How Can Translators Make the Most of 2021?

Posted On February 8, 2021By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators/ 1 No Comments

With a global pandemic and a subsequent international recession having made 2020 an understandably difficult year for many translators, it can be nerve-wracking to think that we may be facing more of the same in 2021. So how can translators thrive during this new year of uncertainty?

All this depends on your situation, with some finding themselves with little work, some with too much, and others fortunately relatively unaffected. Regardless, there is plenty you can do to make the most of the year to come.

How Can Translators With Less Work Make the Most of 2021?

Many translators may have found themselves affected by the pandemic and recession with their employers or clients having less money to spend on translation services. If you have found yourself with more free time on your hands, it is easy to start spiraling with panicked thoughts about what the future may hold. This is never helpful and a better way to approach this situation is to make the most of the available time you have.

Invest in Yourself

While you may have less work to do for your clients, there is almost certainly work you can do to help in your career. Invest in yourself and spend the time you may have spent working with clients on developing new professional skills, such as learning to use new software or heavily reading into a new specialism, helping to make you more in demand in the future.

The internet makes learning and training easier than ever, with countless hours of free content available on websites like YouTube to help you develop your career. There are many free courses available online to help develop your career if you find yourself with extra time, covering everything from coding, to marketing, and project management.

Expand Your Horizons

It is a good idea to consider any other transferrable skills you may have to help you find extra work. Experience in translation is extremely useful in many other jobs, such as language teaching, research, interpreting, editing, and copywriting.

In times where you find you have less work available, it is a good idea to cast your net out further and consider options you may not have otherwise considered. You may even end up enjoying yourself more in a different field or making more money.

Update Your Image

Investing in your professional image during quiet periods can also help you find more work in the future. Take the time to update your CV, LinkedIn profile, website, or any other platforms you may use for finding work as this will help with applying for work with any new employers and attracting new clients to your business.

Reflect on Possible Improvements

It is also a good time for self-reflection and reflection on your career. Is there anything you could improve? Any new industries you should consider working in? Are you up to date with the latest technology? Could you be missing out on any opportunities?

All these options can help with not only making the most of 2021 but also building a solid foundation for your career and business to thrive in the years to come, putting you ahead of the competition.

How Can Busy Translators Make the Most of 2021?

While some translators may find themselves with less work due to the pandemic and recession, others might find that they are busier than ever. While being busy with work is generally something positive, it is important to not take on too much and let it overwhelm you.

Stay Organized

First of all, it is important to be organized and a good way of doing this is to follow a schedule that includes regular breaks. You can use various tools and programs to help you stay on top of your responsibilities, from completing tasks and staying in touch with clients to administration and promoting your business.

Follow a Schedule

Be sure to have a to-do list during busy periods as this will help in not feeling overwhelmed. It is also important to know your limits and to respect them. This means not taking on too much as ultimately your mental health, your professional standards, and your quality of life may be at risk.

Don’t Be Afraid to Delegate

If you find yourself with too much on, then consider delegating any work you may be too busy for. This can also help other businesses and freelancers who may be struggling during this difficult period. It will also help you to make more time for yourself and your family, while also not risking allowing your personal life to affect your professional life.

Delegating tasks can help you stay up to date in matters you may be neglecting due to being so busy, such as marketing, your digital presence, and your professional image.

Tips for All Translators

All translators, indeed, all professionals working from home during this difficult period, should make sure to look after themselves. It’s all too easy in times of stress to let it get on top of you and not look after yourself, but this is not only negative for your professional life but also your mental health.

Stay Healthy

Make sure to look after yourself by eating right, exercising, taking the time to go outside, and relaxing. Ultimately, respect and be nice to yourself. As most translators, like many other professionals, are now working from home, it is important to have a good working environment. You can read our tips on setting up an efficient home office here.

Reflection and Mindfulness

It is also a good idea to reflect on the past year and your experiences in general, seeing if there is anything you could do to improve or update your business. Also, consider practicing meditation and mindfulness. If you haven’t meditated before, sit in a comfortable position with your eyes closed and focus on your breathing, noting any thoughts you may have but not reacting to them. Try to do this for around 20 minutes a day as it can really help in stressful times.

In short, while this is likely to be a strange year for many, healthy strategies can almost certainly help you cope.

International Translation Day: How to Adapt to the New Normal

Posted On September 30, 2020By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators/ 1 No Comments

Today is International Translation Day and it’s a good opportunity for the translation community to reflect on the difficulties over the past year for many of us and to help provide tips so we can better cope with the difficulties raised by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The date of September 30 was chosen due to it being the feast day of St. Jerome, the patron saint of translation who translated the Bible into Latin. However, it is an international celebration and not exclusively held in Christian countries, established in 1953 to celebrate and teach people about the translation profession in an increasingly globalized world where it is becoming ever more important.

Translation and the COVID-19 Pandemic

As COVID-19 has spread around the world, it has not only killed close to a million people at the time of writing, but it has also left many more seriously ill. Of course, the effects of any traumatic event go beyond the physical, with reports of anxiety and depression rapidly rising due to concerns regarding the virus and the subsequent economic and political fallout.

Many have lost their jobs and the translation industry, as an essential in a globalized world, has unsurprisingly been impacted by the pandemic, with some translators losing clients and some taking on more than they can handle. Whatever the cause of the stress and anxiety translators are currently facing, it is important to adapt to what has become the new normal.

How to Cope

As companies around the world have hurriedly adapted to the new normal, translators have been essential in making their messages, communications, and documents available in other languages for the globalized world, with many suddenly finding themselves overworked.

Learn to Relax

If you find yourself having too much work, make sure to take the time to look after yourself and relax. First, dedicate a little time to your hobbies, stay in contact with your friends and family, and make sure to exercise routinely. Even just 15 minutes of exercise has enormous benefits for your mental health and can help reduce stress.

Practicing mindfulness and meditation is also a useful tool for coping with stress and can reduce anxiety and make the world more manageable. For 20 minutes, sit or lie with your eyes closed and palms upturned, focus on deep breathing, and visualize your mood and emotions passing like clouds. While some may be reluctant to try it, meditation has enormous benefits for mental health and coping in times of crisis.

Don’t Overdo It

You may also want to consider outsourcing some of your work as not only will this help you relax, others may be grateful for the opportunity. Make good use of translation tools that may help you manage, such as CAT tools and making use of a proofreader, while also making sure to have an organized workspace, be that at home or in an office.

Reflect

If you find yourself with too little work or finding the general stress of the COVID-19 pandemic difficult to handle, much of the previously mentioned advice still applies. Make sure to still look after yourself by eating well and exercising, stay in contact with friends and family, make sure to relax with a hobby, and consider daily meditation to reflect on your situation. In fact, quieter periods of work are invaluable for self-reflection and can be very useful for taking the time to consider your next step and perhaps highlighting anything you did well or could improve in the future.

Stay Creative

It’s also essential to keep your mind active and stay creative, whether that’s by looking for new work that you may not typically do, writing a novel, playing a musical instrument, or thinking of the next step for your business.

It is important to highlight that if you are struggling, you are not alone. This is a difficult time for everyone, but it is also a good opportunity to reflect and develop healthy habits that you can maintain after this “new normal” passes.

More Resources
Tips to set up a home office
Essential tools and apps for translators
COVID-19 Glossary
Freelance Translators: Be More Productive by Working Less

Hispanic Heritage Month: Communication Strategies

Posted On September 13, 2020By TranspanishIn Latinos, Mulilingual Digital Marketing, Spanish Translation, Translation Buyers/ 2 No Comments

From September 15 to October 15, the United States marks National Hispanic Heritage Month to celebrate the achievements of the Hispanic community along with its history and culture. Initially introduced as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968, it was expanded into Hispanic Heritage Month in 1988, with the start date of September 15 being chosen because this was when the Hispanic countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua declared their independence in 1821. Mexico and Chile also declared their independence in September, on September 16 and 18 respectively. While the date was chosen due to these events, it celebrates Hispanic heritage of all backgrounds.

What Is the Significance of Hispanic Heritage Month?

Since its foundation, Hispanic Heritage Month has regularly featured everything from parades to presidential addresses to mark the occasion, and as the Hispanic community in the United States grows, it is looking to become an ever more important event.

At present, 60 million Hispanic people are living in the United States, some 20% of the country’s population, a figure that is predicted to grow to 111 million by 2060, having already become the largest minority group in the country. This celebration is an invaluable and increasingly unignorable opportunity for content creators and businesses alike to show their support for the community and win over loyal Hispanic customers – the most brand-loyal group in the United States.

Hispanic Americans, however, are a diverse group, with family backgrounds coming from all over the Hispanic world and there being vast differences between Cubans in Florida, Puerto Ricans in New York, and Mexicans in California. The Hispanic heritage of the United States goes far beyond immigration, with many states once also being part of Mexico or the Spanish Empire, and some cities being predominantly Spanish speaking, like Miami where 70% of the population are native Spanish speakers.

The influence of Hispanic heritage on the United States is undeniable yet is an often overlooked part of the country, something that is going to become harder to ignore for those looking to succeed in everything from marketing to politics in the future of the United States.

What Is the Difference Between Hispanic and Latino?

While the terms Hispanic and Latino are often used interchangeably in the United States, they actually have very different meanings. Latino refers to someone from Latin America, including both Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries, due to them both being Latin-based languages. Meanwhile, Hispanic refers specifically to Spanish speakers.

While many often have a fixed view of what a Hispanic person looks like, the Hispanic community is incredibly diverse, including black and indigenous Hispanic people who are often overlooked in such definitions. They are both rather generalizing terms and a better approach still is to be aware of the unique cultures and heritage of each unique group.

What’s the Best Approach for Communication with the Hispanic Community?

The best approach for communicating with the Hispanic community is the same as for any group, which is to show respect and understanding. This means taking the time to show you understand them as a group and respecting the Spanish language and any traditions, while also being aware of the differences within the community. As such, it is best to use content that has been professionally translated and culturally adapted.

If machine translations are used, the use of which should be avoided, they should at least be proofread. Not doing so shows a disrespect that risks harming your relations and therefore your goals with the Hispanic community.

First, you should learn about the intricacies and issues in the Hispanic community, taking the time to research the group and plan what you want to say. Hiring someone to help out with this often-difficult process will have better results for both you and your consumers.

As part of content adaptation, it’s also worth adapting social media platforms for the Hispanic community, instead of using a mix of Spanish and English on the same platform and hoping that the poor-quality automatic translation tools will take care of the rest. Creating unique content will show respect for the community and that you value them as much as your English-speaking audience.

It’s not just about the language, it’s also about showing support and awareness in a way that some rival businesses may not, thus losing valuable customers. This is something Transpanish can help you out with, by providing natural and well-adapted content on social media platforms to ensure that you get the most engagement and success possible with your target community, and by providing you accurate Spanish translations for your documents and all types of texts.

US Hispanics, COVID-19 and Spanish language barrier

The impact of the Spanish Language as a factor in COVID-19 among US Hispanics

Posted On July 2, 2020By TranspanishIn Latinos, Spanish Language, Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/ 2 1 Comment

The COVID-19 pandemic has shocked the world, leading to some half a million deaths worldwide (at the time of writing) and many more lives that are forever changed. In the course of its spread throughout the world, the virus has consistently shown to hit the most vulnerable hardest, whether that is due to the pandemic’s health or financial impacts.

Throughout the US, for example, the Hispanic community has found itself to be more affected than many in American society, leading some to question why this is the case. The answer is not simple and is one that is deeply rooted in the cultural and social conditions of the Hispanic community, American society, and the healthcare system.

Racial Disparities and Pre-Existing Health Conditions

To begin with, according to the CDC, American Indians, African Americans and Hispanics or Latinos are up to five times more likely to be hospitalized due to the novel coronavirus than non-Hispanic white Americans, highlighting the racial disparities in the US. One reason for this could be that these groups are typically poorer with less access to information due to language barriers. Another is that they often have higher rates of underlying health problems, such as Type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, which means they may be more severely affected and have worse outcomes upon coronavirus infection.

Cultural Conditions

There are also cultural conditions that could lead to the imbalanced impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Hispanic community, such as having more of an emphasis on physical contact and having larger families living together, possibly with a grandparent, which could increase the chances of infection. Latinos are also more likely to be working in roles in places like meatpacking plants and warehouses where they cannot socially isolate as easily as white Americans, with four out of five Latinos being essential workers. In some states, they may also potentially be more likely to live in apartments with more contact with other individuals. Similar patterns have been seen among poorer and more vulnerable groups around the world.

The Language Barrier

Of course, one also has to remember that many Hispanics in the US do not speak English as a first language and, therefore, could be more likely to feel less informed about important national measures to prevent infection as well as national measures to provide financial relief. When this lower level of information, already proven to have negative health and social outcomes, is combined with the US healthcare system, it seems almost inevitable that many in these communities will be left behind. Further to this, in the US healthcare system where health insurance is key, vulnerable people such as some in poorer Hispanic communities may lack sufficient insurance and therefore lack sufficient healthcare coverage, leading to poorer health outcomes.

The impact of the pandemic goes beyond health impacts, with the impact on the global economy being hard to ignore. Many have lost their jobs while many industries such as the service industry have been devastated, meaning many vulnerable workers have now seen their income reduced drastically. In fact, while 60% of Americans have lost income due to the coronavirus, this figure is 90% among Spanish-speaking Hispanics. The industries in which many Hispanics work in the US have been severely affected and when this is combined with less access to information regarding financial support due to language barriers, the pre-existing divisions in American society are widened.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the most vulnerable and most privileged in society and shown very real consequences of this division, as well as the importance of information and reduced language and social barriers to overcoming these difficulties. Addressing many of the issues that adversely affect the Hispanic community may be difficult but increasing access to information in Spanish would go a long way to helping the most vulnerable before moving on to tackling the social divisions in the US.

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Transpanish continues at full operation during the COVID-19 pandemic. For translation, proofreading and editing services, please contact us for a free quote and advice. We offer discounts for new clients and nonprofit organizations.

Free Resource provided by Transpanish: English – Spanish – Portuguese COVID-19 Glossary.

COVID-19 English Spanish Portuguese Glossary

New English-Spanish-Portuguese COVID-19 glossary

Posted On April 17, 2020By TranspanishIn Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers, Translations/ 3 No Comments

COVID-19 has spread worldwide with a global pandemic being declared, prompting countries around the world to declare emergencies and enact often unprecedented legislation and measures to fight the pandemic and limit harm.

As our understanding and the situation are rapidly developing, the relevant terminology being used is rapidly evolving too, leading to confusion in the media and challenges for translators when working on texts such as articles related to the novel coronavirus.

As a result, we have decided to build a glossary to assist translators, editors, those in the media and anyone else working in communication, to help them understand the correct terminology to use. With over 60 terms in English, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese, we believe our glossary is the most comprehensive English-Spanish-Portuguese glossary on COVID-19 and the ongoing crisis.

We will continue to develop this glossary as the situation changes to be as up-to-date as possible. With the noticeable lack of clarity in the media about terms relating to the novel coronavirus pandemic, this glossary will hopefully make information in translations more streamlined and more accurate, helping to inform and fight the outbreak with the most reliable language possible.

It explains commonly confusing terms such as when to use surgical mask and when to use N95 respirator, the all-important differences between SARS-CoV-2, coronavirus and COVID-19 and what makes quarantine and isolation different.

This glossary is vital not only for accurate translation but also for reducing uncertainty and helping to disseminate reliable information. It will continue to be updated as the situation changes so be sure to visit it regularly.

Click here to access the glossary.

For translation, proofreading and editing services, please contact us for a free quote and advice.

Continuing at full operation during the COVID-19 pandemic

Posted On March 30, 2020By TranspanishIn Translation Buyers, Translations/ 1 No Comments

In a matter of months, COVID-19 has spread around the world with the WHO declaring it a pandemic. It is, of course, a scary and difficult time for many, including many businesses around the world that have had to suspend operation due to various lockdown laws limiting public life in this healthcare crisis. However, we are fortunately able to continue Transpanish and Transportuguese at full operation for the duration of the outbreak, working with our staff and clients to get through this difficult time together and supporting the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Experienced in Remote Work

As an internet-based translation service, we have always worked remotely since our foundation over 16 years ago. This means that we can carry on operating as normal, with our freelance translators, editors, and proofreaders working safely from the comfort of their own homes, making sure they can continue to deliver the same high-quality work we have produced with our expertise in remote working. We also try to assign work fairly throughout our team of different freelancers so they can all keep receiving a steady workflow to prevent only a small group of translators from continuing to receive work.

While the international situation is changing with every passing day, we are more than able to carry on serving both new and existing clients with our translation and language services, including English, Portuguese and Spanish translation, proofreading, editing, desktop publishing (DTP) and multilingual social media management to continue communication in the native languages of your target audience. We believe that in difficult times like this, communication is more important than ever, as we explored in an earlier blog post, meaning that continuing to provide language services to facilitate communication is also more important than ever.

Doing Our Bit to Help Out

While we continue to promote the safety and wellbeing of our translators and freelancers by operating remotely and providing a steady flow of work, we also want to do what we can to support our clients. We understand that this is a difficult time for many clients who desperately need to communicate and may be facing difficulties with cash flow, new legal restrictions, lockdowns, and sudden staff losses and we aim to continue providing our best services to help all clients to continue. As always, we provide discounts to new clients and for large volumes of text.

We also plan to continue to support non-profit organizations with our special non-profit discounts. We aim to provide the best possible service and value to non-profit organizations as usual, helping to offer them excellence when they are in urgent need of COVID-19 communications.

Rest assured that we are here and happy to help by continuing to provide language services during this stressful time. We will get through it together.

NEW! Visit our recently published English – Spanish – Portuguese COVID-19 Glossary

Coronavirus and Language Barriers: How to React in a Health Crisis

Posted On February 27, 2020By TranspanishIn Languages, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers, Translations/ 2 No Comments

The global village in which we live has innumerable benefits, making the world smaller and more connected than ever. However, periods of crisis like the recent coronavirus outbreak highlight our vulnerabilities in this system and draw attention to linguistic misunderstandings that can lead to devastating results.

The recent outbreak has shown how the paths we have built between nations and people can be used to rapidly spread infection in a way once unimaginable. It has also shown just how many real-life issues language barriers can cause in times of crisis, which this article addresses.

The international nature of the modern world means we have more problems of an international nature, and epidemics like coronavirus, SARS and Ebola are good examples of just how quickly viruses can manipulate the connections we have built. An international health crisis requires an international response, but this is made all the more difficult by complex linguistic realities around the world. For example, it’s all well and good to issue an official warning and advice in a country in its principal language, but if not everyone understands the language, it exposes everyone to possible dangers due to lack of information, lack of awareness or pure misinformation through social media. This can exacerbate a health crisis, lead to unnecessary stress and make tensions between linguistic minorities and the majority worse.

The novel coronavirus outbreak has shown many examples of language barriers causing unnecessary problems for foreigners, especially tourists, with inefficient and haphazard approaches to translation and communication. Take the case of the British couple quarantined on a cruise ship moored in Yokohama, for example. Japanese medical authorities examined the passengers for the virus and due to their very limited knowledge of English and the British couple’s non-existent knowledge of Japanese, the couple came to believe that they had tested positive for the virus while they were actually just being told that the medical staff was positive they had to remain in quarantine on the ship. Even if translations are provided, they are often done in such a rush by non-translators that they can contain extremely harmful errors.

This issue is, of course, a problem in epidemics. However, it is also a problem in all manner of crises, as evidenced by the recent tragic bushfires in Australia. Considering Australia’s linguistic diversity, there were challenges due to misunderstandings about the need to evacuate and misinformation, potentially endangering those on the fringes of the linguistic mainstream of society, including tourists who may not receive extremely important breaking news updates.

In areas that have yet to face a high level of coronavirus outbreaks, like Latin America where the number of COVID-19 cases has not reached European proportions, countries should prepare essential documentation in all relevant languages, including those of minority groups, and foster community relations to make sure that language barriers to information can be overcome, with information access being key in such crises. All over Latin America, in addition to making documents available in major languages like Spanish, Portuguese and English, the unique demographic landscapes of each area’s minorities and tourist groups, such as Chinese tourists, should be considered when providing information to make sure that everyone knows exactly how to act.

In facing linguistic challenges, machine translations may work for very basic needs, but caution is advised, and users should be aware of their limitations. Of course, for interaction with patients and the like, interpreters would be best, possibly even phone interpreters. However, for making general information widely available, Australia’s response to the bushfire crisis shows a good outline for how to react to a crisis and overcome language barriers. In the country’s case, all essential information was professionally and readily translated so that people who could not communicate effectively in English had equal access to information, which is absolutely key to overcoming a crisis. This is an approach that countries that haven’t had any outbreaks of coronavirus should adopt, preparing to make sure that vital information is available in relevant languages.

Translators, editors, journalists and all people working in communication need to stay on top of the novel coronavirus terminology as it is being defined. Transpanish has built a COVID-19 Glossary which includes terms and definitions in English, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.

Check out how we are supporting our clients and freelancers during this crisis.

If you need to translate vital information to English, Portuguese or Spanish, contact us for a free quote! We provide discounts for new customers and nonprofit organizations.

English - Spanish - Portuguese Social Media Tips

The Essentials of Multilingual Social Media – Transpanish

Posted On December 6, 2019By TranspanishIn Mulilingual Digital Marketing, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers, Translations/ No Comments

Social media platforms are excellent tools for promoting your brand around the world. However, to truly internationally promote your brand, it’s essential that your content is suitable for your target audiences. Of course, this means having content that will resonate with and attract your audience, but it also relates to actually speaking your audience’s language. Multilingual social media can help your business access new and exciting markets that you may well have been missing out on with a monolingual social media policy. However, managing multilingual social media platforms can have its issues, so here’s what you need to consider.

Translation, Localization and Engagement

A successful social media platform is key to your brand online, and engagement is key to running a successful social media platform. Engagement is crucial in modern marketing so your approach to multilingual social media should consider it a priority. Getting real engagement from social media can be difficult and there’s no real hard and fast rule for it, but engaging and localized translations of posts will definitely help.

A poor translation is arguably worse than no translation at all, so it is important to invest in an expert translator who can help you understand how your target market thinks. This means avoiding erroneous machine translations and, instead, using content that reflects the cultural context of your audience, with relevant phrasing to show that you understand them as a customer.

Having a Consistent International Brand Identity

While it’s important that your multilingual social media strategy reflects the differences in your audience’s cultures and languages, it’s also important to make sure that your brand is consistent. This can sound almost like a paradox and it is indeed difficult if you think small picture, but to help make matters easier, you should make sure that your translator not only understands your target audience but also understands you as a brand and how you want to be presented, making sure the core essence is the same.

Reflecting Your Brand with a Bilingual Social Media Manager

Social media management isn’t just related to posting content, it’s ultimately about engaging with your followers. As such, it’s important to have multilingual staff who can naturally respond to comments or complaints, be it on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. For instance, if you have a Spanish Facebook account, it’s imperative that you have a Spanish native speaker as a social media manager who can interact with your followers to ensure engagement is natural, making sure that you understand your followers better and that they are more likely to use your services. If you don’t have staff who can readily respond in their various native languages, then you will likely be very slow to respond to your followers, thus harming your engagement.

Having Separate Accounts for Different Languages

While your company may be multilingual, not all of your followers will be. Posting content in, say, Portuguese on your English Twitter will likely alienate your followers and harm engagement. Make sure to have different accounts for each language on each platform and keep them separate to improve engagement and reduce confusion.

Localizing Hashtags

Hashtags are wonderful tools that act as a form of free promotion and they can be very helpful if used correctly. They also vary from language to language so make sure to research the correct hashtags and use them in the correct respective languages for the most relevant outreach and engagement.

Of course, having interesting content is also key but without good multilingual social media management, you risk missing out on key engagement.

Are you ready to speak to your multilingual audience?

Producing great content in another language takes time and commitment. We can help you expand your reach and establish a connection with an audience that speaks Spanish or Portuguese. If you’d like to find out more about our service, visit Multilingual Social Media.

Why Good Translation for Your Online Content Is So Important

Posted On December 5, 2019By TranspanishIn Languages, Translation Buyers, Translations/ 1 Comment

In an age when more business is done online instead of face-to-face, writing correctly has never been so important for making a good impression. In today’s world, writing using the correct grammar and avoiding silly spelling mistakes is as key to coming across well online as having a firm handshake in the analog business world.

The Importance of Writing Well Online

Whether you’re writing an email, updating a blog on your website, posting on social media or writing a report, good writing will always help whatever your needs. This is a fact that businesses today are well aware of, leading to an increase in the popularity of proofreading services and software, which reflects the importance of writing well in the modern age. In fact, according to one study by BBC News, even just a single spelling mistake can cut sales in half, with Oxford University’s Professor Dutton adding that it can “raise concerns over trust and credibility.”

Writing well isn’t just about knowing the do’s and don’ts of grammar, it’s also about expressing yourself in a way that will appeal to your audience, be they readers of your website or customers of your products. It is for these same reasons that good translation and localization is important, and finding a translator who can convey your message naturally through good writing is crucial when pursuing a multilingual audience.

Good Writing Needs Good Translation

Even if you write well in one language, poor translations into another will likely cause misunderstandings and make a poor impression, coming across as uninterested in the language or their custom. Good translation is, like good writing, about showing respect and doing so will help improve your reputation and make a good impression on the reader. If you take the time to get a professional, accurate translation, then it shows you have respect for the language while also avoiding misunderstandings that could prevent you from reaching your potential. In some circumstances, spending a little extra on having a skilled translator can hinder confusion that could potentially even lead to lawsuits.

Don’t Skimp on Translation

Good translation isn’t just about the writing itself. This is something that is often misunderstood and a reason why many businesses choose to cut corners and rely on machine translation tools alone. Good translation is also about localization and knowledge of the target culture as well as the language, being able to adapt the copy to suit the needs of the target market. For example, if you write in English in an informal, friendly manner with lots of colloquialisms, translating these directly into Spanish using an automatic translation tool would be highly confusing. In these circumstances, localization is about being able to adapt content for the target market and in this example, it’d feature the use of Spanish colloquialisms.

Using a machine translator or even a human translator who either isn’t a professional or fully aware of cultural differences can have negative effects on your content, and this will very likely lead to mistakes that could cost you clients.

It’s very important to not only write well in the first place but when translating to another language, to make use of a professional translator who can not only translate your text but adapt it, making it suitable for a local audience.

Top Ten Untranslatable Words for International Translation Day

Posted On September 30, 2019By TranspanishIn Languages, Translations/ 2 Comments

Every year, on 30 September, people around the world honor the art of translation with International Translation Day. It marks the feast day of St. Jerome, the patron saint of translation, who dedicated over two decades of his life in the 4th century to translating the Bible into Latin. Of course, there are often difficulties in translation and St. Jerome himself was no exception, famously translating the Hebrew for radiance as horns, which led to many depictions of a horned Moses. In the spirit of International Translation Day fun, this article takes a light-hearted look at one of the most interesting topics in translation: untranslatable words.

Here are a few of our favorites:

German – Vorführeffekt

The wonderful thing about the German language is how it easily forms compound words to create the most suitable words for even the most niche and specific feelings. Vorführeffekt literally means “the effect of being in front of someone” and refers to when you try to show somebody something but you can’t because they are watching you.

Yaghan – Mamihlapinatapai

Coming from the Yaghan language, an indigenous tongue in Tierra del Fuego, mamihlapinatapai refers to the look between two people where each wishes that the other would begin an action that they both want, yet they are both reluctant to initiate themselves. It can also refer to an unspoken understanding between two people. Words like this, and many others, highlight the importance of preserving endangered languages around the world as they are a portal into the human experience.

Finnish – Kalsarikännit

This oddly specific word is an example of the joys of the Finnish language, one of the oldest in Europe with eons of collective stories to tell. This word here, for example, refers to getting drunk alone at home in your underwear.

Welsh – Hiraeth

Some words are of such importance to a culture that they can even embody it and while Welsh has many unique words like cwtch (a cuddle or a safe space with a high degree of comfort), hiraeth embodies the Welsh attitude. It is akin to an incredible homesickness for a home you cannot return to or maybe never even existed in the first place. It is also often used when talking about Wales’ past in a romantic manner.

Korean – Han (한)

As with Welsh and hiraeth, han is described as a typical Korean characteristic, which is unsurprising considering the area’s history. Han is a state of simultaneous sadness and hope. It’s an unresolved resentment against injustice, a sense of helplessness in the face of overwhelming odds and a desire to seek revenge and justice.

Spanish – Sobremesa

While we all know the feeling of many of these words, only a few languages have defined them. The Spanish language’s sobremesa is a perfect example of this, the time after having eaten a meal spent talking to those with whom you have eaten. Not to be confused with Portuguese sobremesa, which means dessert.

Tagalog – Gigil

Gigil is again something many of us would have felt and this is often described in English as “cute aggression”, or the intense desire to squeeze something cute.

Spanish – Empalagar

As the desire to eat something sweet seems unrelated to the desire to eat due to hunger, it’s not too surprising that the Spanish language has developed a useful term to refer to the different states. The verb empalagar here refers when a food is too sweet and it makes you feel sick.

Georgian – Shemomechama (შემომეჭამა)

Like German, the way the Georgian language works allows it to create highly specific words that can’t really be directly translated, which helps to give it its difficult reputation. An example of this is shemomechama, which refers to when you didn’t mean to eat something, but you ate it anyway, like eating with a full stomach.

Brazilian Portuguese – Cafuné

This beautiful term refers to the act of running one’s fingers through a loved one’s hair, which can be applied to people and pets alike.

Do you know any more unusual untranslatable words? Let us know in the comments.

Author: Transpanish