Five Simple Tips For Great Translation

Translating documents can be a frustrating challenge, but it can also be very rewarding.

Here are our tips to make the translation of documents more enjoyable, simpler and easier for your audience to understand

Here are our top five tips to remember when writing for translation:

1. Read through your piece carefully before you start – The key to successful translation is knowing and understanding the content of what you are translating. You must first understand exactly what the writer is trying to say, and second, exactly how they’re trying to say it.
2. Understand the writers style –g It is important to pay attention to every single word and phrase, you will begin to notice the writers style and tone. Make notes if you need to, especially if you spot anything that will be difficult to translate.
3. Be brief – The simpler the translation, the easier it is to understand, so keep those sentences short and sweet.
4. Avoid humour -It rarely translates well and can often offend the reader.
5. Avoid jargon and regional phrases – Remember that not all expressions are universally understood, some just do not translate.

Don’t forget that once you have completed your translation, read it back, do it after you have written it, then leave it a day and re-read again. You may spot an error or discover sentences that could do with a little extra tinkering. There is much to be said for sleeping on it, when your mind is fresh and you have had a rest.