What is language translation?

Never has the world been as connected through technology as it is today. Advancements in transportation and communication allow us to be in touch with other communities and cultures, and these do not necessarily share a common language. And this is why language translation has increasingly become a cornerstone of global communication.

As with anything, the language industry has picked up speed. And language translation itself has become a central piece for all players who want to have a chance in the race to globalization, bridging cultures and allowing businesses to speak to their audience anywhere on the planet, and ultimately tap into foreign markets.

This article will help you understand language translation, as it is the key to leveraging it in our daily lives. This information will enable you to make decisions regarding your translation project or possible career in the Translation Industry.

1. What is language translation?

There is actually a short and a long answer to this question, and the latter can quickly get quite complex depending on how deep you’d like to dive into the topic.

1.1. The short answer

Language translation is the activity that involves conveying the meaning of a message from one language into another, ensuring the original goal intended by the author of the message is maintained and achieved in the new language. And that’s not it: the translation process is supposed to reproduce the original style and tone of the message. All the while paying close attention to cultural nuances during this transfer.

Translation Industry professionals refer to the original language of the translation project as the Source Language (SL), whereas the produced language is referred to as the Target Language (TL).

How about the text that is the object of the translation process, you might ask? It follows the same logic: Source Text (ST) and Target Text (TT).

And you know what? It’s actually much more common to have multiple Target Languages within a translation project than just a single one. Most likely because of all the low-hanging opportunities on the global market.

1.2. The long answer

Language translation is an interestingly complex mental process that goes way beyond reading, understanding and writing. It’s a process that can be broken down into several mental activities that involve micro and macroanalysis and it even involves a form of translation in the same language within our brain.

It’s an extremely interesting topic. But also a very complex one. Discussing it in such detail here would be overkill. And in all honestly, I’m not qualified to discuss it on such a technical level. If it’s something for you, there are several papers accessible online that go into that rabbit hole.

1.3. Translation is not interpreting

People not familiar with the Translation Industry often seem to confuse Translation with Interpreting and end up calling the latter Translation as well. And this isn’t the end of the world, but any sensible industry professional will correct you nonetheless if you dare to make the mistake in front of them.

You could google ‘what is the difference between translation and interpreting’ to end up on this article again. So I’ll spare you the trouble. 🙂

Translation and Interpreting are two faces of the same coin, and yet different enough to constitute two distinct disciplines within the Language Industry. Each requires a different specific skill set.

The key difference is the medium (written vs. spoken).

Translators:
- work with written text
- have access to translation software
- have more time to work with (to some extent)
- are expected to produce perfection

Interpreters:
- work with spoken content
- work in real-time or in a sequential way
- don’t have the luxury of time
- have some error margin

Although it might sound a bit counterintuitive: a good translator wouldn’t make a good interpreter and vice versa. Both professions have their methodologies and they might not be self-explanatory in everyone’s case. And that is also why the university courses aiming to teach both disciplines are distinctly different, focussing on the core requirements.

Here is a list non-exhaustive list of skills required for both disciplines:

1.3.1. Skills of Translators

Deep knowledge of the language pair
Mastery of grammar & style
Creativity with words
Attention to detail
Perfectionism
Analytical thinking
Patience

1.3.2. Skills of Interpreters

Excellent bilingual fluency
Mastery of spoken language & articulation
Stress management
Multitasking
Out-of-the-ordinary listening
Alertness
Cultural sensitivity

And if there is one thing both translators and interpreters have in common, that must be their love for languages.

2. Why language translation?

The thing is: translation is not just an activity that supports businesses. It’s an essential component of the world as we know it.

There is some debate around the very first trace of translation in history. But what’s certain is that it dates back to over 2000 years ago. And no, it’s not an e-commerce website, or anything else business-related. Let’s pause and think about it for a second.

To some people, the first known translation is the translation of a Sumerian poem from the Mesopotamian era. To some others, it’s the Rosetta Stone. A stone with the inscription of an Egyptian decree in three languages. Now, what does that tell us?

There are so many different people and so many cultures that try to coexist on this planet. Communication is key to everything, and already 2000 years ago, humans needed to convey a message to other human beings that might have come from another place. That happened to have developed another language in isolation. And communicating and working together, we have pushed the boundaries to today. Advancing technology and civilization along the way.

So that’s in my opinion the why behind translation: communication. No matter the purpose. No matter the goal.

Translation is used to communicate with others. It’s used to sort our differences in conflict. Allow us to understand each other. Translation is used to share knowledge. To collaborate. To build on that knowledge. Translation is also used in business. It’s used to reach our audience abroad. It’s used to offer better user experience and better customer support. It’s used to sell. It’s used to grow. To create wealth. So translation is basically a tool. A tool that enhances our journey. So that might be the why behind it.

If you’d like to know which industries benefit in various ways from translating their content, here are 10 of them:

Healthcare Industry
Law Industry
Financial Industry
Information Technology Industry
Software Industry
Travel Industry
E-Commerce Industry
Education and E-Learning
Marketing and Advertising Industry
Entertainment Industry

There are more to this list of industries. I just didn’t want to bore you.

So, there is a definite reason why the global language services market was valued at over $60 billion in 2022 (and it’s expected to continue growing). Source

2.1. Who offers language translation services?

Assuming you don’t have an in-house translator or an internal process designed to take care of it for you, you have a couple of options if you happen to be wondering whom to entrust your translation project with.

You could decide to work with a native freelance translator, a professional translation company (a.k.a. translation agency), OR a machine translation company. Each of these options has its pros and cons, and what to pick is pretty much up to you. Let’s explore a bit more about these three options.

2.1.1. The native freelance translator

This is a linguist working as a freelancer on a project-by-project basis more often than not specialized in a specific field. The specialization can be pretty much anything, ranging from software to gaming, subtitling, Chinese history, modern art… What defines a specialization is vague and subjective, though. The lines between that and interest might be blurry for some.

Getting your hands on a random one can be easy. Do a simple Google search, look around on LinkedIn or throw an eye at the Upwork/Fiverr catalogue, and you’ll be surprised by the abundance of choices you have. I didn’t say it would be easy to pick someone from that pool. Even I wouldn’t know who to work with right away and I have over half a decade of project management experience.

Depending on your expectations and your understanding of quality, you might or might not be able to find your way through the dark alleys of search engines, and ultimately find a freelance linguist to partner up with you on your journey to globalization.

If you need any advice on how to pick a freelance partner. Here are a couple of tips to pick a translator to work with:

Listen to your gut feeling
Very low rates = red flag
Check activity on professional platforms
Check out reviews
First impression matters

In terms of quality/price, the freelance partner option could you any direction. There are many great freelancers out there, but there are also bad ones waiting to rip you off. If you’re working remotely with this person, and his rate is peanuts, and you don’t have a native person to do a check on your end. It’s a recipe for disaster. But if you happen to bump into a dedicated specialist with a great personality: he might as well take you to the moon.

One other factor for consideration should be the bandwidth. And it can be limited in the case of a freelance translator working on a project basis. Because let’s face it: there is only so much a person can do on their own.

2.1.2. The professional translation company

This is a business acting as a middleman. Leveraging expertise, network and technology, a professional translation company bundles up services into various packages designed to fit the needs of the market. These companies, also known as translation agencies either employ their team or work with freelance service providers instead.

Finding a translation agency can be as tricky as finding a freelancer. But a good find can be a goldmine on many levels. A ‘good’ agency provides great advice. It has reliable internal processes to ensure stable and reliable quality. And it has a lot of bandwidth that is also expandable. The relationship can be a bit more expensive than a freelance partner, but you’re paying for the convenience, the extra service and the quality is often guaranteed.

There are certainly disastrous agencies out there, though they’re often easy to dismiss with a simple background check.

What’s left over is a recipe for global success. If you have everything else figured out, that is.

2.1.3. The machine translation company

This is a company leveraging technology to make things accessible and convenient for their clients. It’s the newcomer in the league. It offers language solutions for an attractive price point.

Machine translation (MT) has been around since WW2, but the technology behind the name has been upgraded countless times. The big star is now Neural Machine Translation and it seems like it has languages figured out to some extent. It provides users with exceptional quality for some kinds of content, and not-so-great quality for slightly more creative content. The most recent Generative AI (GenAI) and Large Language Models (LLM) seem to be even more promising when it comes to autonomous translation. However, the Translation Industry has not yet embraced this last wave of advancement. Even if some big players are already looking for ways to integrate it all into their processes.

The key to navigating these techy waters in my opinion is having a linguist on board to steer the ship. Unless you want to bet it all on the machine. Something I wouldn’t do unless I want my business to tickle an iceberg Titanic-style on the way to the bottom.

2.2. Picking your partner is a personal matter

Meaning you do have a choice when it comes to getting your content translated. The choice is all up to you, as it’s directly related to your immediate needs, your business situation, and your goals and expectations.

Maybe you’re researching a topic to write a paper on. You don’t have to finance a translator to quickly get the meaning of that article. That wouldn’t be an efficient use of budget or time. In such cases where you’re just looking to get the meaning without worrying about the full accuracy or the style, your average MT Engine such as Google Translate or DeepL will definitely do the trick.

Are you the founder of a small Belgian beer company looking to conquer another part of the Belgian market by translating your marketing content into a single language? In that case, your best bet will be pairing up with a suitable freelancer and squeezing the words out of him.

If on the other hand, you’ve got it all planned and you’re looking for an entire team to help you conquer the world by translating into three, seven or thirty-one languages, your best bet is to be in bed with a professional translation company and having your global success as one of their priorities.

3. How do you become a translator?

Maybe you’re curious about how one can become a translator. Or even better: you maybe don’t have a translation project – but you’d rather like to start bridging cultures yourself and become a translator.

Here is a list of five attributes characteristic of translators:

Mastery of their working language pair
Cultural awareness
Problem-solving skills
Attention to detail
Professionalism and work-ethics

Having these attributes won’t make you a translator automatically, though. Nor will the love of languages.

Although the profession is not protected as is the case for doctors or lawyers, it is highly advised to have a Translation degree to work as a freelancer. Not only reputable companies and agencies will demand to see your degree, but you’ll probably lack some essential methodologies when it comes to the activity of translation.

A common misconception is that translation only requires language skills in the TL – the language you’re translating into. And by the way, you’re technically advised to only translate into your native language. Because it’s in theory the language you’re supposed to master the best, and that’s the level of quality and proficiency expected from you.

A degree in Translation is supposed to prepare you for what is waiting for you out there. The one I followed at a reputable Translation School in Brussels was split into three major sections:

Part 1: the bachelor’s was heavily focused on mastering the languages of your combinations (to which you’re always free to add as you learn more languages)
Part 2: the master’s was the moment to specialize in whatever you’d like to be, be it interpreting, subtitling, financial translation…
Part 3: the student internship at a company, is the perfect place and moment to get your hands dirty and learn by doing

The reality of the market is that many translators did study something else, some related to languages and some not. And their love of languages steered them towards the Translation Industry where they dropped the anchor. And that’s all fine. It is an option. We’ve already established that the profession is NOT protected.

The only obstacle you risk facing when applying for projects through agencies is that some will verify your diploma because they’re ISO certified, and that certification advises them to work with professionals with a diploma. Other than that, clients will most likely not ask for it.

4. What makes a good translation?

This question is so much more complex than it appears to be. There are many ways to approach it, as the essence of a good translation differs depending on the person judging it.

4.1. Quality Assessment in Translation

This rigorous process should be part of each translation project in our industry, and it is used to evaluate the accuracy, fluency, and suitability of a translated text. It is not just about checking for grammatical correctness or vocabulary precision. It also involves ensuring that the translation maintains the essence, tone, and intent of the original message. On top of it all, a high-quality translation is required to read as if it were written in the TL, without a hint of awkwardness.

4.2. The empirical approach: error-free translation

This approach to translation quality relies on a simple statement: a translation with no mistakes is a good translation.

Requirement: the linguist producing the translation must have a deep understanding of the grammatical rules, idiomatic expressions, and cultural nuances of both the source and target languages.

Result: a translation free from errors, mistranslations, and ambiguities.

Simple and clear. Any output that meets this criterion is likely to convey the original meaning accurately and effectively.

Is it enough, though?

My experience says no. A technically accurate translation can still miss the objective if the style/tone isn’t right. Aaaaaaaand welcome to the subjective dimension of translation.

4.3. Subjectivity in translation: style

Capturing it is one of the most challenging tasks for translators, and yet its role is crucial in translation: the style of the text. Proper to the author, tuned with the objective in mind. Style is the choice of words. It is sentence structure, rhythm, and flow of the text. Style is about how the words feel and the atmosphere it creates.

Although a good translator often replicates the style of the original text, it’s a subjective matter. And what feels right to one might seem off to another. And this subjectivity makes style one of the most popular feedback topics. And the part generating the most frustration between the project owner and the translation team.

5. The process behind language translation

We’ve just talked about quality. And the source of quality in translation is of course the linguist working on the project. The better the translator, the better the translation.

But the thing is: we’re all humans. And relying on the qualities of just one person isn’t ideal. That’s just because we all have our ups and downs. And it takes just one bad day to produce a disaster…

Luckily, that’s where professional translation companies can be handy.

If there is one thing they’re supposed to be good at: it’s delivering consistent quality. And they achieve this by leveraging the power of processes and teamwork. Teamwork makes the dream work, as they say!

In translation, the minimum team required to ensure some good stuff comes out of it is: TRANSLATOR + REVISOR + PROJECT MANAGER

The TRANSLATOR is the one in charge of producing their best shot at the translation. That’s what would also happen if they were working alone.

The REVISOR is the one in charge of making sure no mistakes are left behind by doing an in-depth check of the meaning and language. Additional style-check is done depending on the briefing and the scope of the project.

The PROJECT MANAGER is the one in charge of the quality assurance. That’s done on many levels: language, technical, customer service. And it happens in preparation but also during and after the project.

Now, this is the minimum requirement theory to have something pretty bullet-proof. But great agencies have great processes, with individual team members taking care of a single step (except the PM, as they’re often supermen & superwomen.

Here is what a developed translation process could look like:

Project and briefing reception by the PM
File preparation by the multilingual technical team
Translation by the native translation team
Revision by the native revision team
Desktop publishing by the DTP specialists*
Technical QA by the technical team*
Linguistic QA by the revision team
Implementation of the feedback by DTP specialists*
Delivery by the PM
Feedback round, implementation of changes and import into TM

* Steps with an asterisk are optional and only apply to certain types of projects.

Such processes are designed to limit the margin of human error as much as possible by involving a lot of different actors in place to catch each other’s mistakes. The only downside is the higher price tag. But that’s often why there is a quality difference in correlation with the price.

6. Types of translation in language

Have you ever paused and wondered: ‘Hmm, what are the different types of translation out there?’

Well. I have. Especially now again while writing this article.

Out of curiosity. But also because I want to provide you with that piece of information.

Let’s glance at the list below:

Administrative translation
Business translation
Commercial translation
Economic translation
Financial translation
Games translation
General translation
Juridical translation
Legal translation
Literary translation
Marketing translation
Medical translation
Multimedia translation
Patent translation
Scientific translation
Script translation
Software localization
Subtitling
Sworn translation
Technical translation
Transcreation
Website translation

That was 22 types of translation in an alphabetic order. And I doubt I’ve got all of them. I won’t explain them in this post, as I’m scared I’ll lose you by the time we’re done. I’ll gladly add a link to the list when I expand on these types of translations in another article.

7. Language translation in 2024

The most recent developments in the field of AI and machine learning have led the Translation Industry somewhere unrecognisable from what it was a decade ago. Machines have evolved consistently over the past years, scaring professionals into thinking our profession is endangered because the machines could potentially take over.

I don’t have a magic crystal. But it doesn’t feel right to me. I don’t think we’ll lose all we have. It has to be more Darwinistic than that. Adapt or die. We are the main protagonists of this story. No way we get pushed aside by the machines.

And yet, MT and LLM technologies have grown exponentially in the past couple of years, not just in their linguistic capabilities but in their understanding of cultural nuances and context. Modern MT systems, powered by neural networks and AI, are now more adept at producing translations that are not only accurate but also contextually relevant. The role in translation of LLMs, like GPT-4, has been groundbreaking.

This does not mean human translators are becoming obsolete. Instead, our role is evolving. The focus has shifted towards post-editing, where linguists refine and enhance machine-generated texts, ensuring they meet the highest quality standards. This synergy of human expertise and machine efficiency is setting new benchmarks in quality and speed.

The use of the most recent technologies has other benefits too: it democratizes translation, making it more accessible to everyone, especially smaller businesses.

Looking ahead, I believe the role of technology in translation is only set to grow. To me, this dynamism is exciting as I get the chance to both witness and contribute to this journey full of innovation. Expecting something greater from this phase of transformation.

8. Final word

As we navigate through the evolving landscape of the translation industry, it’s clear to me that the blend of human expertise and advanced technology is reshaping how we connect and communicate globally.

Whether you’re embarking on a translation project or considering a career in this dynamic field, the opportunities are boundless. At Transleet Agency, we’re committed to harnessing these advancements to provide top-tier service.

If you’re seeking a partner that combines technology with human precision to ensure your message resonates across cultures and languages, especially in the field of software and gaming, look no further. We invite you to work with us on your next project and experience the pinnacle of translation excellence. Let’s bridge linguistic barriers together and open doors to new possibilities. Get in touch.

Gyokhan

Gyokhan is a creative Translator EN, NL>FR, a Language Solutions Expert and General Manager at Transleet Agency. He has a rich background in project management and a deep-seated passion for technology and languages. Transleet is Gyo's attempt to bridge cultural gaps through creative and innovative translation services. Transleet is a vibrant online professional network and community offering a great opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals.

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