The question has undoubtedly crossed your mind: did the translator do a good job?
You have a short email to translate into Spanish, and since you heard that Google Translate might make mistakes, the expert translation services of an experienced professional are best for your needs. You don’t want to impress your new client with lousy grammar or outdated language; they will only turn away from what is offered if it appears poorly done on first impression. You know how important first impressions are in business.
After scouring the internet, you find someone who seems to be qualified for your task. Of course, you must be a good translator if you are a native speaker of another language!
So far, so good!
Until your translator sends back the completed project, and things get fishy: The Spanish translation is twice as long as its original text. Why???
How can you verify it? So you decide to copy and paste it into Google Translate to check the translation in reverse, expecting to see your original text as a result. Nope! That’s not what you said!
Shouldn’t the translator translate the original text word for word? Isn’t that the idea of translation? To take the words from one language and translate them into another language?
What happened?
How can you be sure that you can send that message and its recipient (Your Spanish-speaking client) will notice that you used a professional translator?
And the answer is…drumroll!!! You can’t!
Unless you know, understand or study the intricacy of languages, cultures, and the infinite nuances that make each language unique, you just can’t. So, even though it would enrich one’s knowledge and broaden horizons, do you have time for all that? My guess is your answer to this question is no.
The same happens when you hire an interpreter that will translate speech on the spot, through simultaneous or consecutive interpretation.
So what now? That’s it?
Wait! You know such and such has a friend who speaks Spanish. Let’s have them check it out!
«I knew it! The translator didn’t do a good job because my friend’s friend said she would have translated the first sentence differently.»
Now you are even more confused. You have no idea what’s going on. Nothing makes sense anymore. You feel lost and alone.
Was the original translation wrong?
Were there any grammar mistakes?
Or was it just a matter of preference and style?
To get the best results, you should hire a trusted LSP (Language Service Provider) like inLingo, who can guarantee the quality of all language services you need. With many years of experience, they will be able to assist you in achieving your goals.
inLingo knows that some words may not be translatable, that no absolute equivalence of two words or expressions exists between any two languages or even within the same language, and that there exists great diversity in different languages or within the same language. As a consequence, no two translations can be exactly the same. Although it is the translator’s responsibility to minimize these discrepancies, each professional translator will apply their own particular choice of words.