Natural Evolution or Cause for Irritation?

Having been in the language business for 30 years, I realize, as I’m sure you do, that languages have a natural tendency to evolve. They change, sometimes rapidly. They are living organisms. Take the last 10 years of IT terminology that will surely make it into the next edition of Webster’s – “blog”, “spam” (I’m thinking that one should be in there already?), “phishing”, etc.

Of course, I welcome new terminology when it’s needed. Otherwise we would all be saying things like “I read ‘that thing’ you put on the Internet, you know, ‘that thing’ you wrote the other day….” or “I hate checking my email. I get so many unsolicited, unwanted emails from people I don’t know trying to sell me something or looking for a date.” (Think of how much ink the word “spam” has saved when you look at that last sentence.)

What I REALLY don’t like, however, are people who use the idea that languages evolve and change to just be lazy and completely ignorant of the basic grammar we were all taught in school. At least everyone in my generation was taught those rules. Given the alarming increase in poor spelling and grammar of recent college applicants as evidenced by college entrance essays, I’m not so sure the standards are still as strict as they used to be.

For example, I have noticed an alarming increase in the number of people who pronounce the “t” in the word “often”. Please look it up, the “t” is silent.

And here’s a short list of the most obnoxious violations as I see them. At least, I personally find these the most irritating.

1. There is NO SUCH WORD in the English language as “irregardless”. It’s “REGARDLESS”.
2. The word “nuclear” only has three syllables “NU-CLE-AR” – come on people, you can do it.
3. You don’t put “assesories” into your home. You use “accessories” to decorate. The first “c” is a hard “c” – please pronounce it “AK-SESSORIES”. I hear that one pronounced wrong all the time on HGTV. You would think a decorator would know better.
4. Please don’t’ feel “badly” about something. That means you don’t know how to feel about something in an efficient manner. The correct phrase is “I feel BAD about that”.
5. I personally get irritated by the word “utilize”. It’s a perfectly good word, but it just means “use” so please use “use” instead of “utilize” – otherwise you sound pretentious. (Sorry, I know that last sentence is awkward).
6. I hear the word “SUPPOSEDLY” pronounced many times “supposably” – that’s not a word. Please take note.

And finally, I was watching a commercial the other day for a popular language-learning software. One young woman said when her clients found out she could speak Spanish “….they looked alleviated”. I’m sure she meant to say “relieved”, but maybe they actually left the room so her problem with them was “alleviated”.

When in doubt, LOOK IT UP. Let’s keep our language healthy so it can grow and change, but still be governed by basic good grammar.

Resetting your translation can be embarrassing

Just ask Hillary Clinton how embarrassing it can be. She recently presented a gift to the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and got the translation of the word “reset” all wrong. 

The translation Clinton’s team chose was “peregruzka” which actually means overloaded or overcharged rather than reset.  Oops.  When trying to impress or create a better relationship, it is better to get the translation just right otherwise the well intended gift could be an insult.

The same principle can be applied to translating your business documents.  Don’t take a chance with a translation in Bablefish or on freetranslations.com.  It could be a gaffe that you could cost you dearly. And there may not be a reset button you could push. 

4 Common Translation Myths

Often when our clients come to us for translation, they have never had to translate their documentation.  However, translation is in fact a serious business that should be approached thoughtfully in order to avoid poor results. There are four translation myths that many people don’t bear in mind regarding the translation industry.

1.  If you know a foreign language, you can be a translator

This is perhaps the most common translation misconception and the most damaging one. Being able to read, speak and write a foreign language does not give anyone licence to undertake translation work. Firstly, a translator must have an in-depth understanding and knowledge of at least two languages: a foreign language and a mother tongue. Secondly, translating is a skill. You must be able to write well and have an excellent command of the nuances in language use. Thirdly, language is not free of cultural influences. If the culture behind the language which is being translated is not appreciated, an accurate translation is extremely difficult.

2.  Translating is simple and easy to do

Translation is far from easy. Translation is an intricate, complex and arduous work. Having to simultaneously concentrate on two different texts, often times very technical documentation is mentally taxing. This is because a translator is continuously moving between two languages and contexts. A translator must first read and register source information then manage to understand the text and all the nuances completely and then present it accurately in the target language. This means having an excellent vocabulary and appreciating the subtleties in language such as phrases, metaphors, tone and intention all in under tight time constraints.

3.  Computers can now do translations

We have yet to see a translation program that is able to take the place of a human translators. This is because computers do not understand what language is, how it is used, the subtleties within it and the ever changing use of it. Language is very organic and placing code to understand it’s context has yet to be executed more precisely than human translations.  Computers may be able to translate simple one-dimensional sentences but they will never be able to tackle the complexities within literature or technical texts.

4.  Having a professional translation is not imperative

It may be true that professional translators are not always necessary, however if the translation is to be accurate and professionally prepared and presented then an experienced translator is essential. Bad translations lead to many problems including people misunderstanding texts which ultimately reflect poorly on a company or organization. If you want your car fixed you take it to a mechanic, not a car salesman. He may know a bit about cars but not enough to address your car problems with the experience of a professional.

Your documentation has been established to help your products and services serve your customers more effectively.  Our clients spend a lot of time and resources developing their documentation.  Don’t cut corners on this step because your international reputation and customer relationships may be negatively affected.

Kentucky Fried Chicken, Lost in Translation – Translation Mistake

When translated into Chinese, the Kentucky Fried Chicken slogan “finger-lickin’ good” came out as “eat your fingers off”

Be careful that it is not just your words being translated but also their meaning.  Don’t get lost in translation.

Salem Cigarettes, Lost in Translation – Translation Mistake

The American slogan for Salem cigarettes, “Salem – Feeling Free,” got translated in the Japanese market into “When smoking Salem, you feel so refreshed that your mind seems to be free and empty”.

Not really something you want associated with your brand – right?

When you are taking your products and services global be sure to have a professional translation agency translate the words and localize the meaning of your slogans.

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