Did you ever feel attracted to a certain product or service through an Instagram post only to be completely turned off when you read the description? Or have you ever been in the situation in which you receive a business report that uses terminology in an unusual way, making the conclusions and message to be dangerously incorrect? In business, just like in our personal life, words are part of what makes us truly human and you don’t need a PhD in literature to appreciate good writing nor to feel inherently repulsed by horrendous copy.
When it comes to business, a poor translation can lead to misunderstandings, loss of profits and wasted time, while in personal life, weak translations lead to headaches and negative feelings.
Here is an example of an idea expressed beautifully and after that, you have the back translation of a poor interpretation of the same idea.
Original: “One must be careful of books, and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.” Cassandra Clare, The Infernal Devices
Back translation of a poor quality translation: “A person should be careful with books and their content, since words can change us.”
Whether you are translating a description for a product, a legal document or an academic article, the finite amount of words that are on the paper – or on the screen – is what allows the reader to form their first impression of you, your idea or your product. We have a unique opportunity to make a first impression and undoing a wrong first impression requires a staggering amount of work, in the cases where it is not simply impossible. It is our experience – and marketing studies consistently show this – that your reader will hold you in a higher regard if the copy that is presenting your case or your sales pitch is stupendous.
A low quality translation can provide a different meaning and transmit the message in the wrong direction. It’s always about the context and the associated meanings of the words, and not a simple search of what each word means.
This is where Ready to Publish Translations, LLC, comes in: we understand that translation is not a mechanical process and we have experience in providing translations that read as if the idea was always written in the target language. These two factors allow us to consistently provide top-notch translations. We know that you put a lot of effort into creating and presenting an excellent product, service or idea – let us be your partner in providing that same image in different languages. Quality is our defining mantra for all our translation services, regardless of whether you need a text in Spanish, English, Arabic or any other modern language from around the world.
