{"id":37821,"date":"2017-11-27T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-11-26T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/prod01.tradonline.fr\/uncategorized\/5-tips-to-make-sure-your-translation-projects-go-off-without-a-hitch\/"},"modified":"2023-12-27T15:09:06","modified_gmt":"2023-12-27T14:09:06","slug":"5-tips-to-make-sure-your-translation-projects-go-off-without-a-hitch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tradonline.fr\/en\/blog\/5-tips-to-make-sure-your-translation-projects-go-off-without-a-hitch\/","title":{"rendered":"5 tips to make sure your translation projects go off without a hitch!"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Think just anyone can handle your translations<\/a>? Well, I\u2019m planning to prove the contrary! What\u2019s more, if you don\u2019t take your project seriously enough, you may be in for some disappointments.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

So, next time you need a successful translation project, think about and implement the following 5 tips<\/strong> to avoid a disaster!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

1 \u2013 Avoid tight deadlines
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\"d\u00e9lais<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

When we ask, “when do you need this by<\/strong>“, most of our clients respond with, “as soon as possible<\/strong>“. And, that\u2019s completely understandable. It\u2019s our job, after all, to explain to them what a reasonable timeframe for their project is.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

But sometimes, even knowing what we consider reasonable, clients request excessively tight deadlines<\/strong>. What\u2019s the risk?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Since a translator can\u2019t work twice as fast, we may be forced to divide your project<\/strong> between multiple translators. The more we need to divide your work, the larger the risk of inconsistencies, even if we use a CAT tool like memoQ to define a glossary and translation memory. Each of us has his or her own style, and sometimes it\u2019s difficult to erase its traces from the work. When the project allows, we try to have the entire file <\/strong>proofread <\/strong> by a single translator<\/strong> with an aim to harmonizing the work. But, if the deadline is already too tight, there\u2019s rarely time for revision!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Tip 1: plan ahead.<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

2 – Avoid overly ambiguous source text
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Ambiguity may make for interesting literature, but in a technical, commercial, or financial document, it often does more harm than good. Your pamphlet is ambiguous<\/strong>? You\u2019re likely to have dissatisfied customer <\/strong>feedback. Think about having your document proofread by someone outside of your business in order to get a new point of view. You\u2019ll also be limiting the risk of misinterpretation during translation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

We should clarify that our translators will generally inform us of any ambiguities that pop out. But, real mistranslations come from the inability of the reader to discern the ambiguity.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Philosophical note: <\/strong>when we read a text, we us our own cultural baggage as a source of understanding. This baggage is different from one person to the next. In order to avoid these differences in perception, practice alterity, put yourself in your readers\u2019 place<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Tip 2: reread and simplify.<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

3 – Don\u2019t modify the final document
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\"ne<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

In this section, we are going to talk about the translations that we deliver. There are certainly cases where a text that your translation agency delivers is corrected internally by a member of staff<\/strong>. It\u2019s understandable if you work in a just-in-time environment that your director may want to correct the files himself. But, having a good mastery of a language doesn\u2019t make you truly bilingual. Nothing is as valuable as a final proofread by a native speaker<\/strong>. We, at TradOnline, can only encourage you to develop such practices. It\u2019s a best practice for your image<\/strong>, as well as our own!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

We\u2019ve lost count of the number of times we\u2019ve found little mistakes in packaging, web sites with curious Calls to Action, phrases with the old \u201cGoogle Translate\u201d oddities in the Terms and Conditions\u2026 and all of that from OUR CLIENTS!!!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Tip 3: avoid penny-pinching.<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

4 \u2013 Provide us with your briefs
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Without a clear brief, there\u2019s a good chance that our translator may miss the mark when it comes to the style of the translation. A good brief shouldn\u2019t take more than 10 or so minutes<\/strong>, but it\u2019s indispensable. Once the translation has been completed, it\u2019s too late to change targets!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

What elements should be contained in a brief?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n