Thousands of languages make writing a rather subjective task. While there are rules which may appear to be universal, they can easily be altered to fit a certain stylistic choice. While fascinating how free-spirited writing is, it can be a bit confusing when you work with translators.

A translator’s primary job is to provide clear and contextualized translations to the client’s text. However, sometimes clients are confused by the write-ups submitted by the translators. To clear any of the common confusion, we have decided to help you differentiate and identify translation errors and preferential translation services changes. 

Translation Errors

The goal of a properly executed translation is for the source text to match the translated text as much as possible. This task is not simply done with the correct language but also by understanding cultural contexts, idioms, and any jargon present.

If any of the translated text fails to match what the source text hopes to convey, it counts as a translation error. These errors are usually objective and stray away from common grammatical rules. These errors can also be due to spelling mistakes, missing passages, or other mishaps with more to do with the content not being translated properly.

While technical, these errors can be quite significant mistakes. Language barriers can cause spellings to mean completely different things in another context. A professional language interpreter avoids translation errors as much as possible.

Preferential Changes

While translation errors rest more on an objective scale, preferential changes are purely subjective. As the name suggests, preferential changes are what the client might prefer from the translation.

Suppose you’re translating a story into Arabic and encounter the word ‘house.’ The Arabic words for a house are “bayt,” “maskan,” “manzil,” “mawaa” to name a few. The translator will evaluate the most suitable word to use out of the lot. This choice is determined by the demographic that will be reading the translated work. Age, dialect, location are just a few factors that influence preferential changes.

Professional translation agencies often provide clients with a ‘Translation reference.’ This document is filled with all the details and requests for the translation that is being done.

Translation reference documents reduce delay in work since all the required preferential changes can be written down beforehand for the translator’s convenience.

How to Optimize Translation

Image Filename: client-and-translator-shaking-hands

Image Alt Text: Trust between a client and a translator could help in producing successful results.

The best way to go about with translation errors and preferential changes is to be very honest about your expectations. Communicating what you expect from your translated work could benefit you greatly and make it easier for the translator to make the appropriate changes.

Additionally, sometimes, if you’re unsure which wording would suit your translated text better, it’s always recommended to trust your translator. Certified translators go through hours of training in the language they work on and are well-versed in what words and phrases would better suit the text. If you ever feel flustered with the choices, asking your translator for advice could prove to be very helpful!

If you are looking for certified English translation services, be sure to give Crest Language Services a try. Our team of dedicated and certified translators and interpreters can provide you with high-quality translations that best suit your needs. We provide interpretation and document translation services in various languages.

Contact us today to avail our services!