The Challenge of Professional Translation Into and Out of the English Language

Language is a fascinating phenomenon which exists all over the world in different forms. It's a basic human need to be able to communicate with others, not just to get the things we need but also because we like to talk to people, to tell them what we think. Language is necessary but it's also something we enjoy; it combines business and pleasure. In the business world, the language you use must be appealing to the consumer. It's one thing to directly translate one language into another but if you don't get the right intonation, the product or service can end up sounding dull and doesn't create the right amount of enthusiasm in the consumer. When it comes to professional translation, there are a few things a translator must keep in mind when translating in and out of the English language:

1. English is spoken by people all over the world—over a billion of them. The United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, India, West Africa and the Caribbean are some regions where English is widely spoken today. However, the manner in which English is used in these regions tends to differ, not just in terms of accents, but also in terms of slang and colloquialisms. For example, the word "mate" usually refers to one's spouse in the US but in the UK and Australia, it can be used to refer to a friend, in the sense of the word "buddy."

2. English has changed a lot over the years and has absorbed words from many different languages. In the 8th century A.D., the Vikings invaded England and changed the English language in many ways, adding words such as "awkward," "skirt," "sky" and "skin" to its vocabulary. In the 12th century AD, many French words were added to English and we still use French words such as "fiancé," "valet," "à la carte" etc. At the same time, some English words have also made it over into French e.g., "bodybuilding" and "supercool."

3. Given how English is always growing and taking in new words, translating from English into another language can be a challenge. There are words that just don't have any direct counterparts in other languages. For example, take the word "gallop." In French, you can only really say "run fast" and you miss out the sense of galloping which has an equestrian basis. However, French may have other words that can be substituted to give the right sense without sounding awkward and a translator would need to have a large enough vocabulary to substitute those.

Professional translation into and out of English can be challenge and involves taking into consideration a number of parameters, like what part of the world that English is being spoken in. Contact us to find a translator who will help you get across the sense of what you're trying to say in the language of your choice.