In the age of technology, one would think automation is the key to solving all of life’s problems, right? Well, when dealing with translation, this is not necessarily the case.
Though machine translation is a tool employed by many translators, on its own it’s just a quick fix that will more than likely lead to complications down the road. For example, a company looking to expand should know that a great Spanish translation service is crucial to its international campaigns. This is because properly translated promotional materials positively influence its potential for reaching clients abroad.
To ensure you avoid translation issues, read ahead and learn more about what to keep in mind when looking for a Spanish translation service:
1. Don’t trust Google on this one — they rarely get it right.
Machine translation is precisely that: cold and lifeless text. As a reader, you always expect to relate to the text, and to do that, you look for phrases and words that sound familiar. So, if you expect your written materials to evoke a particular feeling in a reader, machine translation doesn’t make much sense, does it? Even within the English language, one can sometimes tell when the writer is from a different region or country. Imagine the disconnect a reader from Chile would experience when reading a literally translated version of an online ad in generic Spanish.
2. Spanish has wide regional variation, and sometimes the differences don’t mix well.
Many languages acquire notable differences over time between regions, so much so that they become an independent dialect or variety. With over 10 spoken varieties, Spanish is clearly not the exception. The differences between Mexican and Colombian Spanish might be relatively minimal, and received somewhat similarly by readers, but texts translated by an Argentinian and a Spaniard would be as different as night and day. The translation process involves knowledge of not only idioms and common sayings, but also the enormous grammatical differences that are found throughout all these Spanish-speaking countries.
3. Certifications are there for a reason.
A freelance translator might be knowledgeable and get you far, but a certified translator will definitely help your projects reach their maximum potential. There are great freelance translators out there, no doubt about that, but finding one you can trust with your most important projects is like finding a needle in a haystack. Spanish translation services that employ certified translators go through that weeding out process so you and your company don’t have to.
Looking for certified and professional Spanish translation to ensure your success?
Fortunately for you, the translators at TranslationServices.com have already cleared our extremely thorough screening process and are ready for your documents. We know from experience that a great translator leads to a successful project, so contact us to get started!