Translation...
Bridging the Vast Frontier of Foreign Language Marketing ©
As Voyager hurtles through the blackness of space, past the boundaries of our solar system, and into an infinity beyond our comprehension, it cradles messages of greeting placed there with the hopes that in some future era, an intelligent force of some kind might intercept and attempt to understand its origin.
Of course, this unique communication opportunity was not taken lightly. Because there was no way to know in what manner beings exchange information, universal types of messages were conceived that would come closest to having meaning for any alien receivers.
Fortunately, we don’t normally have to contend with such blindfolds because we are familiar with one another’s languages. But this familiarity does not warrant a relaxed attitude toward communications; there is no basis for the widespread belief that the languages of each unique group of people parallel one another word for word, meaning for meaning. Separate events surround the perpetual evolution of the various languages, and the differences in nuance and usage between them can be extensive. Many times there is no equivalent for a word or phrase from one language to the next because of colloquial or technical disparities, especially when dealing with the specialized terminology of business.
A translation is affected by the culture, chosen market, politics, and other such characteristics of the target country, which in turn can influence the physical length of the work; some languages (German, for example) can have 10 specific words that come close in meaning to the more ambiguous English. The correct choice must be made. and the sentence arranged to suit it. Many times, it is necessary to form two new sentences from the original one so that any information or stylistic considerations are not lost in the rework. The resulting text can reflect an increase in up to 50% in volume even though the meaning has remained the same.
Due to the inevitable changes, specialized attention is required for a quality translation that guards against any shifts in meaning. Otherwise, costly misunderstandings can result. Only an expert has the competency to avoid this. However, the translator must also have imagination so that his/her work will remain alive. Staleness is an occupational disease; creativity its cure.
When a translation is destined for publication, the process is even more involved. Once the creative rewrite of the foreign text has been completed, extensive editing and reediting must take place. It is imperative that the copy be examined by at least one or two other knowledgeable translators who can cross-check for correct word choices, punctuation, spelling, and natural language flow. Because of changes in the physical volume of the text, allowances must be made for this in the layout. Through the translators, graphic artists must have the liberty to rearrange copy block size and positioning in order to maintain an effective format. Typesetters must also work closely with the translators to ensure that any necessary word divisions, idiomatic abbreviations, or changes in sentence structure follow specific language rules. Any illustrations and color choices must be checked for cultural accuracy and acceptability. The end result of such team work is a unified presentation which is accurate, clean, and as effective in overseas markets as the original English material is at home.
Unlike Voyager, we don’t have to engrave our messages in gold to ensure that their significance hasn’t deteriorated by the time they reach the foreign recipient. We have had enough experience with one another’s languages to successfully exchange information so that it suffers no mutations through the translation process. But to accomplish this, it is necessary that skilled native speakers be given the time and liberty to transform a good English text into a cultural and esthetically correct piece of work; one that reads like an original in the foreign language, and not the skillful translation that it actually is.
© Copyrighted. All Rights Reserved
Not to be reproduced, copied, or used without expressed written permission.
