The Importance of Cultural Considerations in Translation

Translating involves the rendering of a source language text into the target language. And while doing so there are certain things that need to be maintained such as:

• Retention of the meaning of the source language text in the translated text.
• The structure of the main language must be preserved as closely as possible.
• The culture of the target language also need to be taken into account.

It is essential to have a thorough understanding of the culture of the target language to avoid misunderstandings. While working on a translation, a translator working in an Ottawa or Winnipeg-based company, for example, has to take account of the lexical content, syntax and linguistic complexities along with an understanding of ideologies, value systems and ways of life in a given culture. The culture of a country or region does have a significant influence in shaping people’s thoughts and perceptions about their society in particular and the wider world in general.

Thus it becomes important for a translator to understand the cultures of the source and the target languages first and then strive to translate, using culturally appropriate words or expressions.

For example if we take the words “Lamb of God” from the Bible (which means “innocence” in the context of sacrifice) and translate them into the Inuit language, we find that the word “Lamb” does not exist in this language. Thus, taking the cultural aspect into consideration, “Lamb of God” can be closely translated as “Seal of God” as the word “seal” is a symbol of innocence among northern indigenous people.

Thus a translation professional working in Ottawa or in a Translation Winnipeg-based company needs to know the cultural peculiarities of their audiences in both languages. They must also consider the geographic variants of the target language, for example European French and Canadian French. In depth cultural knowledge of both cultures is a key ingredient for any translation professional.

Break the Language Barrier with Professional Translation Services

Language barriers are among the biggest problems in today’s global marketplace. In other words when you plan to expand your business worldwide, you will often have to face problems communicating in a foreign language.

And it is not feasible to learn new languages every time you venture into a new market or to put your employees through a new language training program to handle new foreign customers. Well, if it is just about learning one new language, perhaps it can be managed with a language trainer. Even then, a better option is to hire a professional translator to help with communication.

But what happens when your business interests have spread to half a dozen or more different countries, and several of them have different languages as the main medium of communication? Needless to say, it is simply not feasible to learn so many different languages.

In such situations, translation services come as handy tools to help you communicate. Suppose you are based in Canada and need to do business in Russia, for example, you can look for reputable translation Ottawa or Toronto company to handle all the translation work for you. The translation service based in Ottawa will provide professional translators who have a good knowledge and fluency in the Russian language.

Language is a very subjective topic with new words, phrases, and concepts emerging on an ongoing basis. Basic things like grammar and punctuation in a foreign language are complex within themselves. A translator must be able to translate a document without changing or modifying the meaning of the original copy. In other words, he or she must be able to deliver a translation that is absolutely true to the original.

Remember, inaccurate translations can cost your company a lot of money and will also seriously affect your company’s image, thus hampering the growth of your business. But with the help of a professional translation service you can ensure that all your translation related requirements will be handled with accuracy, timeliness, and quality.