Translation is the process of converting a text from one language to another, taking various linguistic aspects (grammar, spelling, syntax, terminology) into account, as well as the intent, target audience, etc. It’s not, therefore, just a matter of translating word for word, but adapting a text to the target audience, respecting the linguistic characteristics of the language.
In order to produce an accurate text that flows well and sounds natural to a native reader, excellent knowledge of the linguistic conventions of the target language is essential. I translate from English into Spanish (European), my mother tongue, in compliance with the best practices of the translation industry (see ITI Code of Professional Conduct for further information).
Sometimes, I also translate from Spanish into English, mostly at a local level. This is called inverse translation. In such cases, a native English reviser checks the final document to guarantee the highest quality.
Localisation involves translation, but goes one step further with cultural adaptation for a particular local audience. It takes not only linguistic conventions, but also cultural elements into account, so there are other aspects to be considered: measurements, currencies, cultural differences, idioms, customs, tone of voice and payment methods, among others. The text is reshaped for a specific local market, meaning the audience perceives the content as if it had been originally written in their own language.
As part of the localisation process, it’s crucial to bear in mind that the Spanish language has multiple variants around the world: it ranks second on the list of languages by number of native speakers, being the official language of 22 countries and having almost 500 million native speakers. These variants are mutually intelligible, but are worlds apart linguistically speaking.
For that reason, it’s important to analyse which audience you want to reach and which variant they speak, and to localise your content accordingly. Are you interested in the LATAM market? Are you focused on a European audience? Or maybe both?
Around 45 million people speak Spanish from Spain – which seems like a good reason to rely on a localisation professional whose native language is European Spanish!
Localisation is widely used in marketing, tourism and website translation, among others. Apart from being a native-Spanish speaker, I’ve lived in Spain almost all my life, so I have a deep understanding of Spanish cultural traits. I can help you boost your sales in Spain by creating a localisation strategy which is appealing and user-friendly, establishing a trusted brand image for your business.
Proofreading, editing and revision services are all aimed at improving the quality of a text. These terms are often used interchangeably and there’s some confusion around their meanings and distinctive features. Generally speaking, editing and proofreading are both performed on monolingual content, while revision compares the original and the translation to improve the latter.
When proofreading or editing a Spanish text, a linguist looks for inaccuracies in content, structure or style. Many aspects come into play when proofreading a document: layout, spelling, gender-neutral language, missing words, tone of voice, ambiguity, heading issues, typos, etc.
Revision is the process of comparing the original document with its translation and making amends and suggestions for improvements, if required. A reviser makes sure that the language transfer has been successful, without any missing information or mistranslations, and that it’s adapted to the target audience. Proofreading can also be performed at this stage.
Again, the definitions of those terms and the differences between them are not an exact science. Moreover, one customer may just need a stylistic improvement, while others will prefer a combination of revision and proofreading. Whatever your needs are, I’m here to help you find the best solution to improve the quality of your Spanish content.
