Communication is an interesting thing – two people can have a conversation and they can both walk away with two different impressions from it.
The way men and women miscommunicate is often stereotyped. A man and a woman talk differently about books or movies. They also tell jokes in completely different ways! A woman would say that she‘s fine even though she’s upset and the man wouldn’t even realize it.
Central Films created a Youtube video that parodies this issue through a product called Manslater. It’s is a device that translates what a woman says in “simple man words.” When a woman says, “I’ll be ready in 5 minutes,” the Masnlater translates it into: “Me ready 30 minutes.” Using “emotion and female logic deciphering technology”, this device can also work on men. When a man says to a woman: “Wow,” the Manslater translates it to: “Your beauty is stunning!”
Seriously though, translation and localization of content — just like miscommunication — can be a real problem, whether it’s between two people of completely different nationalities trying to order coffee, or a medical device operating manual with crucial information that’s translated in both English and German.
If your business is trying to break into a new foreign language market or if you use content in a different language, you cannot afford to have any translation errors. The content that you provide to your customers is a reflection of your trademark and you need to have it translated correctly or there will be negative consequences for your business.
You can use free translation tools like Google Translate for some quick word translations here and there, of course, but in the long run, you’re going to need to rely on a qualified and experienced translator to handle your translations.
Communicate the Right Message with Professional Translators
How can you ensure that your message will be delivered clearly and accurately? In order to achieve the highest-quality translations, you need to hire professionally trained and experienced translators. A translator not only translates words – he also adapts the message using the nuances of the language. Machine translation can’t do that.
Business Specialists
If your business uses specialized software or medical equipment, you’ll have to choose a translator who is specialized in those areas. In this case, it’s more important to hire knowledgeable and experienced translators. For example, if your product is software-based you’ll need a translator who can help you globalize it and fully test it before it’s released. In other words, you’ll need an expert.
Quality Standards
The quality of translation can be a difficult thing to measure if you don’t have quality standards in place. Factors like subjectivity can have major influence on the assessment. Most multilingual centers have an additional fee for quality control — something you need to lookout for when choosing professionals.
Technology and Tools
A good translation agency has the technology and tools to provide the most efficient and cost-effective services. That’s why you should pick an agency which provides the best quality translations in the most effective manner.
Conclusion
Communication between two people who speak the same language is hard enough. Communicating in more than one language and culture is even more challenging, and it requires a professional translation company with experienced linguists to deliver the right message. After all, you don’t want any miscommunication when it comes to your organization’s translations. And when it comes to personal relationships, maybe we could all use a Manslater…