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Enquanto compilava dicas de tradução para esta postagem do blog, encontrei um artigo que listava as "25 frases de negócios mais irritantes". Encaminhei-o para minha equipe de Soluções Globais para uma risada na sexta-feira à tarde, perguntando: "Você é chato?"
Um de meus colegas na Europa respondeu: "Isso é excelente! Especialmente quando o inglês não é sua língua nativa e seus colegas usam essas frases o tempo todo." Tendo crescido bilíngue na Suíça e nos Estados Unidos, eu poderia realmente me identificar com isso reação.
Isso me fez pensar sobre o público global e como certas expressões nem sempre traduzem da maneira que pretendemos. Essas frases ambíguas perdem o significado e podem causar confusão. Portanto, no mundo global de hoje, a maneira como falamos e escrevemos afeta os outros em grande escala ..
Como arquiteto de soluções, parte do meu trabalho inclui consultoria com clientes e configuração de seus programas de localização para o sucesso. Essas discussões com clientes geralmente se concentram em escopo, idiomas, tecnologia, critérios de sucesso, metas e outros tópicos esperados. Mas um elemento crítico de sucesso localização muitas vezes é esquecida: qualidade do texto de origem. O seu conteúdo está bem escrito?
E à medida que o número de idiomas de destino para tradução aumenta, o impacto do conteúdo de origem também aumenta. Portanto, ao escrever para uma tradução profissional bem-sucedida, é fundamental que você planeje com antecedência. É tudo uma questão de escrever certo - na primeira vez.
Para evitar armadilhas comuns, existem algumas diretrizes gerais que você deve ter em mente ao escrever para tradução. Mantenha suas frases simples e diretas para aumentar a compreensão - e use um guia de estilo para manter a consistência. Porque frases claras, concisas e bem construídas melhoram a linguagem tradução de qualidade, redução do tempo de resposta e redução de custos - o que acelera o tempo de colocação no mercado e acelera os fluxos de receita.
10 dicas para lembrar ao escrever para tradução:
1. Mantenha as frases curtas
For increased comprehension and simpler translations, aim for about 20 words or less. And boost readability. I often ask myself, what's truly important? How can I simplify what I want to say? Reading sentences aloud helps to keep them short and sweet.
2. Use Standard English word order whenever possible
This generally means a subject, verb, and object with associated modifiers. Ensure correct grammatical structure and proper punctuation.
subject verb object
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modifier subject modifier verb modifier object
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This includes checking the basics, because mistakes can travel from source language to target languages. Translators often find and flag source errors, but that shouldn't replace proofreading your source text for spelling and grammar.
3. Avoid long noun strings
When connecting elements are omitted from noun strings, readers must infer the relationship between the words. If you have to read a sentence several times to understand it, chances are that there will be further complications when it's translated into multiple languages. When this happens, we tend to see misinterpretations of the original meaning--or a translation that appears too literal.
4. Use just one term to identify a single concept
Synonyms get in the way of clarity. Write the same thing, the same way, every time you write it. Finding different ways to write a single concept will not only affect the overall consistency of translation, but it will also reduce the related translation memory leverage. This can lead to decreased quality, increased cost, and increased turnaround.
Synonyms get in the way of clarity
Translation memories leverage words in segments, so changing even a minor word has an impact. Always consider re-using existing content that has already been translated--don't write from scratch if you don't need to.
5. Avoid humor
It rarely translates with equivalency. The same goes for jargon, regional phrases, or metaphors. True story: I didn't know what "knocking it out of the park" or a "grand slam" was until I moved to Boston in 2004 and got pulled into watching the Red Sox World Series. Now I get it, but chances are that many translators are as clueless as I am when it comes to American sports. Expressions are not always universally understood or appreciated--they just don't translate.
If humor is an important part of your global brand messaging, consider using transcreation services. Transcreation aims to communicate the same key message, achieve the same effect, evoke the same feelings, and use the same style and tonality as the source text—but in another language for a particular target audience in a particular market.
6. Be clear with international dates.
Style guides should document the handling of large numerals, measurements of weight, height, width, temperature, time, phone numbers, currency, etc. for each language pair.
For example: 09/07/2021. Is that September, or July? It depends where I am. In Switzerland, it reads as July, but in the U.S., it's September. The safest choice is to spell out the name of the month. Using an abbreviation for the month is fine if space is tight.
7. Use relative pronouns like “that” and “which.”
Even if you don't need them, they may improve understanding. "The software that he licensed expires tomorrow" is clearer than "The software he licensed expires tomorrow." It's good to check that pronouns have been included rather than assumed.
8. Use the active voice rather than the passive
It's more direct, better understood, and easier to translate. Words like "was" and "by" may indicate that a passive voice is used. For example: The software was upgraded by the user = passive. The user upgraded the software = active.
9. Avoid phrasal verbs (containing a verb form with one or more articles)
They tend to complicate translations. For example, use "met" rather than "ran into." Phrasal verbs often have multiple meanings and are less formal. Be on the lookout for two- or three-word verbs. I was trying to think of this in relation to German, but guess what: a "phrasal verb" as such doesn't exist in German grammar.
10. Make sure it fits
English written text is often shorter than other languages, which means sufficient space is needed for expansion (up to 35%!). This is particularly important for software interfaces and graphics. Differences exist not only in sentence length, but also in individual word length--as some languages use large compound words.
Rechtsschutzversicherungsgesellschaften (insurance companies providing legal protection): The Guinness Book of World Records recognizes this cumbersome word as the longest German word in everyday use. And what happens when a German translation won't fit into an allotted space? What about white space when text contracts? Planning ahead will save you money and a lot of headaches.
Communication and preparation are key
Cross-cultural communication requires some study and practice to master. But it all begins with preparing content for international readers and making sure that source text is easy to translate. Once the stage is set, your translator can focus on the translation process itself and further refine content to suit different audiences. Writing translation-ready materials will save you time as well as money--and it'll increase the quality and readability of your target translations.
When it comes to going global, a common goal is to maintain a unique brand voice while providing accurate translated text in multiple languages. So it's important to work in partnership with your language services provider (LSP) and give them the necessary resources, translation guidelines and reference materials. The more you communicate with your LSP, the better they are set up for success, and the better the translation quality—and translation advice—they can provide you.
Contact the Lionbridge team to discuss your project—and ensure its translation and localization success.
