Common translation mistakes

 

A thorough understanding of linguistic structures and the subject matter are prerequisites for translating.

Mistakes are common because a professional translation entails much more than just swapping out words for their translations in the target language; instead, we must analyze and interpret the context, as well as the variations of each term and their subtleties.

Both complex projects, like a learning manual or a scientific paper, as well as subtitles and dubbing are prone to these common errors. How do we prevent them?

Common Errors

There are some mistakes that translators need to watch out for in order to spot them and prevent them.

Omission: Some translators may get away with leaving out some words in an effort to avoid being redundant. However, when dealing with complex content, omitting some essential terms could make the text difficult to understand.

Literal Translation: This common error entails translating each and every word while ignoring grammatical distinctions between the languages.

Undertranslation and overtranslation: Undertranslation and overtranslation are two different interpretations of the same phrase. Similar to omission, undertranslation refers to simplifying or conveying less than the original without taking into account the need to make up for the meaning that is inevitably lost during translation. Overtranslation involves introducing content that was absent from the original text.

Neglecting measurement units is a common mistake. For instance, miles are used as a measure of distance in the US and the UK while kilometers are used in other nations. The target audience might not be familiar with conversions such as how many centimeters are in a foot or how many grams are in a pound.

The target audience's preferences must be understood, and all measurement unit conversions must be made.

Adopting a comprehensive strategy for translations is one way to avoid these mistakes. To achieve this, we must collaborate on the content with subject matter experts as well as a language specialist. For example, a scientific paper can be translated linguistically to achieve proper grammar and syntax, but it also needs to be examined from a scientific perspective. As a result, the translation will be accurate in terms of complexity and setting.

The use of a pool of specialists from various fields by comprehensive translation services ensures accuracy and adds value to each project. Using the best software and services is the only way to guarantee an accurate translation when working with complex material.

Need a translation? I’M Translation and ISIS Koreaprovides professional translation and interpretation services.

How might I’M Translation and ISiS Korea aid translation?

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