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How Can You Guarantee an Accurate Translation of Your Important Files?
When it comes to translating documents, audio files, or videos, it is essential to obtain an accurate translation of the original content. Without one, vital information could be missing, quotes may be interpreted incorrectly, and research documents could become inaccurate. Accuracy plays a crucial role in how businesses function.
When it comes to medical documentation relayed from one hospital to another, detailed business contracts that require full compliance and clarity, or documents used by lawyers, judges, and police officers, these documents and industries can all benefit from translation services.
In this blog, we look at the benefits of accurate translations and when these are most useful.
What makes for an accurate translation?
We’ve touched upon how translation is essential for delivering the vital information held in sensitive documents and files for legal, medical, and business purposes, but the need for accuracy reaches far beyond this. High-quality and accurate translations allow us to deliver written documents or audio files exactly as they are meant to be interpreted.
Follow the natural flow
Some languages have very specific ways in which words are enunciated and read. An accurate translation allows for this and gives any document an added impetus of being authentic, accurate, and therefore fully correct. Failing to seek out the correct translation, especially for expressions or certain figures of speech, could mean that the translation ends up being nonsensical as well as inaccurate.
Fitting the culture
As mentioned above, when a translated document needs to read as if it’s been written or recorded in the language it’s being read in, it’s also important to be aware of the cultural impact of the translation. Specific cultural references may be lost on a foreign audience and could hinder the meaning of the document. As a result, word-for-word translations are not always the best way to deliver complete accuracy.
This sometimes means alternative and more culturally relevant phrases may be used. This is especially prominent in advertising, where certain trends, buzzwords, or phrases may not be universally recognised.
Clarity
Clarity and accuracy generally go hand in hand. Ensuring the translated document remains clear and easy to understand after translation will guarantee that the reader or listener isn’t left second-guessing if something is overly ambiguous or vague.
Is Google Translate accurate?
Many of us turn to tools like Google Translate when we need something in a different language. Whilst it works quickly and is easily accessible, it has a few flaws that could make the overall translation not only inaccurate but also unnatural in its flow.
Tools such as Google Translate cannot pick up on context and therefore may misinterpret industry-specific terms, slang, or idioms. It can also struggle with grammar and syntax, often leaving sentences structured unnaturally.
As touched upon earlier, cultural relevance and nuances are important to retain and aren’t always delivered correctly by Google Translate. As a result, the meaning of the original document or file may be lost.
Given the possible drawbacks of Google Translate, some may instead consider turning to ChatGPT. AI tools such as ChatGPT learn from the interactions they have with users, which can make them a little more accurate than Google Translate as they adopt contextual translations and tone where Google cannot. However, as a few tests with ChatGPT can demonstrate, it often misses the point of the command or provides inaccurate information. Whilst AI is certainly making inroads in many environments, in the translation space, it is still some way from being seen as a trusted source of accurate translation.
How can I ensure I get an accurate translation of my important documents?
To ensure your translation is fully accurate, the best method is to enlist the help of human translators. Translation agencies in the UK, such as McGowan Transcriptions, employ specialist translators who are native speakers of the language the documents are being translated from or to. This enables them to fully understand the context, tone and cultural differences that may be found in marketing features, legal documents, medical research papers and more.
In addition to speaking the language, they are also trained in industry-specific language, enabling them to fully understand how and why certain things may be recorded the way they are.
How can you rely on a translation agency to deliver accurate translations?
The very fact that translation specialists employ native speakers and those with knowledge of specific industries already puts them above AI tools and resources like Google Translate. Before you commit to a translation agency, it’s likely that you’ll first wish to research whether the translators you choose can back up their claims.
Experience
The team you consider may boast that it has a vast number of experts who can translate documents in a host of languages, but you may be seeking further reassurance that this is something they have experience in. It’s worth asking how long the company has been translating, what it specialises in, and how many languages can be translated. In the case of our team, you can choose to have your work translated into more than 200 languages if required. Knowing information like this will help provide you with not only a deeper understanding of the company, but also more confidence in their skills.
Affiliations and memberships
Knowing that the translators you use are suitably qualified, experienced, and are native speakers can go some way to giving you full confidence that an accurate translation will be supplied. For example, all linguists at McGowan Transcriptions have at least five years of experience in their chosen field and are either accredited to the Institute of Translating and Interpreting (ITI), the Chartered Institute of Linguists, or their national equivalents.
Case studies
Where possible, look at previous work completed by the translation company you are considering. Whilst you may not be able to view specific documents due to privacy laws, you will be able to see project outlines, as well as how they were implemented and completed. You might even find that similar projects to yours have been completed with great success.
Processes
If preferred, you can do this in the interim while searching for a translation service, by looking at the processes the translation company follows. In some agencies, one translator is appointed per project, with a quality control check once the translation has been completed. This is a great way to smooth out any minor errors that might be discovered.
At McGowan Transcriptions, we offer two methods of gaining completely accurate translations. Our first option sees a transcription from the source language by a native speaker created. Another linguist then translates this to English before it is passed for a final check. The second option follows this same process but also goes through a second word-for-word check by another linguist before it is passed to the quality control team.
At McGowan Transcriptions, we use qualified experts to carefully and accurately translate important documents from a multitude of industries. From document translation to academic translations, and from legal translation to website translation, our team is here to help deliver complete accuracy no matter the industry you are in. Get in touch with our team today to see how we can help.
31/03/2025
