10 Practical Answers to Document Translation Issues (Part 2)

In the previous article (part 1) we have discussed several issues and how to deal with them in a document translation project.

This post will continue looking into even more challenging problems that you probably face sooner or later. If you are looking for practical answers, then here you go!

6. When The Documents Are Repetitive?

We understand that many companies might find repetitive document translation a problem since they want to save money and time.

However, if you are reaching out to professional document localization service providers like GTE Localize, there’s no need to worry.

We use professional translation programs (CAT tools for example), which would help reduce the cost of repetitive translation. In fact, CAT algorithms can scan the document and then correctly identify which sections of a text are duplicated both inside and across texts.

As a result, translating repetitive texts is easier and more efficient. This way, when working with professional companies in document localization, you can save costs.

Just a small note on this.

In translation software, although one word may appear several times in a document, it may not be considered “repetitive”. Most software only determines that your document is repetitive if a segment (a number of consecutive sentences, a paragraph, or a section), is seen over and over again.

7. How Are Graphics Localized?

Graphics tend to be taken for granted in document translation. However, we can tell from our years of experience that it’s necessary and sometimes problematic to localize graphics.

The reason is many documents, such as leaflets, marketing materials, etc. do not contain texts only, but visuals are part of the story-telling. Even for some static files like financial reports, visualized charts are also used to display data.

Visuals in documents, such as images, infographics, or charts, are informational. Thus, you need to localize them.

Yet some graphics can’t be localized in certain cultures due to unsuitable religious symbols, behaviors deemed inappropriate, and many more.

For instance, if you want to keep the picture of the Grand Canyon when translating an English document about “a weekend holiday destination” into French, that may not work. Your target audience will likely feel that the graphic makes no sense.

So what can we do? Just simply replace them with more acceptable graphics – a photo of Honfleur, Reims, or Avignon, for example.

Also, below are some tips for easier localizing graphics when working with a document localization company:

• Ensure that your visuals are of the highest possible resolution;
• Include your graphics in the package (for example: in a .zip file) and in their original format (rather than a .png capture, for instance, though we can still handle that).

8. Are Numbers Also Localized?

We’ve discussed tips to localize texts and graphics in your document translation projects. How about numbers?

Many companies may suppose that numbers have universal meaning, so why need to localize?

But this is not always the case. Let us tell you how problematic numerical data localization can be:

• Decimal separators (usually comma or period) vary from country to country. In the U.S, “10,000” means ten thousand, while in another country like Vietnam, the aforementioned number equals ten only. In contrast, “10.000” is ten in the US but means ten thousand in Vietnam.
• Delimiters (which divide digits for easier reading) are also diverse. Sometimes comma or period is used, sometimes there needs to be a space or half-space.

Fortunately, while the above issues can be confusing for foreigners, they would not challenge professional translators who are local or experienced in the culture. A translation agency like GTE Localize which has a wide network of linguists around the world can help.

9. How Much Do Translators Know About Your Product?

We believe that you really want to ensure your translators, especially outsourced ones, have a deep understanding of the product or service, or at least terminology used in the industry.

In short, you may want translators who are both multilingual and experts in the industry. However, this is challenging, especially when it comes to innovative products or unfamiliar ones that require a high level of technical understanding.

There’s one way to ensure that: hire a professional document translation company.

In these companies, all translation tasks will be assigned to the most qualified professionals with proven experience and educational backgrounds. This is also a requirement stated in the stringent ISO 17100:2015 translation service standards.

In fact, these companies tend to have a lengthy procedure for recruiting, training, and assigning translators, as well as offering feedback and pushing them to grow and improve.

If you want to, you can also ask these professional companies for a record of their translation work. This way, you can make sure that they are experienced and knowledgable in the industry and can deliver a high-quality translation for your documents.

10. What About a Short Deadline for Document Translation?

Doing business internationally means that you will need to deal with strict deadlines for document translation, especially in terms of legal papers. Any delay will lead to dire consequences.

In this case, what is the best solution?

Let’s simply communicate all the requirements and let a professional translation agency do the job for you because:

• Professional translation company tends to have a wide network of linguists to whom they can assign tasks efficiently to meet the deadlines;
• These companies use software such as CAT (Computer-assisted translation) and TM (Translation Memory) tools which can help save a lot of time;
• You can check their previous work to decide quickly whether you should work with them.

Choosing The Right Document Translation Services Provider

Document translation is more challenging than it seems. Not only should we focus on text but it’s vital to pay heed to graphics, numbers, layouts, and many more.

This process takes time and effort, so choosing the right document translation agency can be a great option.

With a team of native, experienced translators, GTE Localize proudly offers high-quality document localization for documents in various formats in a short turnaround time.

Do not hesitate to learn more about our document translation services and leave a message for free 1-1 consultancy!