Representing clients on multi-region campaigns that require translation into multiple languages is great fun. You get to see press releases and articles you write on their behalf in the press all over the world.
When traveling to conferences and trade shows abroad you also have the opportunity to learn new language skills and pit your wits against foreign-language menus and road signs.
It was therefore with much amusement that I watched Google’s latest advert for its translation app.
I’m sure the updated Google translate app will be of great assistance for tourists needing to translate road signs and menus while traveling (assuming that data roaming charges don’t destroy your bank balance).
However, ensuring the accuracy and readability of technical translations is a constant challenge.
It is a sad fact of reality that machine translations of technical content just don’t work.
That is why at Pinnacle our expert team of translators have been sourced from a variety of editorial positions so they deeply understand the content they are translating. Even then, translations from standard English text can still be tricky: sentences can be too long, grammar too confusing and words and phrases can be unnecessarily complicated.
There are a number of things you can do to give your content a much greater chance of being used in a broader range of countries. Our free guide to Technical Writing for Translation provides a range of tips and considerations to help you get the best out of your technical content.
