We all had to translate at least one text in our lives. Sometimes it’s difficult; sometimes it’s a piece of cake. This takes exercise, time and patience. When it comes to translating a text, there are a few things you need to keep in mind, such as the meaning of the original text, the register the author’s using, the slang or the professional terms. We’ve written this article to give you a few tips on how to get better at translating texts. If you need translation for every major city in New York State, you came to the right place.
Does it sound natural?
An excellent translator is one that listens to the language. You need to ask yourself, at all times, if a certain term of the sentence sounds natural.
This takes practice and you can only do this if you speak with natives. The dictionary you’re using will present you two or three options for a word. In these cases, you need to choose the one that sounds natural and that it’s used more. You cannot write something you’d never say, and you cannot even say it.
This is a good thing, as it also helps you with your language skills.
The register needs to stay the same
It may sound obvious, but many people forget about this aspect. If a text is formal, you need to keep the same tone in your translation. The words and the style need to be appropriate. If you’re dealing with colloquial talking, you will need to find the words that can match the meaning of the original text. Either way, the register needs to stay the same for both texts.
Who you’re writing for?
It’s very important to know for what kind of audience you’re writing. This way, it’ll be easier for you to choose the words. Let’s take a clear example: if you’re translating a story for kids, you won’t be using words like hyperbole instead of excessive exaggeration or nefarious instead of wicked. Know your audience before starting to translate, because otherwise, some people may not understand your work.
Don’t lose yourself in details
Details are important, but it’s best if you looked at the bigger picture. Before starting a translation, people assume that you know that language at a certain level – including all the grammar rules and the fancy words. You don’t need to complicate your work by losing yourself in the details. Your text can come up flawless, even if you don’t check out five times the text to see all the details. We’re not saying you’re not supposed to proofread your text. We’re just saying that it’s good just to see if the result is natural, without actually it being labored.