Translation Problems and Solutions
Translation Problems and Solutions
Translation Problems and Solutions
The culture practiced by the speakers of each language may also be vastly different. In
many languages, certain terms may be completely absent… This is one of the most common
challenge faced by a translator on its daily basis, also one of the main reasons why translation is
difficult.
For example, in English the adjective is placed before the noun, but in French the
adjective comes after the noun. In Arabic and some other languages, the subject pronoun is part
of the verb, and that determines the subject gender and the voice of the sentence.
The translator has to know the exact structure in each language, and use the appropriate
structure, and they have to ensure that the translation is performed without changing the
meaning as well.
Gain expertise only in a couple of languages that you are already well-versed with.
Make use of grammar checkers, translation memory tools and other techniques to ensure that you
have maintained the structure in the target language without changing the meaning or sense of
different; Often, colloquialism is woven into formal language, making the translator’s task very
difficult indeed.
The larger the region where the language is spoken, the more the dialects there are likely
to be, and the more colloquial words you are likely to find – except in technical documents
For example, the British are famous for their dry, biting sarcasm, which is their brand of
humor. However, this kind of sarcasm may not be appreciated in not just a country speaking a
different language, but even another country where they speak English.
Scan the internet to learn the most popular colloquialisms used in that language, and
familiarize yourself with the most commonly used dialects. This can give you a fair idea when
Soak in the culture as much as you can through movies, TV shows, magazines and books
in that language. Movies and TV shows will be especially helpful in recognizing local culture
and dialects.
be closed of three forms – closed form, like notebook; hyphenated like long-distance, or open
form like fighter pilot. Some compound words are pretty straightforward, and mean exactly what
they say – like afternoon; some mean only half of the term, like say bellboy, and some mean
nothing of their original words – for example deadline. In such cases, it can get very tricky for
the translator.
Any translator needs to choose their niche. You should not try to be jack of all
Familiarize yourself with the compound words most commonly used in your subject area, and
learn the translations. Use translation memory and other software to make your job easier.
In English there are several verbs that are made up of two words – usually, a combination
of a verb and a preposition. For example: break up, break down, break into, break in, break off,
break apart, break away; these all mean different things, though the common verb is break.Here
the preposition which follows immediately after gives it a completely different meaning. It is
highly unlikely that translating the two words into the target language will give you the same
meaning.
Think of finding an appropriate word in the target language for the phrase or the verb in
be completely absent – this has also to do with culture, as those objects may not be used by the
people, or those actions or activities may not be permitted or simply not performed.
This is a potentially difficult situation for the translator, and poses another
important structural problem worth of discussion. Let’s suppose the term child adoption has no
related word in another language, because such a thing just doesn’t take place in that area.
In such cases it is best to confer with the client and then come to a decision as to the best
course to take. They may suggest retaining the word of the source document, or they may
suggest a new term themselves, or may even ask you to come up with a newly coined term that
gets as close to the actual meaning as possible. Whatever the case, be always ready to deal with
translation feedback.
There are several words in the English language that have different meanings based on
the way they are used in the sentence. Words are sometimes spelled alike and pronounced alike,
but have different meanings, like break (a plate) or take a coffee break. Words that have the same
There are also words that have different spelling but have the same pronunciation, like break and
brake, grate and great, and so on. There are hundreds of such words in English, and also idioms,
metaphors, similes and so on. However, those words may be different in other languages.
Solution #6: Read Carefully
The translator has to be very vigilant, and carefully read the source text to fully grasp the
meaning. Only after that should they begin the work of translation; otherwise, it can lead to
they do have good knowledge of certain subjects, they are usually not the top experts in the field.
In fact, it’s very rare that you find a say, doctor, who is also an expert linguist. Translators
usually specialize in certain niches, and gain subject matter expertise. But sometimes that may
not be enough for some types of specialized translation; some documents may be full of
technical jargon, or talk about specific procedures or activities in detail. This can pose a problem
for translators.
If the matter is very technical you may need a lot of time – more than usual, to complete
the task. You could contact the client for some pointers if you’re stuck, or consult a local expert
You would also need to read up and educate yourself to gain deeper knowledge, or to keep in
most clients need the translated work quickly; they have no time to lose.
If it is a straightforward document, then you may be able to finish it within the deadline. But
when it is a technical or legal document full of technical terms or if there is a lot of dialect and
This can be very stressful for you as a translator, when your client is breathing down your back
Use as many technologies as you can – translation memory software, computer aided
Personal challenges, as opposed to linguistic challenges, are those arises because of the
challenges.
Apart from those, a translator faces several other challenges in their line of work. These
include but are not limited to: proper internet access, competition from other
services appropriately.
Know yourself, dissect the problems and face them one by one.
For each one will need to figure out how to get around these problems and do your best to
minimize them. Remember that you can always ask someone for help.
Problem #10: Quality Vs Expense
need Translation Services:
between cost and quality. It is especially important in the case of translations of technical or
medical manuals, or legal documents. You can barely afford to have any mistakes or near
mistakes in such documents, as it could lead to misinterpretation by the readers and wrong usage
– and that could result in damage to the equipment, or harm to the user; which could in turn have
even further ramifications, like loss of reputation for the manufacturer, legal hassles and so on.
There is no easy answer to this problem. Here are some things you can try, though: Do a
comprehensive search online, and shortlist a few providers. Get quotes from all of them and
compare rates, experience and previous customer reviews. Strike a balance between the two, and
come to a decision. Another thing you could do is to use the same provider for all your
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Reference
Top 10 - Translation Problems and Solutions | TranslateDay
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