How To Prepare Documentation For Vietnamese Medical Translation Services (P1)
Vietnamese medical translation services are one of the most difficult sub-niches as it requires precision, up-to-date technical knowledge, and rigid regulations. In order to smooth the workflow, you need to make your documentation translation right from the start.
Linguists then could spend less time on administrative tasks, focus on translation, and bring documentation that complies with legal requirements and accelerates your entrance to the Vietnamese market.
In the scope of this blog, we will discuss how to prepare your medical documentation Vietnamese-ready to facilitate the translation process.
Let’s take a look at the list of common documents that are usually performed by Vietnamese medical translation services:
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1. Identify the Content For Vietnamese Medical Translation Services
Your very first move is to estimate how much content you need to translate. In return, your Vietnamese medical translation services provider will be able to offer you a precise timetable and pricing for the service.
As you may be made aware, in the medical field, translation is not a choice but a need for entry into a market.
Each nation and area has different translation laws when it comes to bringing medical products/services to market. When you access the Vietnamese market, you have an accurate list of papers that must be translated for compliance purposes. Before determining which papers to include or exclude from the portfolio for translation, you’ll need to conduct thorough research.
For example, if you want to register a medical device in Vietnam, you must submit more than technical documentation and a distribution license for medical equipment. Under existing laws, you will need to translate several documents, from legal paperwork (e.g. free sale certificate, letter of authorization, ISO 13485 certificate) to technical specifics (e.g. instruction for use (Vietnamese), labelling, catalogue).
2. Make the Changes for the Vietnamese Market
If you would like to keep ahead of the competition in the Vietnamese market, you have to deliver documentation tailor-made for the Vietnamese. Due to cultural, semantic, and grammatical differences, you inevitably have to make a change. You should consult with legal and cultural experts in Vietnam to ensure that you provide complete documentation, proper messages, and accurate terms before they are on your translator’s table.
Here are some instances of the difference.
2.1. Personal Pronouns in Vietnamese Medical Documents
The Vietnamese language contains complex personal pronouns that come into play in specific contexts. Using the right personal pronouns not only shows your respect to people of different ages but also helps you come closer to your audience.
Below is the table of singular Vietnamese pronouns for your reference:
| Vietnamese Pronoun | English equivalence | How to use it | |
| First-person | Tôi | I | – Refer to yourself (formal) |
| Tao | – Refer to yourself with close friends (informal) | ||
| Second person | Bạn | You | – Use for a person who is at the same age as you or your friends. |
| Em | – Miss, girl or boy (younger than you, informal) | ||
| Anh | – Mr. (older than you) | ||
| Chị | – Miss or Mrs. in formal address | ||
| Ông | – Mr., Sir., gentleman (formal) | ||
| Bà | – Mrs., Madam, lady (formal) | ||
| Mày | – Address between close friends (to use with “tao” – first-person) | ||
| Third-person | Em ấy | He | – Boy (younger than you) |
| Anh ấy | – Mr. (Older than you or slightly younger than you in the formal address) | ||
| Ông ấy | – Mr. (a person is older than you or of higher status) | ||
| Em ấy | She | – Girl (younger than you) | |
| Cô ấy | – Miss/Mrs. | ||
| Chị ấy | – Miss/Mrs. | ||
| Bà ấy | – Lady, Mrs, Madam (a person is older than you or of higher status) | ||
| Nó | It | – Thing in general |
However, when it comes to medical documents, the Vietnamese usually use the pronoun Tôi for the first-person and Ông/Bà for the second-person to show their objectivity and courtesy. In medical journals, Ông/Bà are often be replaced with Bạn to create an intimate relationship with audiences.
Therefore, to make sure the pronouns you use are appropriate and create a good impression on audiences, you should send your professional Vietnamese medical translation services provider your audience’s profile and get recommendations from them.
2.2 Translating Culture-Specific Concepts
Some terms are bound to the culture where they originated; hence, certain terms will not have complete equivalents in the Vietnamese due to the unavailability of such cultural aspects in Vietnam, or different conceptualization.
For example, Westerners coin the term tapeworm probably because this worm resembles a tape. Whereas, Vietnamese folks have called it sán dây (rope worm) or sán xơ mít (the one that resembles narrow ribbons of thin, tough, and undeveloped perianths of the jackfruits). Similarly, Westerners named the terms whipworm, roundworm, and threadworm while the Vietnamese called them respectively as giun tóc (hair-like worm), giun đũa (chopstick-like worm), and giun kim (pin-like worm).
Continue reading: How To Prepare Documentation For Vietnamese Medical Translation Services (P2)
Choose the Right Vietnamese Medical Translation Services
Medical translations are significant to human life, and thus there is no room for error. Finding an experienced Vietnamese medical translation services provider becomes a must. GTE Localize is a Vietnamese-based translation agency with a strong suit in medical translation.
Hundreds of Vietnamese medical translation projects for customers in the pharmaceutical, medical device, and healthcare industries have been performed by our team.
Contact us for your Vietnamese medical translation services now!
