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Technical documents are complex pieces of writing that require specialized knowledge and skills to translate. According to industry surveys, more than 90% of technical documents are translated by professional document translators, while the remaining 10% are translated via online translation or machine translation.
In this blog, we will cover 5 tips that professional technical document translators follow. These fundamentals help create quality pieces of translation and will assist you in choosing your document translation service for technical documents.
A technical document is a written document intended to assist users in understanding a product. These often provide information and specifics on technical products and services that are being developed or are currently in use. These documents are produced by a variety of industries, including marketing, IT, engineering, and medical.
The best practice for document translation is to always work with the right person for the job. For example, when translating technical documents, hiring a technical translator with specialized skills is the best option. Consider it this way, hospitals and language services are similar. It would be counterintuitive to treat a neurological problem by visiting a cardiologist, in the same way, it is counterintuitive to have expert game translators translate medical or technical documents.
A good writer always adheres to technical writing principles when creating technical documents. The exact definitions of technical writing principles vary slightly depending on industry and level of difficulty. However, a consistent goal of technical writers is to create accessible technical documents that are effective and easy to understand.
Aspects of technical writing that should be included in each translated document are as follows:
Clarity and accuracy are important aspects of document translation. A successful technical document translation should not leave the reader wondering about the meaning of the text. To achieve this, accurate translations are required; however, sometimes even the most accurate translations lack clarity in the target language due to grammatical differences, connotations, or nuances that may deviate from the intended meaning in the original text.
For that reason, businesses in specialized industries prefer to use the services of document translation companies. Nowadays, it’s convenient and time-saving because documents can be translated online immediately without needing to deliver documents in-person.
In addition to working with experienced technical document translators in fields such as medicine, engineering, and manufacturing, it is critical to provide translators contextual information about the technical manuals that must be translated.
This could include industry-specific language definitions or other key words, as well as background, history, or suggestions to minimize misunderstandings.
To speed up and improve the translation process, build a glossary of technical terms with agreed-upon translations. This ensures that the correct translation is used consistently throughout the translated document, which can also be improved later using technology.
If you regularly translate technical documents, having a good translation strategy is very helpful. A strategy designed around the core principles of technical translation not only saves time and money on each translation project, but also maintains consistency across all the technical documents you publish.
One way to make sure your translation strategy is strong is to talk to a professional technical document translation company or technical translator that you can work with. Building long-term relationships with language providers is key to creating an effective translation strategy that provides accuracy, clarity, and quality.
In addition, a good document translation company will be able to recommend as well as help develop strategies and processes appropriate to translation needs. They can also give advice on the best combination of language technologies to use for your specific industry.
Clarity and accuracy are the foremost important aspects of technical document translation. If you’re interested in document translation, contact us at DoubleCheck. We provide English consulting and online document translation services by native English speakers, designed to help your Thai business communicate skillfully with English-speaking audiences. Whether on your website, billboard, video, flyers, or social media, our translation service will ensure that all the English in the materials you produce is perfect, avoiding the risk of public embarrassment. We use nuanced language tailored to your target audience, increasing your effective reach and, most importantly, helping to bolster and protect your brand image. You can visit our website at https://doublecheck.co.th
DoubleCheck provides English consulting services tailored to help Thai businesses effectively communicate with their English speaking audiences. DoubleCheck is based in Bangkok, but operates throughout all of Thailand.
