Showing posts with label Translation Services. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Translation Services. Show all posts

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Explore English-to-Kannada Translation for Your Business

Kannada, a vibrant Dravidian language spoken by over 43 million people worldwide, has a rich literary heritage and is the official language of the Indian state of Karnataka. With the increasing globalization, the need for proper English-to-Kannada translation has become important.

 

Unique Advantages of English to Kannada Translation

It offers a multitude of advantages, which are:

  1. Fulfilling Linguistic Loopholes: These both languages belong to different language families; Kannada is from Dravidian, and the English is from Indo-European. This very difference creates an opportunity to build a connection between two rich linguistic and cultural traditions. A skilled translator can leverage this difference to develop content according to the target audience. Reliable translators can ensure that the translated text conveys the intended meaning by understanding the nuances of language sentence structure, vocabulary, and cultural references.
  2. Enriching Cultural Understanding: Each language carries cultural nuances that can be difficult to translate literally. Jokes, puns, and idioms often lose their meaning in a direct translation. A skilled translator helps in this activity by finding creative ways to convey the humor or underlying message in a way that the target audience understands. This process can introduce the target audience to new cultural concepts and perspectives, fostering empathy and understanding.
  3. Expanding Knowledge Access: Translating technical terminology brings new growth opportunities. Expert translators empower native speakers to access and contribute to advancements in various fields by translating scientific papers, medical journals, and engineering manuals into their native language. For example, a Kannada-speaking researcher works on groundbreaking scientific discoveries previously published in English only. This step benefits the individual researcher and helps promote positive progress within the Kannada-speaking community

Applications of English to Kannada Translation

English to Kannada translation finds application in a diverse range of fields:

  1. Business and Commerce: Businesses operating in Karnataka or catering to a Kannada-speaking audience require translated documents like contracts, marketing materials, and product descriptions for effective communication.
  2. Government and Legal Affairs: Government documents, legal proceedings, and judgments need accurate translation to ensure transparency and accessibility for Kannada-speaking citizens.
  3. Education and Literature: Educational materials, literary works, and research papers benefit from translation, promoting knowledge dissemination and cultural exchange.
  4. Media and Entertainment: Movies, TV shows, and web series translated into Kannada expand their reach and connect with a wider audience.

Tools and Resources for Effective Translation

Several resources can help in this process:

  1. Machine Translation (MT): Tools like Google Translate offer instant translations, providing a general understanding of the text. However, their accuracy is limited. Therefore, it is best to contact a professional translation company for complex sentences and technical content.
  2. Online Dictionaries and Glossaries: Kannada-English dictionaries and specialized glossaries are important for finding accurate translations of words and phrases.
  3. Translation Agencies: Professional translation agencies employ experienced translators who can handle complex projects while adhering to deadlines.

 

Tips for Getting the Best English to Kannada Translation

Here are some pointers to receive high-quality work:

  1. Clarity is Key: Provide clear and concise source documents free of ambiguity. When the translator knows more about who will read the translation and why, they can make it better.
  2. Terminology Consistency: Maintain consistency in technical terms throughout the document to avoid confusion.
  3. Proofreading is Essential: Proofread both the source and translated documents to catch any errors.

Focussing on The Future

In 2017, a book called Kavirajamargam was published in English. It contained rhetoric, poetics, and grammar in the 9th-century Kannada language. Examples like these set the ground for the future growth of these languages. In the second example, CognitiveLab has launched Ambari, a bilingual language model in Kannada and English, which is also a positive news for the translation industry.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence will continue to advance. However, human expertise will continue to play a vital role in ensuring nuanced, culturally sensitive translations.

 

Final Words

English-to-Kannada translation is important in today's world. Businesses can enter new markets when they use expert translators to fulfil their business requirements. This can lead to increased sales and better relationships with customers who speak Kannada.

Saturday, March 2, 2024

Enhancing Growth of Healthcare Institutions with Translation Services

As per reports published by Astute Analytica, the medical industry will contribute over USD 48 Billion in the upcoming years, which is positive news for this sector.

Medical business is expanding at a substantial rate, and it is disrupting the geographical borders to cater to many patients and clients. However, the problem arises that language gaps pose significant communication challenges, potentially putting a full stop to healthcare services' growth and effectiveness. Therefore, medical institutes require the assistance of Healthcare Translation Services, which help overcome these obstacles and facilitate the development of businesses.

1. Improved Patient Care and Experience: Conveying the message at the right time is essential to ensure patients receive the proper care and understand their treatment plans. Medical translation services erase the gap between healthcare providers and patients who speak different languages, providing accurate information exchange and enhancing patient experience.

2. Expanded Market Reach: Medical institutions that offer multilingual services can reach a broader audience and attract patients from diverse backgrounds. This expansion can increase revenue and growth opportunities for the company.

3. Compliance and Legal Requirements: Hospitals must provide translated materials to meet legal and regulatory requirements. Medical Translation Services ensure that documents such as medical records, consent forms, and insurance information are translated, helping businesses meet these obligations.

4. Cultural Sensitivity and Inclusivity: Medical institutes prioritize cultural inclusivity through expert translators that help build trust with patients from different cultural backgrounds, leading to better health outcomes and business growth.

5. Enhanced Reputation and Brand Image: Professional translators help achieve inclusivity and accessibility, enhancing healthcare businesses' reputation and brand image. This positive perception can attract more patients and partners, driving further growth.

6. Efficient Communication with Multilingual Staff: Professional translators ensure transparent and efficient communication among team members, improving workflow and collaboration and improving patient care and business efficiency in medical settings with multilingual staff.

7. Access to Specialized Medical Knowledge: Translation services with expertise in medical terminology and practices can provide accurate translations of complex medical documents and research papers. This access to specialized knowledge can benefit healthcare businesses seeking to stay updated with the latest advancements in the field.

8. Cost-Effective Solution: Outsourcing translation services is often more cost-effective than hiring full-time translators. Healthcare facilities can save on staffing costs while ensuring high-quality translations by partnering with professional translation agencies, such as Somya Translators.

Do you want Healthcare Transcription Services for your medical institutions? Contact us to know more.

The Application of Translation Services in the Healthcare Industry

1. Patient Care: Translation services ensure patients receive clear and accurate information about their health conditions, treatment plans, and medications. Language barriers can pave the way for misunderstandings, severely affecting patient care. By providing translation services, healthcare providers can ensure patients understand their diagnosis and treatment options, leading to better health outcomes.

2. Medical Records and Documentation: Accurate translation of medical records and documentation is essential for providing continuity of care for patients who speak different languages. Translation services ensure that medical histories of patients, test results, and other important documents are accurately translated, allowing healthcare providers to make decisions regarding patient care.

3. Legal Compliance: Medical providers must comply with various legal and regulatory requirements, including providing expert translators for patients who speak languages other than the one used by the healthcare provider. Failure to provide adequate translation services can result in legal consequences for healthcare providers.

4. Multilingual Staff Communication: Healthcare translation services are essential for facilitating communication among team members, ensuring that all staff members can effectively communicate with each other, leading to improved teamwork and patient care.

5. Health Education: Medical translation services help in health education, ensuring patients have access to information about preventive care, healthy living, and disease management in their language and empowering them to control their health and well-being.

We offer Translation Services for Healthcare Professionals. Contact us to discuss more.

Concluding Words

In conclusion, translation services help in driving the growth of healthcare businesses. These services contribute to the success and sustainability of healthcare businesses in a globalized world by improving patient care, expanding market reach, ensuring compliance, and promoting inclusivity.

Friday, February 23, 2024

How Video Translation Supports Global Healthcare Providers

Global healthcare providers face the challenge of delivering important medical information to diverse populations speaking different languages. This challenge is seen in video content, where accurate and culturally sensitive translation is essential for effective communication. Video translation services help medical providers reach and interact with their audiences without language barriers. This blog explores the importance of video translation for global medical providers and how it can improve patient care, enhance communication with professionals, and support medical education.

Enhancing Patient Care

Patients who do not communicate in the language of the medical provider may struggle to understand various instructions and treatment options. Healthcare providers cope with this situation by providing translated videos.

For example, a global hospital may create educational videos on managing chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease. The hospital can help patients better understand  and manage their health by watching translated  videos into multiple languages. The benefit of this step is that it will lead to improved health results and a higher quality of life for patients worldwide.

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Improving Communication with Healthcare Professionals

When medical professionals from different countries collaborate on patient care or research projects, in that situation, healthcare providers can provide all team members with translated videos on best practices, treatment guidelines, or research findings.

For example, a hospital may develop training videos for healthcare professionals on using a new medical device or performing a specific procedure. The provider can ensure that all healthcare professionals access the same training materials, improving consistency and quality of care by translating these videos into multiple languages.

Click here to know more about medical translation services.

Supporting Medical Education

Video translation services are helpful for supporting medical education, with regions having limited access to resources. A provider can train the next generation of healthcare professionals and improve delivery in underserved areas by translating several educational videos on disease prevention, maternal health, or infectious diseases.

For example, a hospital may partner with local medical schools or training programs to provide translated videos on the latest medical research or treatment guidelines. By doing so, the provider can help ensure that medical students have access to the same educational resources as their peers in other parts of the world, ultimately improving the quality of care provided in their communities.

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Video Translation Process for Global Healthcare Providers

Sometimes, global healthcare providers need to translate video content to reach diverse audiences around the world. The video translation process for healthcare providers involves several key steps so that there is accuracy, cultural sensitivity, and compliance with regulatory requirements. This section outlines the process of video translation services for global healthcare providers.

Step 1: Needs Assessment

The first step is to conduct a proper assessment to determine the project's scope, including identifying the target languages, the specific videos to be translated, and any cultural or regulatory requirements that must be considered.

Step 2: Script Preparation

The second step is to prepare the video script for translation. This step involves creating a written version of the dialogue or narration in the original video, along with any on-screen text or graphics that need to be translated.

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Step 3: Translation

The translation step involves translating the video script into the target languages. It is essential to use professional translators fluent in both the source and target languages and have expertise in healthcare terminology. Translators should also be familiar with the cultural nuances of the target audience to ensure that the translation is accurate and culturally sensitive.

Step 4: Review and Editing

After the initial translation, the translated script is reviewed and edited for accuracy, clarity, and cultural sensitivity. This step may involve multiple rounds of review by different translators or editors to ensure the highest quality translation.

Interpret your videos to a professional level with video interpretation services from our side.

Step 5: Voiceover or Subtitling

Depending on the video's format and intended audience, the next step is to record a voiceover in the target language or add subtitles. Voiceovers are typically used for longer videos or when a more personal touch is needed. In comparison, subtitles are often used for shorter videos or when the original audio needs to be preserved.

Step 6: Quality Assurance

Quality assurance is essential in the video translation process so that the final product meets the highest standards, involving testing the video with a sample audience to gather feedback or conducting a final review to ensure all translations are accurate and culturally appropriate.

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Step 7: Distribution and Content

Once the translated video is finalized, it is ready for distribution to the target audience. Global healthcare providers may use a variety of channels to distribute their videos, including websites, social media, and video-sharing platforms. Feedback from the audience is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of the video translation and make any necessary improvements for future projects.

Concluding Words

In conclusion, video translation services are vital for global healthcare providers looking to improve patient care, enhance communication with healthcare professionals, and support medical education. By providing translated videos, healthcare providers can ensure that all patients and healthcare professionals can access clear and accurate information, regardless of their language proficiency.


Monday, February 19, 2024

Translation Services In Japan: Binding World Businesses Through It

Japan is a superpower country with a technology hub, manufacturing companies, movies and TV series, etc. Being a developed country, it has a presence in many countries through its companies, such as Nintendo, Sony, Bandai Namco, and many more.

Recently, Tekken 8 game was released by Bandai Namco in January 2024 at the world level, surpassing gaming records. The fun fact is that the game's storyline is in Japanese, but the company offers a translation feature inside the game to play it in other languages.

Witnessing examples like this leads to the need for high-quality translation services in Japan.

Showing the Relevance

Japan possesses a rich cultural heritage and a robust emphasis on tradition, reflected in its language, and has many nuances that can be difficult for non-native speakers to understand. As a result, professional translators facilitate communication between native speakers and speakers of other languages.

One of the key reasons for the importance of Translation Services in Japan is the country's status as a global economic powerhouse. Japan is home to many multinational corporations, and its products and services are in demand worldwide. As a result, there is a constant need for translation services to help these companies communicate with their international partners and customers.

Filling the Language Gaps

Japan is known for its unique language, which can be demanding for non-native speakers to understand. Therefore, professional translators facilitate smooth communication between native speakers and speakers of other languages.

Furthermore, translation services in Japan are used in many industries, including business, technology, healthcare, and entertainment. They are used to translate various documents, including business contracts, technical manuals, medical reports, and movie scripts.

Why Japan is a Unique Market for Expert Translators

The Japanese language is known for its challenging writing system, which includes three scripts: hiragana, katakana, and kanji. Additionally, Japanese has many levels of politeness and formality, which can be difficult for non-native speakers to master.

Another factor that makes Japan a unique market for translation agencies is its rich cultural heritage. The culture is deeply rooted in tradition, and many nuances and subtleties must be considered when translating documents or content for a native audience.

Concluding Words

In the end, translation companies in Japan, such as Somya Translators, help smoothen communication between different people. The Japanese language and culture pose several challenges, but the expert translators resolve them efficiently and continue to thrive, eliminating all the gaps between other languages and cultures.


Saturday, January 16, 2010

Quality Ways For the Translation

As all the countries of the world, to fulfill there financial need, coming together irrespective of there political boundaries and, to help people come together and carry same perspective for one target, these countries are taking help of translation to let the world know about there historical articles, scriptures and texts.

Technique can also not ignore the need importance of translation today. Especially, as in current times its position and situation clearly shows that its field will keep on growing. Because of this, many people are making translation as there professional.

But translation is not a piece of cake… It’s a process of dedication and complete lexical knowledge. As far as those people are concerned, who think that mere knowledge of some languages can make it easy to translate a language from another language, they are not correct. As the transferring a life from its habitat, effects on its efficiency and habits, as translation of a creation of a language definitely affects its original existence. Most of the time, is has been seen that, some translation of a creation is very awkward.

For removing this type of problem here are some step must be taken:-

First of all, we should well understand the topic or document is being given for translation. Doing many kind of research, can be helped to understand the sole of the source. After understanding the sole, we can do the translation very much closer to existing translation. Then we can start the Translation. After completing the translation, we must re-review our own translation. As we know Human being is the statue of mistakes. That’s why it is absolutely sure that we can do mistakes, and by this way we can remove these kind mistakes by our self.

Secondly, we should send our translation to the Editor, for editing and Review. It will bring upon qualitative changes in your translation by removing grammatical and stylistically errors.
After this, we must send the edited and reviewed translation to the reviewer for final review. It is very much important role in translation. Because the reviewer find out the miner mistakes, preferential changes from the translation.

After the completion of above steps, we can say the translation has been completed. But even we must send the file to the Final revision and detailed explanation. So that we can be satisfied with the translation and further argues.

Following these steps while translation, Improve the Quality and Sole of an Existing Creation and can be satisfied with Our Own work.

Translation : Art or Science


Since time immemorial, human beings have yearned for knowledge. Inventions of fire by flinting two stones and then of wheel, were the most revolutionary inventions of history. These inventions led human beings settle down in a group, making the framework of a society. With the formation of society came the apparent urge of acquiring knowledge and sharing it. In today’s world, communication between different nations with different languages is feasible through translation.

Translation is putting some content into the words of a different language; maintaining the spirit of the source language. In the same way, Pinhhuck (1977: 38) defines translation as "a process of finding a Target Language equivalent of the Source Language.

Is translation a scientific study or artistic endeavor, researchable theory or technical craft, a branch of linguistics or of literature? Being utilized as a means to act as a bridge between two cultures, translation seems to be a complicated and multi-faceted activity or phenomenon.

According to Benjamin (1923), the twentieth century has been called the age of 'reproduction' or, as Jumplet (1923) points out 'the age of translation' (as cited in Newmark, 1988a:1); however, the constant debate as to whether translation is an art or science has a long history. Some scholars may argue that translation is a process of creative thinking; consequently, it is subjective and cannot be systematized by laws.

As Savory (1957:49) claim, "it would almost be true to say that there are no universally accepted principles of translation, because the only people qualified to formulate them have never agreed among themselves"; therefore, he does not tend to consider translation as a science.

According to Kelly (1979:51), Hieronymus (also known as St. Jerome, 4th century A.D) as well as others followed Cicero's 9106-43 B.C) claim constantly that translation was a branch of oratory, and Holmes (1979a:23), specifying two branches of translation studies, namely pure and applied, points out that the aim of pure translation studies is to describe the phenomenon of translation and to investigate all related aspects of it; however, applied translation studies focus on the application of translation theories to such aspects of translation as translation practice, the teaching and learning of translation.

He believes that all factions of translation are interrelated and their relationship is dialectical; however, Toury (1995:7) puts forward that the relationship between pure and applied translation studies is unidirectional--theoretical studies serve as a nurturing source for the applied studies. Furthermore, Toury (1982:7) believes that translation, as a cognitive science, has to reach beyond linguistics, and calls it "interdisciplinary"; consequently, it seems that he considers translation a science. This science seems to be warmly welcomed by some scholars in the form of 'word for word.' For instance, Norton (1984:59) quotes Horace (65-8 B.C) to state that, "it is the duty of a faithful interpreter to translate what he undertakes word for word."

Nevertheless, Chukovskii (1984:93) does not take translation into consideration as a science when he confirms that, "translation is not only an art, but a high art." Moreover, Newmark (1988a), referring to translation as "a craft" Some scholars consider translation a science. Though the most salient features of a field of science are precision and predictability, Berkeley (1991:83) notes that some sciences, principally those dealing with the humanities, do not attain a one hundred percent predictability level. However, Baker (1998:4) points out that translation is a separate academic discipline which, "like any young discipline, needs to draw on the findings and theories of the other related disciplines in order to develop and formulate its own methods." Nevertheless, distinguishing between science and translation, Karra (2000:1) writes that "my colleagues never understood why I chose the world of translation over science."

Translation is an art, not a science; like most arts, it is a lot more complicated than it looks. (Translation, 2005:2)

Translation studies can be regarded as a science. However, if we take the product of translation into account, it seems rational to think of it as a craft or art. Whether translation is regarded as a science, art, or craft, it seems significant to note that a good translation should play the same role in the TL as the original did in the SL.

Machine Translation

"A renewed international effort is gearing up to design computers and software that smash language barriers and create a borderless global marketplace."

Machine translation (MT) is a procedure whereby a computer program analyzes a source text and produces a target text without further human involvement. In point of fact, machine translation typically does involve human intervention, in the form of pre-editing and post-editing. An exception to that rule might be, e.g., the translation of technical specifications (strings of technical terms and adjectives), using a dictionary-based machine-translation system.

So far, machine translation a major goal of natural-language processing has met with limited success. A November 6, 2007, example illustrates the hazards of uncritical reliance on machine translation. Machine translation has been brought to a large public by tools available on the Internet, such as Google, Babylon, Wikipedia etc. These tools produce a "gisting translation" a rough translation that, with luck, "gives the gist" of the source text.

With proper terminology work, with preparation of the source text for machine translation (pre-editing), and with re-working of the machine translation by a professional human translator (post-editing), commercial machine-translation tools can produce useful results, especially if the machine-translation system is integrated with a translation-memory or globalization-management system.

In regard to texts with limited ranges of vocabulary and simple sentence structure (e.g., weather reports), machine translation can deliver results that do not require much human intervention to be useful. Also, the use of a controlled language, combined with a machine-translation tool, will typically generate largely comprehensible translations.

Perspective of IT and Telecommunication Translation



Present Time is the time of Globalization. In the current scenario every country is carrying equal level of perception and thinking about its culture, state and business. Today one's loss or profit is connected to others loss or profit. One of the biggest examples of this is Economic Showdown. At this time, every country need to share there information, culture, and past experiences with another country. It’s not only benefited for their business but also it is beneficial for future steps of development and mutual growth.

Currently, there are many types of translation, but the scope of technical translation is becoming so popular that it seem difficult to assess the border. For this new software and new telecom device is being developed constantly. But the native people of other country can not understand the functionality of that device, machine. To solve it we need to render the information from one technical language to other technical language. It’s called IT/Telecom translation.

In this domain of translation there are more fields. Very first is the Hardware, It means that, when exploring any Hardware device, like HP LaserJet, other people may find it difficult to understand the ways of operating the device, most of the time they need the manual in their native language. Hence to make the manual and operating methods readable and understandable Hardware translation is needed.

Second one is Software translation, its purpose of translation is also same as above, but Web Site Localization is also an important pillar of IT/Telecom Translation Industry. As today, the use of internet is growing by the speed of light; hence giving a broad scope of exposure. For the same, every company is making their web site, and making it localized in local language. So that, people of any country know and understand them. By this, it becomes the fastest way to spread information of the company.

And the last field of this domain is Telecom Industry. In this part the content and manuals of device like Mobile, Fax machine, and Wireless get translated. Today these devices are being counted as one of the important need of human being. Irrespective of there knowledge of English or any other foreign language, they use it. But to use them, they need to understand the methods provided in the manual, and for the same they Telecom Translation is coming in use.

To make the translation easier and approachable there are many Company, Agency and Freelancers handling the translations of these fields. And Somya Translators Pvt Ltd is one of the solutions provider for all of these translation issue.

Translation process

Before I brief you the process of translation, we should first understand the meaning of translation. Translation is the process to render written or spoken source language texts to equivalent written or spoken target language texts.

At the first glance, as per the definition, it seem very easy and quick process, but in reality it is as complicated and methodological. When a project come for translation it has to go through several stages before it finally reaches to the translator. Even then it goes through more stages till its final delivery. This entire process can be sum up as the Translation Process.

The translation process includes decoding the meaning of the source text, and re-encoding or translating this meaning in the target language. Behind this simple process lies various activities like checking grammar, syntax, idioms, semantics, and the like of the source language and also the culture of its speakers. It is necessary that the translator's knowledge of the target language is more important than his knowledge of the source language.

The process, which is usually followed by all to ensure a well written, accurate translation:

The document that is to be translated is assigned to a person who is well versed with the native language is that which the document is being translated into. The document is edited by a person who is fluent in both the target and source languages. Accuracy, grammar, spelling and writing style are all checked in the editing stage. The document is proofread by a person who is fluent in both languages. It is also necessary to check spelling and layout. Finally, before the document goes to the client, the document is further rechecked to ensure that the translation is correct, there is no missing text or texts and the layout is perfect.

There are also some particular problems in the translation process: problems of ambiguity, problems that originate from structural and lexical differences between languages and multiword units like idioms and collocations. Another problem would be the grammar because there are several constructions of grammar poorly understood, in the sense that it isn't clear how they should be represented, or what rules should be used to describe them. The words that are really hard to translate are frequently the small, common words, whose precise meaning depends heavily on context. Besides, some words are untranslatable when one wishes to remain in the same grammatical category. The question of whether particular words are untranslatable is frequently debated.

Few measures can be taken to avoid and produce the best Translation. It is important that translators are familiar with the product they are translating and also with the tools they are using. The translation process is not the replacement of one word with another, but the formation of concepts in another language. Thus, each translator should have equipment and knowledge compatible with the language being translated. Translation guidelines and instructions should be provided to ensure correct translation. To ensure accurate translation, terminology glossary should also be provided to the translators.

To ensure quality we must follow this process and safety measures. After all it’s the quality and gaining clients trust that matters.

Linguistic issues with Translation

One of the distinctive properties of translation is creativity, by which we mean the ability of native speakers of a language to produce and understand new forms in their language. Even though creativity is most apparent when it comes to translation and sentence formation, it is also manifest in our lexical knowledge, where new words are added to our mental lexicon regularly.

Translation is always done in clear and grammatically correct language. Whether it is Hindi, English or any other language, it should be formed grammatically correct as well as grammatically sound. As an English to Hindi translator in Somya Translators Pvt Ltd. I would like to share some of my view on the issues we face while translating from native language to different and vise-a-versa.

Many times it had been noticed that we get so involve and used to technical translation that we forget that translation is not about translating every word, instead its all together a business of forming a whole new sentence from one language to other language conveying the same meaning. As I am not much aware of any other language I can only judge two languages, i.e. of course Hindi and English. Sometimes I do find mistranslations in articles translated in Hindi, which is probably due to insufficient knowledge on the part of the native language, but it is very rare, and I am always surprised when this happens. They do not really contain mistranslations based on misunderstanding of the original language and the technical terms are usually correct, but the target language is sometime so bad that I have to read the original text at least twice before I can figure out what the translated text means.

One of the reasons behind this is the phonological, alphabetical difference between Hindi and English and also the preposition and postposition difference in them. The Devangari script employed by Hindi contains both vowels (10) and consonants (40). Hindi is highly phonetic; i.e. the pronunciation of new words can be reliably predicted from their written form. This is in strong contrast to English. Conversely, it results in mispronouncing words that people first encounter in writing. In Hindi, objects have genders. For instance, a book is feminine and a house is masculine. Hindi uses a different word order than English. Since grammar is quite difficult with two genders, laypeople make mistakes in that regard. Also in Hindi Post-positions are used instead of Prepositions.

Translators should be aware of the fact that incorrect comprehension of a text considerably decreases the quality of the translation. Finding solutions to dilemmas is a constant in the work of the translator. This includes reading comprehension strategies for translation (underlining words, detecting translation difficulties, contextualizing lexical items, analyzing them, and so on.)

Translators should also be aware that meaning is not only conveyed by words. Hence adequate decoding and re-coding of nomenclatures, figures, tables and charts; standardized terms, acronyms, toponyms, etc. is a matter that must be properly considered.

Last, but not least, translators should observe that the essence, in terms of meaning and sense, register and style, etc., and the lay out of the original text, in terms of format, i.e. sources, paragraphs, indentation, columns, tables, etc., is properly adhered to in the translated unit.

If followed properly this can and will certainly help in providing the best translation in business.For More Information Plz visit our site here :- http://www.somyatrans.com



Translation, never easy nor diffficult

Translation is the process of converting one language into another with respect to cultural, social values. It is said that “It takes less time to train an airman to become a fighter pilot than it takes to become a good translator". For Translation it is must that a translator should very well aware with both source and target language. This is why more translators are the native speakers of the required language in which translation is needed. But having knowledge of native language is not only a requirement for being a translator.

Translation is neither very difficult work to do but on the other hand it is not also very easier to do.

What is Translation?


Translation is the transmittal of written text from one language into another. Translation Refers to the written language, and is the action of interpretation of the meaning of a text, and subsequent production of an equivalent text that communicates the same message in another language. The text to be translated is called the source text, and the language it is to be translated into is called the target language.

Translation must take into account constraints that include context, the rules of grammar of the two languages, their writing conventions, and their idioms. A common misconception is that there exists a simple word-for-word correspondence between any two languages, and that translation is a straightforward mechanical process. A word-for-word translation does not take into account context, grammar, conventions, and idioms.

Some of the definitions of Translation are:

• a written communication in a second language having the same meaning as the written communication in a first language
• a uniform movement without rotation
• transformation: the act of changing in form or shape or appearance; "a photograph is a translation of a scene onto a two-dimensional surface"
• (mathematics) a transformation in which the origin of the coordinate system is moved to another position but the direction of each axis remains the same
• (genetics) the process whereby genetic information coded in messenger RNA directs the formation of a specific protein at a ribosome in the cytoplasm
• rewording something in less technical terminology

How to translate?

As we already discussed that translation needs that a translator should have fluent and accurate knowledge of both the source and target languages. Although before doing translation one should remember few technical aspects also like consistency, accuracy, grammar, vocabulary, glossary etc.

Before starting translation important aspects to remember are:-
• Go through the whole translatable document, i.e. Source
• Check the content given, whether the content is complete or incomplete.
• Understand the theme of the content
• Check whether any terminology has been provided or not.
• Check for glossary
• Read the instructions provided.
• If anything is unclear, or have any query, contact the job provider for accurate details.

Only after going through all the above mentioned points, start translating the document. While translating the document also consider these points:
• Translate the document as per the meaning.
• Please avoid word-for-word translation.
• Maintain consistency.
• Follow the glossary provided.
• Do the translation as per instructions.
• Use easy to understand language.
• Follow grammar strictly.
• Use proper words and
• Avoid using bookish language.

Translation, when practiced by relatively bilingual individuals but especially when by persons with limited proficiency in one or both languages, involves a risk of spilling-over of idioms and usages from the source language into the target language.

The art of translation is as old as written literature. Since the Industrial Revolution, developments in technology, communications and business have changed translation greatly. In particular, the advent of the Internet has greatly expanded the market for translation and introduced a vast array of new tools and types of work.

Once the activity of a relatively small group of clerics, scholars, it is now a profession with accredited schools, professional associations, and accepted standards and pay scales. Translators, professional as well as amateur, have thus played an important role in the evolution of languages and cultures.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Translation Fundamentals

Why translation and localization?

Translation is as basic a human activity as creating originals. It’s a natural trait of mind to express anything noticed new in the language one follows naturally. This has inspired the human beings to translate almost ever since the beginning of human civilization. Before the advent of modern technology, translated word was the only way to know that, in fact, there exists such a vast and diverse world beyond what we could see.

The world is as much indebted to the amateur translators as to the great scientists and inventors, revolutionary thinkers, prophets and social reformers. But for the translators’ efforts, the inventions, the thoughts, literature and mythology, and the revolutionary ideas that changed the world could not have traveled so far and wide.

The Challenge

In contrast to translation of literature and mythology, translation in technical domain has its own typical challenges and methodologies. It has developed a specialized process of migrating to other languages that we call localization. Localization is a broad sphere of activities of which translation is a major component. Technical adaptation with due respect to cultural sensitivities are the basic tenets of localization. This calls for a perfect blend of technical and linguistics skills.

Web and telecommunications are new and evolving domains. They are spreading at a speed that no other domains have achieved so far. Their user base is growing by leaps and bounds. Unlike other technologies, the web and telecommunications did not have time to mature first in the native land and language and then migrate to other lands and languages. Their technical maturity and widening of base have been simultaneous. This is the challenge for the translators: to be faithful to the domain and yet be welcome to the common user.

Almost every other day some new features are added to enhance mobile experience. Engineers and enthusiasts are working round the clock. Mobile manufacturers are in a cut throat competition to score over one another. The convergence of different technologies and domains has blurred the divide among them. So the translators now have to translate keeping this convergence in mind. This calls for a cross domain consistency.

With the evolution of Website localization as a specialized offshoot of translation, highly technical domains such web and telecommunications have developed industry specific standard terminology. This is a great help as well as a challenge for the translators. It’s a challenge because at times you have to accept a terminology which you do not find welcome from the language point of view. This underlines a fundamental rule of translation: consistency.

Translation always requires an active human involvement to come out in a welcome shape. Machines would always have a limited and supporting role in translation because they can only perform in a defined way. They cannot think. And here in comes fundamental 1.

Think

Think before you start. And think what? What is the domain? What is the text? What is the context? Who are the audience? To think clearly towards coming out with a good piece of translation, you need to read. This is fundamental 2.

Read

Read the text in total, not in isolation from the whole. This is a thumb rule. This would give you a feel of the content in its totality. At times, you get the actual message conveyed only at the end. Also read some existing domain translation to know what not to do. We should learn from others’ mistakes. It would be better if you just read the translation, not the source. This is very important. A reading would give you a feel whether this is an original text or a translation. General reading is immensely helpful. The more you read and know the better for you.

Post translation reading is equally important. Again read it in total, feel the flow and consistency of tone, style and narration. If you feel that it sounds like a translation and not an original, then the translation has failed the purpose and you have learned an important lesson: a translation has to sound like an original. This is fundamental 3.
Be close to original

The success of a translation is measured on how the audience accepts it in the target language. It must sound as if it is written in the target language itself. It must be as close to the original as possible in size, flow, and narration. An oversized translation with an entirely different narration is not a faithful translation. This underlines the need to be simple and precise, which is fundamental 4.

Be simple and precise

There is always a need and scope in translation to be simple and precise. The very purpose of translation is defeated if the message is not conveyed to the reader in the target language. You would never remember or fall back upon a complex document for guidance. We tend to use heavy terms while translating. We have to resist this and opt for the simpler terms wherever possible.

Golden Rules of Translation

Follow the source: A major challenge in translation is to reflect the tone, style, and structure of the source. This is simply addressed by respecting the source. It’s always safe and wise to follow the source.

Follow the rules: You are always correct if you follow the rules of language and grammar. A grammatically correct sentence is rarely a wrong translation. Being grammatically and linguistically correct is like speaking the truth. You don’t need to remember what you said the last time. This curtails half of the efforts at the review level. This ensure consistency of language and style.

Maintain Consistency: Consistency is the basic requirement of localization tasks. To a certain extent, it is more important than good quality. So much so that it can be acceptable if a translation is wrong but consistent but it is never acceptable if a translation is correct but inconsistent. And consistency is not restricted just to language, but it is also required in style, terminology, and narration. Beyond that, it extends to cross domain consistency. Ever growing convergence of technologies requires consistency in localization. Similar functionalities and concepts in telecom and software should be translated consistently.

Linguistically, consistency makes things easier for translators and reviewers. This saves efforts while making changes after the review. It helps in saving costs as we do not need to pay for anything that is already translated. It helps in developing logics and base doe machine translations.

Typical Challenges in Translation

To Translate or not

In technical translations, certain things are not to be translated. These are mostly company and product names, trademarks, sound marks and patents. They are not translated because they are known and identified in their original form, color, and shape. For example, Microsoft, as a rule does not translate its name and its product names. But this is not the case with all the companies. Certain companies like Nokia do not mind their brand name being written in target languages. Besides, untranslatable text may have technical significance. One has to be very judicious in making these decisions.

Translate or Transliterate

This is a major challenge for translators, particularly in the technical domain. At times one sees more transliterations than translations. This requires a very sound linguistic judgment, particularly when you do not have specific guidelines on what to translate or transliterate. At times, the client provides clear guidelines on what should be transliterated. This is simple to follow. As of now, there are no rules to guide the translators on this. However, there are generally agreed practices in the localization industry.

We just transliterate company and brand names (Nokia, Motorola), product names (Motorazr), domain specific terminology (modem, software, server, E-Mail, infrared, wireless, broadcast, and headset etc.), technology types (Multimedia) and proper names. Terms like file, folder, profile, call, settings, shortcut, operator, menu, media, gallery, card, video, clip etc. that are widely used in local languages in their adopted form are generally transliterated. However we have to be particular about their correct representation in the target language. We should use correct phonetic sounds to represent correct pronunciations in the target language.

Country names are a special category. Some country names have well adopted and accepted parallels in other languages like the United States of America (Sanyukta Raajy Amerikaa), South Korea (Dakshin Koriyaa), South Africa (Dakshin Afrikaa) in Hindi and other Indian languages. But certain country names with similar nomenclature like Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and South Sandwich Islands are just transliterated because they are not well adopted or widely used in other languages. Certain country names are simply not translated as their adopted names conflict with other names. A typical example is United Kingdom which has to be transliterated as the exact translation (Sanyukt Raajya) would conflict with that of the US.

Another associated challenge is whether to transliterate the acronyms and how to transliterate them. The agreed practice in this regard is that we transliterate very popular acronyms like PIN and SIM. But when it comes to hard core domain specific acronyms like Encapsulated Post Script (EPS) Files, Push-to-Talk (PTT), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), we transliterate them and follow it up with the acronym in bracket in English. For ex. Push-to-Talk (PTT).

Cultural Challenges

We often come across typical terminology and names (Hangul Hanja, Katalan). It is pardonable if you misspell an unheard name unless it’s not culturally offensive. But a good translator would go and try to find native speaker to find the correct pronunciation of a typical term or name.

These issues are addressed by

1) following a common phonetic convention;
2) searching the web; and
3) speaking to a native.

Another important thing to remember is to respect the cultural sensitivities in translation. Never go ahead with what you find unparliamentary or offensive in your language.