Translation is the process of converting text or speech from one language to another, ensuring that the meaning and spirit of the original content is preserved. It is an important activity to overcome language barriers and facilitate communication between different cultures.
In today’s globalized world, high-quality translation plays a vital role in international communication and business. According to a report by Common Sense Advisory, the global translation market is expected to reach $56,18 billion by 2025, with an annual growth rate of 5,5%. This shows the growing demand for professional translation services.
Choose the right vocabulary
Choosing the right vocabulary is the foundation of high-quality translation. This is especially important in specialized fields such as medical, legal and technical.
For example:
- In medicine: “Pulmonary disease” may be preferred over “lung disease” in professional literature, but “lung disease” may be more appropriate for general literature.
- In engineering: “Anomaly” can be used instead of “fault” in some specific cases.
Ensure clarity and comprehensibility
A good translation should be easy for the target audience to understand. According to Nielsen Norman Group research, 79% of web users only scan content, which emphasizes the importance of communicating information clearly and concisely.
For example:
- Use “social integration” instead of “social insertion” when talking about social inclusion.
- Choose “potential issues” instead of “eventual problems” when referring to problems that could occur.
Language structure and style
Language structure and style must be appropriate to the target language. This includes using natural and culturally appropriate sentence structures.
For example:
- English often favors short constructions like “remotely-accessible device”, while other languages may use longer constructions like “device that allows remote access”.
- In English, “sales strategy” is often preferred over “strategy of/for sales”.
Use articles & prepositions correctly
Correct use of articles and prepositions is important to ensure the accuracy and naturalness of the translation.
For example:
- “Saw an increased productivity” is more commonly used than “saw increased productivity”.
- In English, “the terms and conditions” is often preferred over “the terms and the conditions”.
Appropriate writing style
Writing style should be appropriate to the purpose and audience of the text. According to a ProZ.com survey, 68% of clients consider writing style to be an important factor in evaluating the quality of a translation.
For example:
- In legal documents, use “do not” and “cannot” instead of “don't” and “can't”.
- In marketing materials, more creative and engaging language can be used.
Professional knowledge
Subject-matter expertise is essential for technical translation. According to a study by Translators Without Borders, 76% of healthcare organizations cite the lack of qualified translators as the biggest barrier to providing accurate medical information.
For example:
- In medical translation, understanding medical terminology and treatment procedures is very important.
- In financial translation, knowledge of the stock market and financial products is essential.
Format and presentation
The translation must retain the original format and presentation. This includes maintaining the document structure, text formatting, and overall layout.
For example:
- In website translation, it is important to ensure that links, images and interactive elements work correctly in the target language.
- In translating technical documents, it is necessary to maintain the accuracy of tables, charts and illustrations.
Achieving high-quality translation requires a combination of linguistic skills, technical knowledge, and cultural understanding. By adhering to these seven key points, translators and translation companies can ensure that their translations are not only accurate, but also effective in communicating the message to the target audience.
According to a survey by SDL, 72% of global consumers say they are more likely to buy products with information in their own language. This highlights the importance of high-quality translation in expanding markets and increasing sales globally.
By applying these principles and continually updating their knowledge of the translation industry, professionals can ensure that they provide translation services that meet the growing demands of the global market.
Frequently asked questions
1. How to evaluate the quality of a translation?
To evaluate translation quality, the following criteria can be used:
- Accuracy: 98% of the content must be translated accurately.
- Consistency: 95% of the terminology must be used consistently.
- Fluency: The readability score (such as Flesch-Kincaid) must be at least 60/100.
- Cultural fit: 100% of cultural elements must be adapted.
- Formatting: 99% of formatting elements should remain the same.
2. Can AI technology completely replace human translators?
today, AI technology Human translators are not yet fully replaced. According to a 2023 study, AI can achieve 85-90% accuracy for simple texts, but only 60-70% for complex, specialized documents. Humans are still needed to:
- Understand context and hidden meaning
- Dealing with subtle cultural elements
- Ensuring consistency in long-term projects
- Check and edit AI output
3. How to optimize the translation process for large projects?
To optimize the translation process for large projects, it is necessary to:
- The installation process of CAT . tool (Computer-Assisted Translation): Increase productivity by 30-50%
- Building a Terminology Database: Reduce Lookup Time by 20%
- Apply multi-level quality control process: Reduce errors in final translation by 15%
- Break the project into smaller parts: Reduce completion time by 25%
- Using a project management system: Increase team productivity by 40%
4. How to ensure confidentiality during the translation of sensitive documents?
To ensure confidentiality during the translation of sensitive documents:
- Uses end-to-end encryption system: Protects 99,9% of data during transmission
- Sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with all relevant parties
- Use DLP (Data Loss Prevention) software: Prevent 95% of data leaks
- Limited Access: Allow only 5% of employees access to sensitive data
- Perform regular security checks: Minimum 4 times/year
- Employee training on security procedures: 100% of employees must complete annual training
Nguyen Trung Khang - Talented interpreter and translator, passionate about translation
Nguyen Trung Khang is a talented interpreter and translator, with many years of experience in the field of translation and linguistics. He graduated from Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, majoring in Linguistics in 2015.
After graduating, Mr. Khang participated in a professional interpretation and interpretation training course at the University of Foreign Languages - Hanoi National University. He achieved a high-level certificate in interpreting and interpreting, and was also awarded a master's degree in linguistics.