Document Translation
inlingua is a respected, international language service company with over 340 offices worldwide. We go to great lengths to preserve the accuracy and integrity of every document that goes through our translation and interpretation process. Our main goal is always for customers to be happy, but please be aware that sometimes a “perfect” translation is not possible. Let’s explain...
Every language has its limitations.
There aren’t any languages in use today that are perfect (and perfectly consistent) in their usage and expression. Even though English has become a “universal language” in many arenas of business and technology, it is filled with wildly-inconsistent standards. English grammar varies greatly. English spelling is full of all sorts of contradictory rules. English pronunciation is even worse, often with very little relationship to the spelling of the words themselves.
Our goal is to preserve the meaning of the work.
The first step for inlingua is to think about the overall purpose of the work, and then to think about the best way to translate it into the target language. There will be times when a direct, word-for-word translation might wind up being impossibly stilted and awkward; rather, inlingua seeks to preserve the meaning and convey it in the most direct, readable way possible. If a translation can’t be understood readily by the people for whom it’s intended, it’s of little worth to anyone. Many technical, marketing or electronic terms from English simply do not have an exact counterpart in other languages. That’s when inlingua has to find an equivalent that still gets the meaning and function across.
Cultural differences come into play as well.
A phrase that might have a casual, humorous turn in English might be confusing or downright offensive in another culture. inlingua may have to find another metaphor, comparison or other type of vehicle to convey the meaning into another language.
We strive to avoid under translating or over translating the material.
There are going to be times when phrases from English are going to be impossibly awkward in other languages. Other times, translation to English can sometimes be downright bizarre, such as this label from a Japanese pastry product:
“Over optimism modest chocolate and a soft marshmallow lead you in elegant tea time.”
Whatever the copywriter was shooting for on that one, it went terribly off-track. When in doubt, inlingua will tend more towards language that is streamlined and direct, always keeping in mind the final audience for the work.
Human error happens.
Sometimes we get documents that contain typos or are of poor print quality, which then has an impact on the finished product. When in doubt, we will consult with the client to clear up such problem areas. When errors are found in the final product, we will move to correct them right away. Above all, we want our clients to be happy; by working together, we can come up with a final version that everyone can be happy with.
