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[L40]Language Translation From English

by Sammer Hakim, Sam

Businesses justify not using language translation services with many excuses. The bulk of these excuses are founded on common misconceptions. Here are the most common:
It costs too much: Just like most other services, you get what you pay for. However, when you compare the total price with the total cost, language translation services come out far ahead. The cost of not investing in professional services can be astronomical not just from a financial perspective, but from a company image point of view. You also greatly limit the number of markets you penetrate and consequently, sales. When you compare how labor intensive language translation is, its clear the going rate now for these services is very competitive.
I dont need it for my industry: You wont be able to make that call until you give it a chance. Maybe you dont need it where you currently operate your business. But your industry exists in other countries in the world, and they probably have the same viewpoint. The first ones to take the chance and challenge the norms are usually the first to pioneer great things for their industry. If you can reach out to others in your field by talking their language, you can open up endless possibilities with suppliers, customers and even the international media.
Its too long and complicated: Yes, it can be if you try to do it yourself. Right now there is a company that can manage your entire language translation needs as well as integrate them with other world class support services. This means not only are your language translation needs covered, but your other promotional needs such as copywriting, search engine marketing, advertising or even your hosting are taken care of. The result is your message goes faster and further than anyone elses. Details
I only speak one language: If youre concerned you wont be able to understand your customers when they communicate with you, rest easy. The company you choose to do your language translation can take full responsibility for this and make communication with anyone speaking a foreign language a breeze. Just make sure you partner with a company that doesnt restrict itself to language translation, but has the infrastructure and resources to combine language translation with other services for optimal results.
My company isnt ready yet: If you dont take the initial step, your company will continue missing out on potential sales. In fact, launching a new facet of your business will force your company to adapt for the better. That way, its well equipped to face other challenges along the way.

Language is a communication tool. It can be used in many different ways to express either the same idea, or a completely different idea. The problem arises when translators attempt to translate word for word. This can be disastrous because the context in which the words are used is not taken into consideration. For example, in the English language, the word "market" can mean the stock market, or the fish market. Simply translating the word market to another language without taking into account the context can change the original meaning completely.

Therefore, the human mind is till required to do a translation job well. But the entire translation process can be very time consuming because this means the translator has to read the entire text and rewrite everything in a different language. Some translators have turned to technology for help. They use software to help with the translation.

Unfortunately, most translation software in the market today cannot accurately obtain the semantic meaning of a sentence. So the software has to resort to word for word replacement. And as we have just mentioned above, word for word replacement does not work for translation services. The translator is better off without the software. Here is when another problem arises.

What happens if a translator fails to understand the meaning of the original text?

This can happen because of cross cultural differences. For example, the word "dude" is used as a friendly term between buddies. There may be no equivalent of the same word in another language. So the translator is faced with this problem: What is another word that can be used to express the same meaning? Sometimes, there is a close substitute. Other times, the translator is not so lucky and has to settle for a word that has a totally different meaning. This depends on the language.

In today's high tech world, the best software translation services are offered by the search engines. However, the technology is only meant to translate to a level where the reader can still make out what the passages of text are trying to say. Search engines continue to use such software because it is their role to find and deliver content to the end user in the quickest possible manner.

However, the output generated by such software is still far from decent. The reader has to make smart guesses just to make out what the translated text is trying to say.

In view of the above, if you are looking to translate one language to another for publishing purposes, you have to rely on skilled human translators. This is because, to date, there is no technology available that is powerful enough to replace the human mind's ability to see and understand things in context. That is one up for the human mind against technology.

Article Source : Pg. 19

About Author

Both Sammer Hakim & Todd Daon are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Sammer Hakim has sinced written about articles on various topics from Domains, Education and Copywriting. Sammer Hakim's is a Dallas-based copywriter having written extensively across several key industries. His site www.LanguageTranslationFacts.com helps people make an informed decision prior to engaging language translation services.. Sammer Hakim's top article generates over 3600 views. to your Favourites.

Todd Daon has sinced written about articles on various topics from Business and Finance, Entertainment Guide and Bank of America. Our Translations Agency is a leading provider of professional language and translation services. Visit our website for services. Hire an. Todd Daon's top article generates over 201000 views. to your Favourites.