Being able to communicate effectively is crucial in any field or industry. Whether you’re speaking or writing, expressing your thoughts and ideas accurately is essential, especially when communicating with people who speak a different language. But there are times when getting the translation right is extremely important. Translation pitfalls can cause more damage than you might think, so it’s important to be careful when translating anything.
Some may find it funny to read or hear wrongly translated texts. Take, for example, KFC’s famous slogan, “Finger Lickin’ Good.” There was an incident when that was translated into Chinese, and it came out as “Eat Your Fingers Off.”
But for others, it could mean disastrous consequences caused by huge problems like fraud.
Translation Pitfalls That May Lead To Fraud
Let’s talk about the most common translation errors and how they can become opportunities for shady individuals to commit fraudulent activities.
Incorrect Translation Of Legal or Financial Terms
Fraudsters may find incorrect translations of legal or financial terms as opportunities to exploit unsuspecting victims.
“You must avoid mistranslations in legal documents, contracts, business agreements, or financial statements at all costs because they could lead to legal complications,” said Stephen R. Hasner, Managing Partner at Hasner Law PC.
You must work with legitimate translators to ensure reliability, integrity, accuracy, and consistency when translating legal or financial materials. This is helpful, especially when dealing with legal requirements as you expand your business to a different country.
“You have to make sure that the translations are correct to ensure that you meet the legal standards of your target foreign nation,” Hasner added.
Mistranslations Of Cultural Expressions
Language and culture are connected in many ways. “Some words or phrases take on different meanings when translated into different languages. So, when you get these translations wrong, some people may feel offended or confused,” explained Brooke Webber, Head of Marketing at Ninja Patches.
Fraudsters may even take these miscommunications as a perfect moment to confuse or trick others. That’s why it’s important to consider or be familiar with cultural nuances and idioms when translating.
Incorrect Translation Methods
Word-for-word translation is another common mistake. If you want to ensure accuracy, the translator must understand the message the original text is trying to convey.
Translating verbatim isn’t a reliable and effective method. Instead of translating the original wording to your preferred language, hiring translators with excellent linguistic skills is better. This will ensure not only accuracy but also clarity of the information that you want to share.
Proper translation is essential if you’re running a company and planning to expand to foreign markets. A single inaccurate translation can ruin your brand reputation. Take, for instance, the recent recall of Onewheel electric skateboard due to faulty translations leading to misinformation and potential safety hazards. Therefore, entrusting translation tasks to professionals ensures not only linguistic precision but also safeguards against such risks.
“There are also specific jargon and terms that make sense only in certain industries. In some cases, these terminologies don’t have a direct equivalent in other languages,” added Tom Golubovich, Head of Marketing & Media Relations at Ninja Transfers.
“Mistranslations of these industry-specific words or phrases could result in misunderstandings or even create loopholes that fraudsters can exploit.”
Dependence on Translation Tools
Even though several AI tools can help you translate your materials, nothing beats having a real person check the translation.
That’s not to say that you can’t use machine translation. Instead, a human translator must double-check the output to ensure no mistranslations.
This way, they can correct the errors and stop fraudsters from using these potential inaccuracies to deceive others.
Why Is Accuracy In Translation Essential?
Accurate translation is a must, regardless if it’s for your business, work, or school. Here are some reasons why it’s important:
Expand Your Business
If you want to expand your business to other countries, your materials must be translated properly. You must present your products or services to your target market in their language.
Whether it’s written or oral communication, you must relay correct information to your potential clients. If not, then you can’t expect your expansion to be successful.
Show Professionalism
A correctly translated material shows your audience or target market that you’re a reliable, professional company or individual. The internet is riddled with countless translation tools, many of which don’t provide accurate translations.
“Using just any translating app or software isn’t enough,” said Catherine Schwartz, Finance Editor at Crediful. “You must choose one that can provide you with translation services that will help you maintain high professionalism.”
Avoid Embarrassment
Certain words or phrases can take on a different meaning when translated. Incorrect translations can embarrass you or, worse, ruin your brand’s reputation.
That’s why accurate translation is important if you don’t want to put out offensive materials or convey meanings different from what you intended.
Prevent Legal Problems
You don’t want to face legal problems because your material wasn’t translated properly, right?
“If you’re working in the legal field or if the information that you want to convey involves financial details, you should make sure that it’s translated correctly,” said Shawn Plummer, CEO at The Annuity Expert.
There are several ways to avoid mistranslation and incorporating dubbing services into your strategy is one effective approach. One is proofreading, which includes double-checking the spelling, grammar, style, and syntax.
“You can ask a native speaker of your target language to perform the final proofing to make sure that the output hits the mark,” Plummer suggested.
As mentioned, don’t rely on machine translation. Instead, you should hire professional translators. This will help ensure you protect your brand image and reputation when presenting your company, products, or services to a foreign audience or market.
Final Thoughts on Translation Pitfalls
Communicating effectively and correctly in different languages is essential. Proper translation plays a crucial role in conveying your information accurately using a foreign language. Knowing the common pitfalls of mistranslation helps you realize the importance of ensuring the right translation of your material.
Understanding the impact of these errors will encourage you to be more vigilant when it comes to translation. You must find reliable and reputable tools and services that can help you communicate in different languages. In so doing, you minimize, if not prevent, creating opportunities that shady individuals can use to do fraudulent activities.
Author Bio
Catherine Schwartz
HARO & Content Outreach
cath@catherineschwartz.online
+1(415)988-5842