Accurate Translation: Why is Accuracy So Important?
As the world is becoming increasingly globalised, more companies need accurate translation services. Many businesses choose to adapt their content for other markets using free translator tools powered by AI. Using a machine to translate your materials is quick and cost-effective, but it scores low in another crucial criterion: translation accuracy.
An accurate translation is arguably the most important part of any translation. Without precise translation, you open your company up to embarrassing mistakes, confused customers, damaged reputation, and legal ramifications. Here we explain further why accuracy is vital to every good translation and give tips on checking the quality of your work.
Why is Accuracy So Important in Translation?
Accurate translation is important for many reasons, including:
- Business Expansion Success: Many expanding businesses count on an accurate translation to cater to global markets. They have to make their materials accessible to people in other countries who speak different languages, and accuracy ensures that their translated content is understood and communicated effectively.
- Maintaining Professionalism: Inaccurate translations – such as those performed by free translator tools and AI software – are riddled with mistakes in spelling and grammar. Even if the translation makes sense, these mistakes look highly unprofessional. Accurate translations avoid this issue, helping your company maintain its professionalism.
- Avoiding Embarrassment: When you use a machine to translate branding, mistakes can be even more damaging. Company names and taglines may translate to something that doesn’t have the intended meaning and can be seen as offensive or off-putting, such as these examples from global brands. Translation accuracy ensures you will protect your reputation no matter what markets you try to reach.
- Averting Legal Ramifications: Depending on the type of translation, inaccurate translations may result in legal ramifications. For example, if you are trying to send a message about the economy, the wrong wording could send stocks tumbling. Likewise, if you work in the legal field, using the wrong terminology can lead to lawsuits being filed against you.
How to Assess Translation Accuracy
You should now understand the importance of accurate translation services for any expanding business. But identifying whether or not your deliverables are accurate can be challenging, especially when you don’t speak the target language.
The best way to ensure this is to use a professional translation agency rather than free translator tools, such as Google Translate. A machine translates each word and phrase literally, whereas human translations follow advanced processes for guaranteed precision. Here are a few of the things professional translators look for when checking translation accuracy:
- The wording should effectively communicate the meaning of the original content
- The target text should be entirely free from spelling mistakes and grammatical errors
- The text should use proper conventions for measurements, dates, and addresses
- The translation should retain the style and tone of the source materials
- The text should reflect appropriate and modern uses of the target language
- If the client provides a glossary, the translation should adhere to all terminology provided
- The translation should take the culture of the language into consideration
It is also down to you to choose a reliable language partner that can deliver accurate translations. Only the best translation agencies have the experience and skills required to provide text that is accurate in its meaning, style, and tone.
Types of Accurate Translation Services
Qualified translation agencies not only offer improved accuracy when compared to free translator tools. They also offer numerous types of accurate translation that machines cannot provide. For example, only literal translations are possible when using a machine to translate. Comparatively, all reliable agencies deliver the following language services:
- Translation Services: Accurate translation services are necessary for any business that wants to expand globally. They will need accurate translations of several materials, such as brochures, websites, apps, business emails, employment contracts, and more.
- Proofreading: Proofreading is essential before making any piece of content available to the public, helping to guarantee accuracy. However, it is especially important if that piece requires translation into another language. You will want a native-speaking translator to provide accurate proofreading services before distributing your materials.
- Audio Transcription: Audio transcription refers to the transcription of any audio file. This can include audio files that require an accurate translation from one language to another, increasing the audience and improving the searchability of the content.
- Video Subtitling: Another accurate translation example is video subtitling and captioning. Video subtitling is necessary to make a video available to people in a country that doesn’t speak your language. Another alternative is voiceover services, which adapts the audio rather than providing text subtitles.
- Transcreation: Literal translation may not capture innuendos, a sense of humour, and other factors that are difficult to convey in another language. Transcreation is a context-focused translation that ensures that the content carries the same feeling, tone, and message as the source. Accurate translation is an essential part of the transcreation process.
Trust Our Accurate Translation Services
If you need an accurate translation, look no further than Renaissance Translations. We have over 5,000 qualified translators able to offer accurate translation services in all languages and subject fields. So whether you need to translate machine instructions, marketing materials, or websites, we guarantee 100% accuracy every time.
We also offer numerous different services that free translator tools do not, including technical translation, proofreading, localisation, audio transcription, video subtitling, transcreation and more. Our company is member of the Association of Translation Companies in England and we are also members of SDL LSP Partner Programme. Contact us today for a quote and ensure you make a great impression with any audience.
