What Is Translation?
Translation is rendering words or text from one language into another. Translation is Important Because People Prefer Their Native Language. … Almost without exception, people respond better to the language they grew up speaking. To effectively sell to people, it’s not enough to speak a language that they understand (especially if their understanding is limited).
Why Translation is Important in a World Where English is Everywhere?
English is the third most widely spoken language in terms of native speakers, of which it has at least 330 million. But if you count the people who speak it as a second language, it’s the most popular language in the world. So why is translation so important?
Here are 5 reasons translation is important and will remain so, despite the growing ubiquity of English.
1. Translation is Important Because Not Everyone Speaks English.
- Sure, English is the most commonly spoken language. But that doesn’t mean you can overlook all the people who don’t speak it! Even England is home to significant populations of foreign and minority language speakers. And just because a person can speak some English, that doesn’t mean they can speak it well enough to cope in all situations. For example, a 2012 survey from the European Commission found that only a quarter of Europeans could understand English well enough to follow an English-language news broadcast. Holding a basic conversation is one thing. Easy and effective communication is another.
2. Translation is Important Because People Prefer Their Native Language
- English is the most widely spoken language. But that’s only if you take second-language speakers into account. And lies the rub. Almost without exception, people respond better to the language they grew up speaking.
- To sell to people, it’s not enough to speak a language that they understand (especially if their understanding is limited). You must speak to them in the language their heart speaks. Dale Carnegie may have been right when he said: “a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” But the next sweetest sound is their native language. Babies as young as 5 months old have been shown to recognize and prefer it.
- Adults prefer it, too. A study from Common Sense Advisory found that 75% of customers “prefer to buy products in their native language.” And a study from Indian market research company Juxt Consult found that “almost three-quarters (of Indian consumers) prefer and seek content in their first languages.”
3. Translation Connects the Global Economy
- There’s a reasonable demand for translation services is booming. While English has been periodically crowned as the language of global business, translation and interpreting services remain a vital part of doing business around the world.
- For example, as of November 2015, 880,000 British small businesses were expected to expand overseas by 2025. It will interest to see how Brexit will affect those plans. But it’s unlikely that the need for translation services will suffer too much.
- “International growth is still key to increased revenues and profitability and companies will always seek to trade with overseas markets. Products launched beyond home borders will still need to meet the relevant packaging and labeling standards …”
- And that means they still must be translated.
4. Emerging Markets Mean Emerging Languages
- English may be on top of the world now, but that doesn’t mean it will stay that way forever. Other languages are growing in importance as developing countries take their places in the global economy, and more of their citizens gain Internet access. For example, most of the world’s web content used to be in English that is no longer the case and remember, even people who speak English as a second language prefer to read, watch and shop in their first language.
- Want to know which languages matter most right now? Check out the visualization of the worlds’ most influential languages.
- And what about the future? English will most likely share the stage in the years to come.
5. Translation Spreads Ideas and Information
What’s the number one reason translation is so important? It allows ideas and information to spread across cultures. Translation changes history.
- Need some examples? Consider:
- Arabic translators kept the ideas of ancient Greek philosophers alive throughout the Middle Ages.
- The Bible has been translated into at least 531 languages. No matter what you believe, the impact on history is undeniable.
- Translation is helping sports teams and organizations overcome language barriers and transcend international boundaries.
- Ted Talks’ open translation project makes the talks understandable to people around the world.
- There’s no denying the power of the English language. That said, the Tower of Babel isn’t coming down soon. Translation is important and will remain so for both individuals and businesses in the foreseeable future.
- When translating for your business, it’s important to get it right the first time. Choose qualified human translators to ensure your outreach efforts don’t end up a word salad.
What Makes A Good Translation Service Provider?
Translation Tips
If you are in search of a translation service, then it is likely you already know how beneficial professional human translation can be for your business. However, understanding how to choose the right service is a different story. We have explored some main factors you should look for in your translation experts.
- Language Proficiency
- The most important aspect of a translation service is language proficiency, and every translator should be fluent in his or her chosen language. But real fluency means more than just being able to read or speak the language; it also means understanding the structure and grammar behind the words and how to adapt them to make the translation fit the contextual requirements or your particular project. Tenses are also a vital aspect of a translator’s knowledge,
- With many languages, easy to misinterpret if tense is poorly translated.
- Real-World Experience
- Translation from a fluent language speaker is preferable to machine translation, but nothing beats the depth of insight offered by a linguist with real-world experience; a native speaker. Not only does this experience provide valuable knowledge about slang and colloquial terms often left out of dictionaries and language courses, but it also provides a thorough understanding of the culture and people behind the words.
- Translation is not limited to linguistics; it requires accurate cultural adaptation that can only be achieved by those with significant experience of the language’s native culture. A successful translation is one that does not sound like it has been translated, it slots naturally into the linguistic and cultural expectations of the new audience.
- Specialism
- A deep understanding and real-world, native-speaking knowledge of a language is the first step for a good translator. However, the best translators take things a step further and specialize in a topic or sector, providing in-depth knowledge of what they are writing about and the words they are using to convey the information.
- A true sign of a good translation service is its access to specialist translators. Although a general pool of advanced translators can provide enough expertise for many language projects, others may require specialist knowledge about a particular sector or form of writing or knowledge, for example, the technology or medical sectors come with their own industry jargon that needs to be known and understood by the translator.
- Much of our translation service work is for marketing departments, the translators are mostly marketing or business school graduates that have a deep understanding of the nuances of branding and language upon the consumer. They have a strong grasp of idioms and other cultural expressions alongside a talent for choosing the perfect synonyms to communicate your message.
- The best translators will also take time to establish the aims of each project, and any features that may require specific expertise, so providing a detailed brief is helpful.
- Accuracy to Tight Deadlines.
- Accuracy is key in translation, and attention to detail is one of the main factors that dictate whether a translation is successful. However, achieving the desired level of accuracy on a tight deadline presents a new set of challenges, and this can be problematic if you have chosen the wrong translator.
- A good translation service will ensure all grammar and punctuation are accurate, regardless of the deadline set. Translators should be fully equipped to provide culturally accurate translations under the agreed time restraints, once a deadline has been agreed.
- Beware of promises that seem too good to be true from your translation service and check out reviews online to see how your shortlist has performed previously. Also, note that requesting shorter timescales can increase the cost of the translation.
