Today’s businesses run by the principle ‘all World is my stage’. Thanks to digitization, automation, artificial intelligence, social media, cloud computing and storage, even the smallest of businesses cannot remain limited to a specific state/nation. When one’s customers may be based in different places, your business cannot do without utilization of ways and means to establish contact with this widespread customer base. This makes sense even when you are scouting for vendors, service providers, and new customers. With increasing competition, your offering must incorporate everything that makes it extremely attractive, customer friendly, responsive besides satisfying the need.
The written word and other audio visual media used to communicate your business offering must be precise, error-free and engaging. Therefore when one needs to modify the textual and other content of your sales pitch, landing page, website etc. one must take the help of trained linguists, interpreters, translators, language service providers etc.
Many times the terms translation (translation services Abu Dhabi), trans-creation, localization are used interchangeably without understanding the differences in the terminology. In reality, the first two are subsets of the latter.
Translation is the substitution of the words of text in one language by words of equivalent meaning, from another language. Translation is ‘word by word’ substitution done for textual or verbal communication or documentation. This process is carried out by a translator/linguist who may be bilingual. A person translating text must have total familiarity with the grammar, idioms, phrases and syntax etc of the ‘source’ language and that of the language into which translation is required. Translation has its limits in the linguistic ability of the translator, knowledge of slang in case it needs to be translated and most importantly the scope of translation itself. The process is very literal and mechanical therefore the nuance and intent of the original phrase may not be translated exactly.
Localization has a vaster canvas. By definition, localization involves ‘adapting’ or ‘making over’ your product in such a way that it incorporates the cultural, political, legal, regional diversities and specialties of the language/culture into which the original content is being changed. Localization includes translation of verbal/textual content and inclusion audio-visual content that takes care of regional, social, religious, economic markers of the region in which your product is being advertised/ sold. This prompts the potential/ existing customers to feel comfortable with your product and leads to better sales prospects. Localization also ensures that your product is politically and legally correct, follows religious and linguistic connotations and connects with the local people. Thus, translation services that are included in the localization process are far superior as they go beyond literal translation. In here, language translation is executed for the sentiments, intentions, nuances, and slang along with words in general.