Content ≥ Form: Translation Guidelines for Technical Writers

As a technical writer participating in a multilingual project, the greater your understanding of the translation process and cross-cultural issues in general, the better equipped you are to deliver content that is optimized for multiple languages and cultures. This article highlights a few of the most important considerations when you pre-flight your technical writing for global delivery.

Think Metric. The United States is one of the few countries in the world that hasn’t standardized on the metric system. Providing metric equivalents in the source text helps you ensure consistency and make your own decisions about appropriate units of measurement per the International System of Units (SI), and determine the significant number of digits for each conversion. Beware, however—some things should not be converted, such as wrench sizes and plumbing fittings, for example.

Think Global. Just a few examples… Not only do many countries use different voltages than North America, but the electrical connectors are also different—so your conscientious “3-prong, grounded outlet” advice may not apply to the overseas model of the product. Another common oversight: if toll-free “800” numbers won’t work outside the USA and Canada and you don’t provide alternate phone numbers, how will clients reach Customer Service or Technical Support?

Avoid Catch Phrases and Wordplay. Occasionally spicing up technical text with subculture references or vogue expressions for your own culture can make it more engaging for general audiences. However, these often won’t translate to other languages, and leave translators grasping for near-equivalent expressions—or worse, stilted renditions in the target language. Even trickier are the idiomatic constructions that, as a native speaker, you wouldn’t even think twice about when reviewing text prior to translation. For example, for some translators, “ramp up” or “throttle back” might be more error-prone than “gradually increase” or “decelerate.”

Know Which Regulatory Agencies and Certifications are Relevant. Some end users in the European Union might know what the North American term “UL-listed” means, but for them only the CE marking has similar regulatory importance for health, safety and environmental certification. Similarly, while approvals by the FDA, USDA, other United States authorities may be of some interest, similar regulatory bodies probably govern these fields in your target markets. When possible, list all regulatory approvals and certifications in your source English document (both in the US and elsewhere) to ensure that they appear in every translated version.

Disambiguate. Consider creating a term glossary specifically for the translation teams. As you receive queries while translating one language, be sure to add these explanations to your list. That way, more questions are answered beforehand as additional target languages are added. Often, queries from translators will uncover items that should be reworded in the English original to eliminate any possibility of misinterpretation.

ASIST Translation Services, Inc. is a full-service interpreting and translation agency located in Columbus, Ohio. We provide technical translation, interpreting, proofreading, studio voice recording and media production, localization of interactive and Web content, and specialized language services to clients around the world.

www.ASISTtranslations.com

Translation and Interpreting: the Global Marketplace Begins at Home

The most effective way to communicate with clients, consumers and your own employees is in their own language! In the global marketplace, good translations enable effective cross-cultural communication with clients and consumers—they are a necessity that no successful business can ignore. Indeed, when it comes to risk management and safety training for your own employees, successful communication in their own language is a necessity that you can’t afford to ignore. The key to success is working with a firm that offers professional translation, Web and software localization and interpreting, as well as language and cultural training.

What to look for in a professional translation service

• Language proficiency
  For business and technical translations, it is essential that expert, native translation be available from and to any language, on virtually any subject. Translations must also be rendered in the specific regional variety of the target language, by trained professional linguists who are fully cognizant of any vocabulary and usage issues. (For example, Spanish translations targeted for Mexico often require significant changes for Spain or South America.)
• Reputation
  Before signing the contract, do your homework. Check their Web site. Do they offer comprehensive services, beyond simple text translation (for example, page layout, interactive media or video)? Can requests for any world language be handled? How long has the company been in business, and who are their clients?
• Quality Control
  Even the best writers don’t try to proof their own work—nor should a single translator. Additional editing/proofreading steps are required, as well as a rigorous check of the final product by a quality-control professional.
• Customer Service
  Does the translation company have dedicated Account Managers, a track record of meeting deadlines and providing regular progress updates? Do they ask questions when there’s any doubt about the English original? Are they available for quick turnarounds, and have sufficient resources to handle large projects in multiple languages?

The Translation Process
Translations provided by ASIST have been perfected through a 4-step process to ensure accuracy. Our translators are trained professionals, not only native speakers of the target language but also with expertise in the subject matter. An editor is a second linguist who reviews grammar, checks accuracy, makes suggestions to further complement the style of the translation, and verifies that field-specific terms have been interpreted correctly. Yet another linguist, the proofreader, then reviews the document for consistency and completeness, ensuring that the translation is as accurate, culturally sensitive, and polished as possible. Finally, our quality-control department reviews the document from the client’s point of view, verifying that all formatting, graphics, typefaces, and other layout details are faithful to the original.

Page Layouts and Translation
A professional translation agency can create the foreign-language versions of your page layouts, using your source documents. For example, ASIST can format in all major page-layout and design programs, both Mac and Windows. If instead you use our supplied translation to do a layout in-house, it is absolutely critical to have the final version reviewed by our profesional linguists before going to print! We won’t go into the details here, but often the conventions for capitalization, punctation, spacing and so on are decidedly different from English.

Web and Software Localization
Many of our clients manage work forces around the globe, providing newsletters, HR information, training and safety materials in 9–10 languages or more. It’s important that your translation provider have the technical depth to ensure your content is rendered correctly in any electronic media, including the Internet, interactive DVDs or CD-ROMs, and video.

Interpreting
When meeting with non-English speaking clients or associates, it is important to work with professional interpreters—either onsite or via telephone and video conferencing. ASIST interpreters undergo thorough testing and training, are acutely aware of their role as cross-cultural facilitators, and are committed to prompt, professional service.

Conclusion
With the diversity of today’s workplace and the opportunities in the global market, it is important to think of your translation provider as a strategic partner.

ASIST Translation Services, Inc. is a full-service interpreting and translation agency located in Columbus, Ohio. We provide translation, legal, business and medical interpreting, proofreading, studio voice recording and media production, localization of interactive and Web content, and specialized language services to clients around the world.

www.ASISTtranslations.com