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Did you know that English uses significantly fewer words to describe an idea or event than most European languages?
In fact, a typical translation from English to French or Spanish will have about 30% more words than the English original. This difference in word-count can have significant implications for documents or videos where the layout or format is fixed. If you know that a document or video is going to be prepared in multiple languages, take into account the different space and timing requirements in the original design. If the master tape is already prepared in English, the script translation can be prepared to retain the meaning and content, but condensed so that the recording in the other–language versions sound natural and not rushed. The goal is clear communication; not word–by–word translation. We can make recommendations on the best way to proceed in managing the cost and quality of your project.
Documents Are Like Fingerprints – No Two Are Exactly Alike.
Time and money are saved if we see the entire document/video to be translated before we give you an estimate. There are many specific details about a document that we take into consideration which affect the cost of translation and how we choose to have it done:
– The nature of the subject matter (legal, scientific, institutional, etc.)
– How “colloquial” the original document is or how much country ... specific jargon the document contains.
– How many tables and charts there are.
– What kind of labeling is in the graphics.
The list goes on. Use our expertise to estimate your job.
Translation Is Not Just Substituting “Word For Word.”
That is why computer generated translations are so unsatisfying. There is an art to making the translation flow as naturally in the translated language as it does in the original. We take into consideration the purpose of the document in order to pair you with the translator(s) with the right combination of language skills, technical knowledge and style. For example, a sales document must take cultural values into consideration. A product description in the United States written for a sales force where most have been employed by the company for years might be written in a tone and manner that is totally inappropriate for a sales force in Germany. Or, brochures for household appliances written for women in the United States who are experienced in buying electronic products might be very different from what is required when introducing a product in a market where the buyer is more likely to be the male head of the household and not nearly as experienced a buyer.
When is a job is too big for one translator?
If your project involves translation into several different languages, or if you have a very long and complex document, more than one of our translators is likely to be involved. TransXpert supplies the extra degree of coordination required to insure that the style and terminology are consistent and appropriate. TransXpert's professional oversight will assure that your final translation is smooth, natural, appropriate to the audience, and delivered in a timely manner.
Color is a language all its own.
Many colors have strong cultural associations. Chinese and Japanese see “red” as the color of prosperity, luck and good fortune. White signals wedding and happiness to Filipinos, purity for Americans, but death and mourning for the Chinese. Beyond cultural associations, well-known brands have strong colors identities as well. Knowing both the culture and the industry, TransXpert translators can make appropriate suggestions regarding the finished presentation which help your graphics and your text communicate your intentions.
Professions and industries in different countries have different customs, expectations, and rituals.
Americans are appreciated and sometimes even envied for their optimism and friendliness. American informality, however, can be perceived as unprofessional or rude in the wrong context. Sales materials, letters of introduction, videos, even business cards can unintentionally offend if presented in too casual and familiar a manner. Honorary titles specific to professions and industries are much more common in Europe and Asia than they are in the United States.
To make sure that your written and video materials translate your intent as well as your facts, TransXpert translators will incorporate the appropriate rituals and degree of “formality” into their translations. Their expertise incorporates sensitivity to the role of the product, service or institution within the designated professional world as well as its culture. Sometimes the intimacy in communication that makes sales materials perfect for audiences in the United States must be given up in order to respect the formality of other cultures.
TransXpert can also provide interpreters for meetings and conferences. In these settings, the interpreters can explain ritual body language that might be unfamiliar, such as bowing, head orientation, presentation of cards, hand movements and posturing. These non-verbal forms of communication vary greatly from language to language, but may be just as important as words in conveying your overall message.
Asian languages are computer–coded in an entirely different way from languages that use the Roman alphabet.
For normal text documents, this is not a problem. TransXpert translators have all the pictorial fonts used in most business transactions and will supply machine–readable files for your documents. However, Web pages which require pictographic or character writing need to be programmed differently than those using languages based on the Roman alphabet. Instead of using HTML (the language of Web sites) or another mark–up language, pages are composed with pictures of the formatted text. This means that pages take longer for the Web browser to download and are slightly more difficult to update or modify. TransXpert will supply pictographic files of translated text in whatever picture–file format your Web developer requires.
When is a contract not a contract?
The very literal interpretation of contractual agreements and laws that is common in England or the United States does not apply in many other cultures around the globe. The customs that you consider commonplace surrounding a business or legal agreement cannot be assumed to be the same as those with whom you are negotiating. The burden to spell out their expectations is on the culture with the more rigid and literal interpretation of law. If you are negotiating with a person with different contractual expectations, there are two precautions which will minimize the chances of misunderstanding. First, you can have the translation of your original contract back-translated through a different translator and then have the two versions -- the original document and the back-translated document -- compared. They will not be identical word-for-word, but the legal obligations should be the same. And a simple clause such as “in cases of disputed interpretation the English version will prevail” inserted in agreements can minimize the chance that legal disputes can be blamed on translations that were not sufficiently precise.
A bilingual person is not necessarily a translator although a translator must be bilingual.
A translator is also a communicator and must be familiar with the nuances of subject matter in both languages. When seeking translation services, many people forget how important those two skills are. Would you expect an English–speaking mechanic likely qualified to write the financial analysis for an English bank? In the same way, can you assume someone with fluency in conversational or social Italian is able to analyze the subtleties of an Italian contract and accurately translate them into English? In order for a translator to provide a smooth and natural translation, she or he must be a smooth and natural writer. The testing that TransXpert uses to qualify its translators involves evaluating all three areas – knowledge of the subject matter, knowledge of the language AND ability to write.
Confidential documents need special handling.
Translating sensitive legal or business documents requires special precautions. Confidentiality agreements should be signed, and documents should be transferred by secure means. Once documents are in electronic form, particular care must be taken. E–mail and database systems can be electronically entered and files transferred with almost no trace. And frequently the weakest link is not in the software password protection but in the way people protect the passwords. For sensitive documents, TransXpert personnel will agree upon security procedures in advance and provide the necessary written documentation to assure that these procedures are followed.
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