time nor money.

How to cut your translation costs without compromising

So what does this mean for you? If you’re aiming to spend less money on translations it’s because of real economic considerations and constraints. So how can you go easy on your purse without compromising on the outcome?

Fortunately, there are several ways to stay mindful of your translation budget. They’re simply not the ones you might have had on your radar.

  • Get everyone on the same page and seek advice

The starting point for getting a good translation is to know what you want to achieve and to let your translation agency know: What do you need the translation for? Who is your target audience? What are you trying to achieve with this text? Are there other documents that relate to this text? Getting everyone on the same page is priceless: Clarifying up front what will save time down the road. You will get exactly the text you need the first time round. Why not ask your translation vendor for advice? What actually makes sense in your target market? What specifics should you be aware of?

  • Check and shorten your documents

Finalising your documents prior to translation makes the translation process as efficient as possible. Make sure your document has been internally approved. Any unclear passages are bound lead to questions during the translation process and may require you to update your final text. Your translation service provider can also help you with preparing your source text, for example by proofreading it prior to the translation. Maybe shortening the text is an option? Do you really need a “translation” of names, sources or product names that stay the same in all languages? Are all of the paragraphs relevant for your target market? Are headlines such as “Here’s the intro” even intended for translation, or were they just meant as guidance? Or you might be able to work with diagrams and get rid of some text altogether. There’s great potential here and your translation service provider can definitely help you find the best way.

  • Consistency and specialisation

  A good translator is going to ask questions and turn your responses into the best possible phrasing. Of course, specialist know-how plays a huge role here. And no one knows your products and services as well as you do. Put that to good advantage by partnering with one translation agency only. They will get to know your company and your products and apply this knowledge in future translations. Any products or processes that you’ve demonstrated or explained once, you be background knowledge for the next text. There are real efficiencies and savings to be tapped into. And why not opt for a service provider who knows all about your specialist area or your type of text in the first place, for example solar technology or marketing?

Not wanting to spend money on translations can be risky and will actually cost you for years to come. That doesn’t mean you don’t have options: Being well prepared and getting the translation process right will really pay off. Let us tell you how.

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