Translation - 4 Good Reasons to Use a Professional

Yes, English is considered the universal language of business. But there are many other languages across the world that you might need to communicate in.

South Africa is a great example as it has 11 official languages. If you want to appeal to people who speak a different language - it's much easier for them to relate to you if you communicate in their own language. So in order to bridge those cultural gaps and appeal to a larger market, you need to have some translation done. When you connect with your audience in their home language - it becomes more personal and localised.

In that case, you have a friend who speaks Zulu. She can translate all your documents for you quickly and easily. No need to waste money on a professional translator. Or you can just use Google translator and you'll manage, right? Wrong. Sub-standard translations will make your business look unprofessional and you'll lose credibility.

There are 4 good reasons why you need to make use of a professional translation service.

1. The human touch is still best
   Automated translators just don't get the job done as well as a professional (and human) translator can. If translation were simply a matter of plugging in a word for another word, like a code, then the automated translator machines would be all anyone ever needed. However, you have probably noticed that languages vary in grammatical structure and idioms that make word for word substitution impractical, and sometimes even dangerous.
   
2. Not just anyone can translate professionally
   A professional translator isn't just someone who is fluent in more than one language. They need to be linguistic experts with excellent knowledge and command of both languages - written and spoken. And in combination with the linguistic skills, they need good writing skills.
   
3. You're translating concepts, not just words.
   Translation is the communication of whole concept, not just words. That's why professional translators need to have an understanding of the etymology and idioms of the two languages and how they compare. An important skill of translation is knowing when to translate literally and when to paraphrase in order to best capture the original authors intended meaning.
   
4. Translating jargon takes special knowledge
   Professional translators need to be familiar with the subject matter of the text they are translating. This means they have to be comfortable with the jargon of the subject. They need to have a great enough understanding of the subject to communicate it in the target language - to various different audiences.