Many people have the impression that if you can speak two languages fluently, you can offer translation services in both languages. For instance, you speak both French and English fluently. Some people expect that you can translate documents from French into English or vice versa. Clearly, this is a wrong impression because a bilingual person is not automatically a translator. Translation is an art and if you want to serve as a competent translator, you need the right skills, training and experience. Below are the rudiments of effective document translation.

Clarity

The most important quality of an effective translation is clarity. A properly translated document should be clear and easy to understand. In fact, a great translation should read better than the original document. This is because many writers tend to write in a complicated way and some writers have a habit of using unnecessary words. It is the duty of the translator to present the information in a clear and uncluttered manner.

Accuracy

An excellent translation needs to be accurate. This means that the message in the original language must be translated properly into the other language. If the message is not properly transmitted, the translation is a failure. Specifically, a truly great translation should contain proper grammar, correct spellings and the right interpretation of idioms and figurative expressions. In addition, an effective translation should not contain incorrect expressions, missing words and ambiguous expressions.

Naturalness

An effective translation should sound natural. If a document sounds like it was “translated from another language”, something vital is missing. In many reputable firms, after a document has been translated, a specialist or an editor will go through the document again to ensure that it reads smoothly. This makes the translated version appear as if it was written in the target language and this makes it more authentic.

Setting

A good translation needs to be on the same cultural page with the target audience. This simply means that the translation should be culturally appropriate for the sensibilities of the target audience. For instance, if you are translating a political work, you should be careful. Offensive references to religious figures, political figures or controversial content should be removed or modified. Your translated document should not cause a controversy or create ill will.

Final word

Being bilingual is not the same thing as being a translator. Document translation is quite different from transliteration or word-for-word translation. A translator is a specialist and a highly skilled communicator. Companies that want to provide effective document translation service should employ experts with the right skills, training and experience.