Category: Localization

Posted on

Localization: Writing for Translation

by Jen Weaver View our profile on LinkedIn

Have you ever borrowed someone else's notes to try to study for an exam or understand a topic? You probably found that it was more difficult to fully grasp a concept when using someone else's thoughts. You might have spent a great deal of time trying to navigate new abbreviations, note-taking styles and the nuances of the author–and missed a key concept. Translated materials can have the same uncomfortable feel to the Limited English Proficient (LEP) reader when the source document is not written with an LEP audience in mind.

Experienced translation professionals know that sculpting written content into another language is best accomplished with documents written with the understanding that they will eventually be translated into other languages. Here are some tips on creating content ready for translation:

  • Use numbered or bulleted lists rather than lengthy paragraphs of text.
  • Avoid using slang. It will not often translate well between languages and will date your materials when used in the future.
  • Break up lengthy phrases.
  • Avoid embedding text in graphics when possible. Embedded text requires that the graphics are recreated when translated, resulting in a higher cost. When possible, it's better to place text labels under graphics rather than inside of them.
  • Limit the use of screen shots unless you want to have those re-created and translated as well.
  • Try and use location and cultural neutral images. This includes ambiguous ethnicity for people and locales that can relate to many countries or areas.
  • Leave white space in the English files to allow for text expansion when the file is translated.
  • Concise, straightforward content is best. Plus, translation is billed per word, so short simple text will also save you money in translation.
  • If reading level is a concern, keep this in mind when writing the English copy. It is very difficult to translate materials into a different reading level than the source copy.

Following these simple guidelines for translation will allow your LEP audience to focus on the important things you have to say.

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If you would like to learn best practices for managing translation projects, contact Jen at Carmazzi Global Solutions.

Posted on

eLearning and Documentation: To Translate or not to Translate… That is the Question!

by Jen Weaver View our profile on LinkedIn

As global reach expands and local diversity increases, interactions with coworkers, employees, or clients bring us in contact with those who speak different languages. As a result, we are faced with the new demands of a diversified audience coupled with tight budgets, limited time and in an overall downturned economy. Achieving a high return on investment from your training, eLearning, and communication initiatives is extremely important, starting with the initial decision: to translate or not to translate?

Before starting a translation project, you must first determine what business requirements the project will address. Some questions to consider upfront:

What's your goal?

For example, is the implementation of translation going to contribute to reaching sales targets, meeting legal requirements, to better educate staff, or are there other obligations? In short, what is the desired return on this investment?

What caused the need for translation?

Is this a current need or are you working in consideration of future goals? Can translation be postponed until a later date or is it imperative that you start the process now?

Can you have optimal success without translation?

Is translation a nicety or necessity? Is translation a pre-existing expectation of your target audience? If the answer to this question has yet to be determined, perhaps developing a test group or pilot translation strategy would be beneficial before establishing a long-term policy.

What's the long-term goal?

Consider your ongoing translation and localization plan, including project sequence and potential support needs. How does this project fit into long-term translation strategies?

What's your budget?

Determine your budget for translation in light of the desired results and your business needs. Translation and localization cost is the opportunity cost to reach your desired target market or achieve your business goals in a diverse sector. A secondary question to consider here is "How much of this cost can be absorbed internally?" While bilingual staff members may be able to complete an internal quality assurance review, be careful not to assume too great a risk by using staff members to translate if this is outside of their intended job description. While they are familiar with your company, you may sacrifice the expertise a professional translation company can provide, and this approach could end up costing you more in the long run.

Are you set up for victory?

Unrealistic budgetary restrictions or diminished turn-around times may limit your service quality and mitigate your expected results. For optimal success, work with your translation project manager to determine realistic expectations for budget and project timelines."

Answering these questions will start you off with a firm foundation to support future translation success.

Example of bad translation: Carefully slip and fall down 

Look before you leap, otherwise you may need to heed this bad translation blunder and carefully slip and fall down.

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If you would like to learn best practices for managing translation projects, contact Jen at Carmazzi Global Solutions.