Technology in general and the Internet in particular have given us many wonderful things, particularly in the business world. For starters, we now have the ability to market our products and services to a global audience, making it possible for businesses of all types to succeed.
Even small businesses, have discovered their goods and services exposed to a global market, which means they need to have the ability to communicate in the language of their potential customers. But technology has also given us some false ideas, especially when it comes to language translation.
For some, the the search for translation services begins and ends with computerized systems like Babelfish or the Google translation tool. The obvious problem with this variety of language translation is that it is performed by machines, and we have not, as yet, developed a computer that can substitute for a human mind and all the expertise that humans can supply.
This kind of translation suffers from context issues. Translating a document is not just a matter of swapping words in the original language for whatever their equivalent is judged to be. The specific words in a business document have a meaning in context, specific nuances that are not obvious to a computer can radically alter the intended meaning of what you re seeking to communicate.
You can see this within the English language. Many words, for instance, mean the same thing, but we use one or the other dependant upon the context of what we are attempting to communicate. This is something that only humans can do, and if your goal is to achieve quality language translation, then you need a translator who understands both languages involved in the translation project and both cultures.
These kinds of translation services won t just give you a translated text that has what you said, changed into another language. They will supply you with a document that has what you meant to say, and that can be an significant distinction when seeking to communicate with a person who doesn t speak your language.
For instance, you may have crafted a business proposal that you believe would be beneficial for both you and the foreign business you re trying tocontact. An low quality language translation may not contemplate the overall tone of your message, and the proposal, translated, may therefore come off as rude and pushy. Your business has just lost a new prospective partner.
An expert translator can make the difference between success and failure, and too many businesses have lost opportunities by not choosing the right translation service.