subject: Language Translation - 7 Myth-busting Facts [print this page] Article summary: Translations are an essential part of any business strategy to expand overseas. Businesses that don"t offer their customers information in their native languages may be losing ground to foreign competitors. Here are the most common myths about translations and the facts that dispel them.
Myth #1: Anyone who speaks another language can translate.
Fact: Just because you speak English doesn"t mean you are a writer. The man in Accounting who took Spanish in college may be able to translate some written correspondence, but more complex documents, marketing materials and your website should be handled by educated professional translators.
Myth #2: Translating is just substituting one word in English with another in the target language.
Fact: English has approximately twice as many words as Spanish. Exchanging one word for another just won't work. A skilled translator makes sure that the nuances and subtleties of your text are present in the translated version as well.
Myth #3: Free on-line translations are accurate and good enough for me.
Fact: Computer or machine translations lack the ability to identify nuances or even, in some cases, to correctly identify words. Something as simple as the "Contact Us" section on our website was translated on-line into Spanish as "Contact the U.S.". Is that what you want for your company?
Myth #4: Translations can be done in a couple of days.
Fact: If it took you two months to write a manual, it"s going to take time for someone to translate it, someone else to edit it, and a third person to proofread it. Each project is unique: the number of words in the original document, the complexity of the subject matter, and the quality of the writing in the original all affect turn-around time. Reputable translations services companies will explain this to you.
Myth #5: Translations are too expensive and I won"t get my money's worth.
Fact: Translations cost less than the development of your original documents and allow you to reach many more customers than you can in English. Translations deliver a high ROI on a relatively small investment.
Myth #6: Most internet users speak English so I don"t need my website translated.
Fact: Only 30% of internet users worldwide are English speakers. Usage studies show that customers are four times more likely to purchase from websites in their language and they will spend twice as long on translated sites.
Myth #7: In this economic climate, we shouldn"t be investing in translations.
Fact: In a downturn, a great marketing strategy is to expand in foreign markets. Decreasing demand at home does not translate into shrinking sales abroad. Make your website and product information accessible to your foreign customers by offering them in their native languages.
To learn more about what role translations play in global expansion, contact a professional translations services company. Reputable firms will provide a free no-obligation assessment of your firm's translations needs.
by: Janine Libbey
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