Are you looking for a Japanese translator? Many translators offer Japanese translation services at a reasonable rate nowadays. Clients who hire a translator at the lowest price often come to us for proofreading after their colleagues or friends from Japan tell them the translation is horrible.
These translators may have used Google Translate or simply lacked the skills to deliver a good Japanese text. In order to avoid being unexpectedly disappointed, you might want to read about the following four mistakes to become familiar with the Japanese translation process and ensure that you hire the right person.
1. Direct translation doesn’t work!
Sadly, this happens quite a lot. Student translators and those who don’t have enough experience do word-for-word translation, and it isn’t accurate. Google Translate actually has a similar outcome. It’s okay if you’re only hoping for a rough understanding of what the text is saying. However, if you’re trying to get potential customers’ attention with appealing content on your website or brochure, then it’s not a good idea.
A word-for-word translation is likely to sound strange or funny to a native audience. That’s why your English text needs to be localized rather than translated directly. In order to deliver a beautiful Japanese text, translators need excellent Japanese language skills.
2. Japanese writing (kanji) is totally different from the English alphabet.
Even native Japanese speakers forget some kanji as we depend on the computer nowadays. English is much easier as there are only 26 letters in the alphabet, whereas we have about 5,000 kanji characters (and it used to be about 50,000!). When we proofread a translation by a translator our clients paid the lowest price for, we sometimes need to correct the kanji. If you use just one wrong kanji, the meaning will change completely.
3. Japanese grammar is not like English grammar.
As for the grammar, in Japanese, the word order is subject + object + verb, whereas in English, it’s subject + verb + object. When your Japanese translation service offers a non-native Japanese translator, he or she may make simple mistakes in word order, particle/preposition usage or other aspects of grammar.
4. Japanese has various dialects.
Some clients know about this and ask us for a Japanese translator who is familiar with a specific dialect. For instance, it’s sometimes hard to understand what a grandmother from Aomori prefecture is saying because of the thick dialect. They also use different words and phrases.
Fortunately, we have skillful Japanese translators you can depend on!
If you’re looking for a professional Japanese translation service, you’re in the right place. We provide high-quality translation at an affordable price. Our industry experts deliver the most complex and specialized Japanese translations, on time, every time.