For non-linguists, any text always looks normal: terminology, punctuation, spelling, it all seems okay to them. But professional linguists notice even small inconsistencies both in form and meaning because they know the criteria of good quality translation. Let us see what things can make the translation good.
- Accuracy
Accuracy plays an important role in translation as the main role of the translation is to convey the meanings as precisely as possible in order to avoid ambiguity and misunderstanding. It does mean the translator should not translate word-to-word (if he/she does this thing, it will be simply a number of words without coherent meaning).
- Clearness
By this term, we mean that translation should be free of terminology, spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors, which, of course, are visible and easy to get rid of. It may be done by automated programs which have such features or a translator should do it by hand.
- The translation sounds like the source text
A good translator uses appropriate terms, slang (if needed), and grammar constructions that people of the target audience use in order to make text like the source text. To achieve this goal, a translator proofreads text several times or even shares the translation with, for example, a friend who will read it and provide a translator with feedback.
The Lingrowth team will do everything for your text to be as close to the source text as possible! Visit our website lingrowth.com for more information or read more about how to set up and manage clinical research translations.
Please share your thoughts on signs that make a good quality translation that we missed here or on any social media!