We live in an age of technology and abundance. The internet is brimming with free dictionaries in every possible language combination, and there are automatic translation sites and apps galore. There are apps into which you can dictate what you need translated, and the app will gladly give you the translation in the language of your choosing. We can all be our own top translators – or can we?
All of the available programs are a great help. They can assist you in day-to-day tasks like translating a social media update to help you get the gist of it. Or during a trip abroad, you can use a dictation app to help you get the coffee and sandwich you want in a Spanish beach-side café. It is important to remember, however, that these apps are only there to help us out. They don’t work perfectly and, unfortunately, they are not always entirely reliable.
There is a time and place for professional
translators. I can’t emphasise enough that anything slightly more official, business-like and especially work-related should be translated by a professional. When speaking, you can correct linguistic errors and wave them off with a laugh, but in writing we are up against bigger challenges. The reader is always the one who draws the final conclusion on a text and its tone. I don’t believe that anyone wishes to be misunderstood from the get-go. The risk of this happening is not small by any means. Why don’t we perform a little thought experiment? How many of us have been misunderstood, for instance, when writing a WhatsApp message to a friend in our native language? The person on the other end misinterpreted the tone of the message. I bet that quite a few of us will admit that this has happened to us. We can conclude from this that a similar risk is also present when translating a company’s website into another language, for example. My recommendation is: choose a professional.
In fact, always go with a professional when you have even the slightest suspicion that maybe you shouldn’t do it yourself. Professional translators know a foreign language like the back of their hand. They can translate everything from technical terminology to accurate legal documents and fabulously creative websites. They can translate “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” or express that someone is “a few fries short of a Happy Meal” in a way that the reader can understand. I’m fairly certain that these phrases would not work as direct translations in another language. In the hands of a professional translator, invitations come alive, terminology remains flawlessly precise and official sales offers say only what was intended in the original.
And then all the variants. Not only is the world full of languages, but also full of variants of languages, the classic example being UK and US English. Few of us non-professional translators have the language skills to tell the difference, so I for one am happy to turn to the professionals. They know all the nuances of regional variants, which enables you to present a professional image of you and your company. The thing that matters most is being understood exactly as you intended.
Nevertheless, if you happen to have a text that is already translated or you would like to translate a text yourself, not to worry! That is where our editing service comes into play. We proofread texts, including completed reports and existing websites. Our translators provide clear suggestions for changes and corrections to show you how your text should be edited.
Please do not hesitate to contact us and find the best solution for you!
Pauliina Jokela
Marketing Manager, Project Coordinator
