Managing In-House Review of Translations

When our clients’ foreign offices review a translation, we always value their input. Their intimate knowledge of their customers, internal processes, vendors and industry terms in their specific market is very useful. As your company’s coordinator for multilanguage translation projects, here are some tips from ASIST Translations that will help you make this process more productive:

1. Most of the time, reviewers are not professional linguists, and are not familiar with the laborious review and double-checking the translation process requires. It is important to emphasize that personal “style preferences” must be avoided. Even the smallest change suggestions typically require review by 2-3 people on the translation side alone—hardly a good investment, if the translated text wasn’t “wrong” in the first place.
2. Like our own translators, editors and proofreaders, your internal reviewers must resist the temptation to add anything to the translated text that isn’t in the English original! Any omissions or ambiguities in the English should be corrected at the source and addressed in all languages where appropriate. This is crucial for multi-language projects. Otherwise, as your company’s in-house coordinator, it quickly becomes unwieldy to manage documents, and each translation could stray from the English meaning in its own way.
3. It is very helpful if reviewers provide you an explanation in English (as a Comment in the translated MS Word file) for every suggested change—indicating exactly what each revision means and why it’s necessary. As you can imagine, this requirement for explanatory comments in English reduces the number of non-essential changes you will receive! Most importantly, being in the loop on how the content is being altered gives you the chance to manage the process before returning suggestions for review, comment and approval by ASIST linguists. Indeed, some comments may suggest improvement that should be made to the English original (and then updated in the other languages).
4. Timing is important. In-house reviews of a translation should be completed in the source Microsoft Word document before page layout, audio recording and so on are done. This is not only more efficient and reduces extra work, but also improves change tracking and consistency in the translation memories that ASIST maintains for your projects.

ASIST Translation Services, Inc. is a full-service translation agency located in Columbus, Ohio. We provide 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

Castilian = Spanish = Castellano = Español

This is a persistent misunderstanding… Before starting any Spanish translation, having this information handy might be helpful when clients or distributors tell YOU what variety of Spanish is required, without providing any geographical context.

Castilian/Spanish, Castellano/Español are all synonyms for the same language.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_given_to_the_Spanish_language

In short, it avoids confusion to call the national language spoken in Spain “peninsular” Spanish or European Spanish.

In many Spanish-speaking countries in the New World, people casually use the term castellano (Castilian in English) to mean “proper” Spanish – that is, not colloquial or a regional dialect, and without a lot of folksy local vocabulary or slang that wouldn’t be understood by Spanish speakers outside of their specific country or region.

One will commonly hear “castellano” used in this sense in Mexico, for instance. It’s sort of like a U.S. speaker saying “the King’s English.” But this is a colloquial usage, and not linguistically accurate.

In some cases, what the client is driving at might be one of the “virtual” Spanish varieties used for translation purposes; for example, “Latin American” Spanish or “Universal” Spanish. These are not really Spanish dialects at all. Instead, in the translation industry they are a convenient way of indicating that the target Spanish variety needs to be comprehensible (to the extent possible) in various countries and might need to include some alternate wordings where differing vocabulary might cause confusion.

Sometimes Spanish speakers outside of the USA may in fact be specifying “Castilian” because they believe (with some cause) that a lot of what they would consider “bad” Spanish or Spanglish is spoken within the USA, and they’re concerned (also with cause) that they might receive this from any translation agency based in the USA.

• Another interesting aspect of the term castellano (Castilian) is that many people within autonomous regions of Spain who speak other peninsular languages such as Catalán, Galician or Basque make a point of calling it castellano. After all, theirs are also co-official “Spanish” languages!

Usually, when “Castilian” Spanish is requested, either:

1. The client really does mean European Spanish as spoken in Spain (and Equatorial Guinea, Gilbraltar, Ceuta, Melilla); or
2. Their own clients or distributors have told them “Castilian” as a way of saying “standard” Spanish that isn’t colloquial or regional dialect— it which case it would NOT be appropriate to translate to European Spanish.

• Spanish in Europe has some basic grammatical differences from any New World Spanish variety, including the well-known use of the second-person plural pronouns and verb forms (vosotros). In the New World, these are generally only seen in archaic, poetical or biblical styles. There are also many other important differences in vocabulary, preferences for sentence construction, and compound verb forms. Pronunciation is also very different, and this is of crucial importance when recording voiceover narrations for e-learning, video, PowerPoint, Flash, etc. A large proportion of European Spanish is intelligible to well-traveled New World speakers, but they will definitely recognize it as a different Spanish variety. Especially in non-technical text, European Spanish sounds more “foreign” to American Spanish speakers than British vernacular does to USA English speakers, for example.

As always, if clients let us know exactly WHERE the Spanish translation will be used, our expertise can help them choose the most appropriate target language variety.

ASIST Translation Services, Inc. is a full-service interpreting and translation agency located in Columbus, Ohio. We provide 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

Spanish Translation: World’s Largest Spanish-Speaking Populations

The figures one sees for the number of Spanish speakers per country vary tremendously. One of the biggest factors is whether the number being cited includes all “Spanish speakers”—including those who speak Spanish as a first, second or even third language—or exclusively those who speak Spanish as their first or “native” language (their mother tongue, to use the common expression in Spanish).

Many countries in the Americas enjoy rich linguistic diversity (as does Spain), and not everyone there speaks Spanish as their first language. Additionally, in Brazil and the United States, significant portions of the population speak Spanish as a second language.

It is also interesting to note that, even though the number of first-language Spanish speakers in the United States is relatively small when considered as a percentage of the population (12%), this country still represents the third-largest native-speaking Spanish population in the world.

For example, compare these “top ten” lists:

Spanish Speakers (1^st or 2^nd language) *

1. Mexico — 107 million
2. United States — 50 million
3. Spain — 46 million
4. Colombia — 45 million
5. Argentina — 40 million
6. Venezuela — 28 million
7. Peru — 25 million
8. Chile — 17 million
9. Ecuador — 14 million
10. Brazil — 12 million

Spanish Speakers (“mother tongue” only) *

1. Mexico — 100 million
2. Colombia — 45 million
3. United States — 43 million
4. Spain — 42 million
5. Argentina — 39 million
6. Venezuela — 28 million
7. Peru — 23 million
8. Chile — 15 million
9. Ecuador — 13 million
10. Cuba — 11 million

* Source: 2009 study “The Economic Value of Spanish” funded by the United Nations and the International Telecommunications Union, based on population data from 2004-2005. Figures rounded to the nearest million. 2004-2005 data estimated 400 million first-language Spanish speakers, plus perhaps 25 million non-native speakers. However, the same study’s projections for 2009-2010 estimate approximately 500 million “Spanish speakers” in total.

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

www.ASISTtranslations.com

ASIST TRANSLATIONS: Language Services for Electronic Media

ASIST Translation Services can help you create e-learning, interactive, audio and video content for multiple languages and cultures.

- Translate narrations and onscreen text to any language
- Place translated text into video and interactive media
- Proofread onscreen text after placement
- Foreign-language voiceovers:

• Provide voice talent for dubbing videos and interactive pieces to other languages
  
• In-studio auditor ensures accuracy and inflection in voice performances
• Record voiceovers in our digital (Pro Tools-based) studio
• Edit narrations and dialog to match picture in video files
• Cultural consultation regarding language variety and spoken accent

- Collaborate in the planning of media projects that will be optimized for globalization

• Optimization and disambiguation for translation purposes
• Cultural perspectives on content, vocabulary
  
• Language support issues for specific authoring and design software

- Page layout, formatting in any language, including double-byte and right-to-left languages

ASIST routinely provides voice-over recordings for multimedia and computer-based training (Flash, AuthorWare, etc.). Narrations can be delivered as WAV, MP3 or any other required audio file format. Frequently, we deliver separate audio files for each segment, enabling interactive authors to align each scene, then adjust the timing of graphics as necessary in order to allow for larger word counts in most translations.

We can also dub videos to many different languages. For clients with in-house video editing capability, the ideal method is to export a digital video file. We use that as the onscreen reference while recording and editing translated narrations and dialogs. ASIST returns a WAV file that is already conformed to source video project. Once this translated narration is dropped in at 0:00 in the video timeline—everything lines up from beginning to end.

• In order to avoid a rushed pace in dubbed video, it helps to leave some extra padding between paragraphs or scenes in the original English version. With enough editing and/or time compression, we can make anything fit! However, this can sound rushed, especially if the translation must accurately reflect all nuances of the original English content, with no abridgment or paraphasing for time permitted. (In fact, creating a “looser” version of the original English program for dubbing purposes is a strategy that globalization-savvy content producers incorporate into their project plan.)

ASIST translates for all types of Web content. We have translated large sites supporting dozens of languages, including Russian, Chinese, Japanese and various others that don’t use Latin characters. Proofreading before the client goes live with the formatted content is one of the crucial services that ASIST provides. Even in languages using Latin character sets, longer string length, line break issues and diacritical marks can be problematic if they are not reviewed by a qualified linguist.

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

www.ASISTtranslations.com

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

Portuguese Translation, French Translation, Spanish Translation: Who and Where?

When you employ a translation agency to create Portuguese, French or Spanish translations of your existing material, simply specifying one of these language names is not sufficient!

• The Portuguese variety spoken by 163 million people in Brazil has important differences from the variety spoken by 10 million in Portugal. Use of verb tenses is decidedly different, as are accepted spellings of many words in the two countries—and of course, the spoken accents are very different. Conventions for formal and informal forms of address are also different, and there numerous differences in vocabulary.
• Likewise, Canadian French (native language of 7 million Canadians) has notable vocabulary differences when compared to the language variety spoken by nearly 54 million people in France—and the accents are also very different, of course. Some Canadian practices regarding punctuation, capitalization and idiomatic expressions also differ from European French.
• Spanish varieties present an even more complex mosaic, because this language is spoken in diverse regions around the globe—by nearly 500 million people, if we include those who speak Spanish as a second language. Aside from the extensive differences in vocabulary that you would expect among people from so many different nations, the most fundamental difference concerns grammar. Use of the second person plural form vosotros is commonplace in Spain, whereas it sounds archaic or scriptural to most Spanish speakers in the Americas (who generally switch to the more formal ustedes form when addressing more than one person).

To summarize, a professional translation company needs to you specify not only the target language, but exactly where the translation will be used. Their professional translators can help you identify dialect issues (and accents, if you are recording narrations for a video or e-learning), conventions for measurement units, and ensure that the grammar, vocabulary and style are appropriate for your target audience.

ASIST Translation Services, Inc. is a full-service interpreting and translation agency located in Columbus, Ohio. We provide 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

Tips: International Business Card Etiquette

1. For business meetings in non-English speaking countries, it’s very significant to have a two-sided version of your business card printed—English on one side, local language on the other. This makes an immediate statement about your awareness of global culture. Hand over your card with the local language side up and facing the other person. However, be very careful to obtain a professional translation!

2. In some cultures, it’s customary to include relevant educational credentials (especially postgraduate degrees) along with your job title; check first.

3. In many countries, handling of business cards is more formal than in the United States (Japan and Korea being well-known examples). When foreign counterparts give you their card, thank them, take a moment to review it in detail, and keep it in your hands or on the table during the meeting. It may be considered rude or dismissive to quickly tuck a card into your pocket, day planner or wallet. In many Asian cultures, it’s good etiquette to present and receive business cards with both hands. Tossing or sliding a card across the table can easily be interpreted as a lack of manners or even disrespect. Likewise, avoid writing your notes or comments on someone else’s business card.

4. Unless this person directly reports to you within your own organization, do NOT point out typos or English grammatical errors on others’ business cards.

5. It is ALWAYS preferable to offer cards at the beginning, rather than the end of meetings. Like you, your counterparts may have difficulty remembering or correctly pronouncing foreign names.

6. Unless the number of participants is very large, personally hand your card to everyone present. From an outside cultural perspective, it may not always be obvious to you who the ranking officers or decision makers are, but when possible present cards first to the highest ranking individual(s).

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

www.ASISTtranslations.com

ASIST Translation Services

ASIST Translation Services, Inc. is a full-service translation agency, offering translation, consecutive and simultaneous interpreting, DTP or page layout, localization, proofreading, foreign-language voice talents for dialog and voiceover, audio-video recording, and multimedia production services in countless languages and dialects.

The headquarters of ASIST Translations is located in Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Please feel free to contact us for more information.

www.ASISTtranslations.com