Have you come across the study that over 72% of consumers prefer to shop on websites in their native language? The competition in the globalized business scene demands a communication method that requires cultural understanding.
Adaptable translation is more than converting words from one language to another. It tailors messages to fit cultural nuances, industry-specific terminology, and audience preferences. Let’s explore the concept of adaptable translation and why global businesses prefer it on their expansions.
Understanding Adaptable Translation
Adaptable translation goes beyond literal conversion of text from one language to another. It tailors content to target audiences, cultures, and contexts while maintaining original message. Unlike traditional translation, which is often literal, adaptable consider cultural differences and specialized vocabulary.
Picture this: You are introducing a new app globally. Customer research shows demand for efficiency in the US, reliability in Germany, and affordability in India. A standard translation wouldn’t be able to deliver these nuances in its marketing translations.
Adaptable translations use cultural nuances and local phrases to connect with the audience and avoid awkward translations. They use specific terms for accurate and professional technical translation in the industry context.
The content is adjusted based on user feedback and evolving needs, making it perfect for dynamic content like user-generated material and product descriptions. The audience-centric approach of adaptable translation prioritizes understanding the target audience to ensure their satisfaction.
How Adaptable Translation Works
Don’t imagine the translation as a simple process of converting words from one language to another. Quality translation goes through multiple stages that only expert translators can manage. Learn how the process is managed for a result that no other methods can deliver.
Analysis of Source Content
A translator’s first step is to analyze source material, understanding the context, purpose, and intended audience. This can involve identifying cultural references, industry-specific terminology, and the tone of the original text.
Cultural and Contextual Adaptation
Once the content is analyzed, translators adapt it to fit the contextual nuances of the target audience. What does this adaptation mean before the translation process? They change idioms, adjust humor, or even modify references that don’t make sense in the target culture.
Translation
This is when the translation process takes place, where text is converted from the source language to the target language. Translators focus on maintaining the intended meaning while ensuring translation is culturally appropriate.
Localization
Localization is the magic touch that ensures content feels native to the target audience. Translators adapt content for local preferences, legal requirements, and formatting during the target culture.
Quality Assurance
A thorough review is conducted to check for accuracy, consistency, and cultural appropriateness. This process includes both human reviewers and automated tools.
Feedback and Iteration
Finally, feedback from the target audience is gathered to refine the translation. Adaptable translation is an iterative process which allows ongoing adjustments based on audience response and market conditions.
Adaptable Translation vs. Traditional Translation
| Feature | Adaptable Translation | Traditional Translation |
| Focus | Audience-centric, culturally sensitive, context-aware | Textual accuracy, linguistic equivalence |
| Process | Involves deep audience and cultural analysis, adaptation, and quality assurance | Primarily focused on language conversion |
| Goal | Effective communication, cultural resonance, desired impact | Accurate linguistic transfer |
| Approach | Dynamic, flexible, and iterative | Static, linear |
| Tools | Translation memory, machine translation, localization platforms, cultural intelligence tools | Primarily translation dictionaries and glossaries |
| Result | Localized and culturally adapted content | Literal translation of text |
Tools and Technologies
Translation Management Systems (TMS)
TMS Platforms, like Smartling or Memsource, streamline the translation process. They manage platforms, track progress, and ensure consistency across all translated content.
Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) Tools
CAT tools, such as SDL Trados or MemoQ, assist translators by providing translation memory and terminology management. They also help to ensure consistency and speed up the process.
Machine Translation (MT) with Post-Editing
While machine translation tools like Google Translate or DeepL can provide initial translations, post-editing by human translators ensures the content is accurate and culturally relevant.
Glossaries and Style Guides
Industry-specific glossaries and style guides ensure that terminology is used consistently and that the tone and style align with the brand’s identity.
Implementing Adaptable Translation in Your Business
We are familiar with companies that have gone global by adopting adaptable translation strategies. Coursera, Coca-Cola, Spotify, etc are some of them. Airbnb localized its website and app for different markets by including local customs and preferences in the user experience.
Don’t be shocked! Airbnb reached 1 billion people in just 3 months. They invested in 1200 linguists in over 30 languages for an expansion to 220 countries. Check out how to implement adaptable translation in your business using the following steps.
Assess Your Needs
You need to identify specific languages and regions your business serves or plans to target. Determine the type of content that requires translation, such as websites, marketing materials, product documentation, or customer support resources.
Set Clear Objectives
Define what you aim to achieve with adaptable translation. Whether it’s improving customer satisfaction, expanding into new markets, or enhancing brand consistency, having clear goals will guide your approach.
Build a Multidisciplinary Team
Assemble a team that includes translators, localization experts, and cultural consultants who understand both your industry and the target markets. Collaboration between departments, such as marketing, product development, and customer service, is also crucial.
Create a Glossary and Style Guide
Develop a comprehensive glossary of industry-specific terms and a style guide that outlines your brand’s tone, voice, and cultural considerations. This ensures consistency across all translated content.
Contact the Experts
WorldLink is a team of expert translators providing website localization, translation and interpretation services. The team of more than 1500 native linguists provide services over 100 languages. Get a free quote from the subject matter for multilingual translation projects from worldlink.
