Asian Absolute Newsletter, Autumn 2007

For many who have not done so before, purchasing translation services can be a daunting process. The following is a brief overview of some things that are worth considering when placing a translation project, and tips on how to ensure that the process flows smoothly.

If you have selected a good translation agency, your account manager should be on hand to guide you through the process, let you know what is needed from you and ultimately minimise the effort required on your part. But, if you have produced the source text, you will know better than anyone what your intentions are how you would like your text to be received, and it can sometimes be a good idea make a few changes on the basis of this. An obvious example is to play down or cut out any cultural references or jokes which might fall flat in another part of the world. Remember that concepts will not necessarily be understood by your reader as you understand them – a casual reference to a ‘typical Winter weather’ will evoke a different image to people in different parts of the word. This may sound obvious, but many people forget to check their writing for such geographical and cultural ties.

You probably do not want the translation to take too long or to cost you the earth. As most translations will be charged by document length, you can avoid nasty bills by cutting unnecessary text out of your documents. Say only what you really need to say to your audience and cut out any needless padding. This will also save on your printing and shipping costs if you are undertaking fulfilment in your target market. By using pictures, diagrams and maps to illustrate your points, you can often cut down on words without depriving your readers of information – such actions are likely to be appreciated by both translator and reader.

Consider before you commission a translation whether you need it for publication or for information only – then let your translator know this, as it will help them decide what kind of language to use. Some languages, such as Japanese and Korean, employ different words and phrases depending on who a text is being written for, so don’t be surprised if your translator presses you for extra information – give them as much as you can to work with and it will pay off. You might also need to take advice on regional variations of a language – this is particularly true in China, where several variants of the language are used. Again, if your agency asks a lot of questions, they will all be for your benefit, so give them as much information as possible.

On a practical level, ensure that your text is final before you submit it for translation. Extra edits once the translators have started work are likely to delay your translation and can often end up costing you more as well. If it becomes unavoidable that you have to be writing parts of a document after translation work has begun, ensure that you date all edits and make changes clear. Organising your files logically from the beginning will make life much easier for you and for your translators. Similarly, if you are asking your agency to localise artwork files, make sure that they have everything they need, from fonts through to image files, as this will allow them to produce a localised product which lives up to its original.

A good agency will be able to advise and guide you on all of these issues, but only you can tell them what you want the translation for and what your preferences are. If you think about these issues in advance, the process is likely to flow smoothly, quickly and to satisfy all of your expectations.

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