In today’s world, partnering with a translator is more important than ever. With a global marketplace that is more connected with each passing day, even small, home-based businesses may find themselves with potential consumers in far-flung parts of the world. That can be great for business, but troublesome when it comes to effectively communicating with consumers.
This is why translation is so crucial to the success of modern business. The importance of translation has changed over the last decade, leaving business owners today making decisions about language conversion that their predecessors never had to. Here, we’ll discuss some of the myriad ways that the role of translation in business has changed and where it is likely to go in the future.
Human Translation Versus Mechanical Translation
In today’s world, it seems you can get translation from almost anywhere. When you’re running a business, that might sound great; you have lots of places from which to get your translation services. However, the truth is the numerous sources from which to get translation are actually harmful to the quality of the finished product being received. It’s one case where more “competition” doesn’t yield increasingly-better products, but worse!
That’s because when it comes to human and mechanical translation – the two primary methods from getting text converted from one language to another – there really is no competition. Mechanical or machine translation is the kind you see on free or “instant” translation websites and mobile phone apps. In terms of cost, there is simply no beating it; these apps and websites often offer their services for free or for just pennies per paragraph, a rate a professional human translation just can’t match.
However, quality should always be your primary concern as a business owner – and when it comes to quality, it’s human translation that can’t be beaten. When you want text that sounds like it was written by a human, with all the depth of knowledge and foundational intricacies that comprise the language being written, you can only get that from an actual human mind. Machines may have come a long way, but they still can’t create finished language translation that sounds truly human.
Advantages of Trusting Human Translation Professionals
Why work with a professional translator for your business translation needs instead of a translation app? Because no matter how many people on your team “know some Spanish” – and no matter how advanced your free translation programs might be – there is simply no comparison when it comes to professional-quality translation that will yield real results or your company.
- Specialized translation – Humans are capable of acquiring and welding specialized knowledge that machines cannot. If you need translation in a certain subject or related to a specialized topic, human translators can’t be beaten.
- Expertise impossible via machine translation – Going deeper than just specialized, niche knowledge, expertise is something that can only be found in the human mind. Whether it’s medical knowledge, legal expertise, or something else altogether, there are so many reasons to trust a real person when translating.
- Creative use of language that machines can’t render – Need to shorten text to ensure it fits on your web page without losing the clever use of language that your original copy had? Creativity is key – and only available with human translation.
- A deep understanding of cultural differences and relevant sensibilities – While mechanical translation can offer an extensive, preprogrammed vocabulary, it cannot offer the understanding of cultural nuance that the human mind contains when it comes to language.
There is simply no machine that is capable of yielding the top-quality finished text translation your business needs the way a human translator can. Remember that when investing in solutions to your business’s translation needs!
How Translators are Changing the Face of Modern Business
There are so many ways that translators – especially for popular languages like Spanish – are changing the way we do business both internationally and within our own national borders today. Some important examples include:
- Medical translation – Medical terminology is precise and extremely important. Translation helps people from around the world seek better medical care, regardless of language and national origin.
- Legal translation – Worried that your business might get into some legal trouble while trying to expand internationally? Legal translation is only available via experienced professionals – and is the best way to ensure you observe all operation laws in your new market.
- Local translation – Language can differ from place to place, even if it is the same primary language being used. Translators can help you tailor your message to local demographics.
- Specialized business translation – If your industry is one where specialized knowledge is scarce, only a professional translator can help you make your expansion smoothly. Try nailing that kind of conversion of terminology with a machine!
Businesses around the world are seeing growing consumer bases, better sales, and more brand recognition through partnership with Spanish translators. Will your company be one of them? Understanding the role of the translator in modern business and their importance in the way today’s commerce functions is a key part of achieving that goal. For more information and to see just how easy it can be to get started working with a translator, contact a language professional or translation agency today!
