You Must be Confident On the Stage Not to Offend with Your Translation Chinese to English or English - Chinese - Local Experience Counts

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There are an awful lot of Chinese Interpreters and Translators out there - how on earth can you choose the right one? Being bilingual is just a starting point, what about interpreting for business negotiations or conferences, or translating Chinese legal contracts - you can't afford a mistake and the Mandarin Interpreter who works at the local hospital or school will probably not make you look good on the business stage!

Before we start - what it the difference between interpreting and translating?

We often hear reports on the ABC news where a speech is 'through a translator'.  Interpreting is oral and translation is written, so strictly speaking they should say "interpreter".

It is not true to assume that translators make good interpreters and vice-versa - the skills are very different. Some can do both, most focus on one. If you think about the actions - interpreters have to instantly convert one language to another with the same meaning and tone and no time to ponder choice of words - like doing two things at once!  Translators, by contrast, take time to carefully craft a text and have to be good writers and subject experts. If you can find one who does both interpreting and translating well - fantastic!

What does it take to make a HIGH STANDARD translator?

As a prerequisite to be an interpreter or translator, a love of language might seem obvious, but it is the first and foremost requirement for someone practising as a translator. Let's face it, who was good at English, particularly writing, as a subject? How many “translators” out there are doing it, and doing it badly, because they can’t get a job doing anything else, after all who would know if they were good or bad! And by the time you find out, it could be too late.

Most professional interpreters and translators have university-level language training in their second languages. Translators also generally have lived in the countries where their languages are spoken and have postgraduate qualifications specialised in Translating/Interpreting. There are few translators and interpreters who can make the transition to business and most remain in the community sector. A high-quality translator in the business domain will have the ability to acquire specialised vocabulary and knowledge in many fields and to recall it under tight timelines and under pressure. Speed and accuracy and completeness - working with a range of software and specialised translation tools; good writing skills to make the final piece read naturally and not like a translation; keeping up to date with changing language/s - all are important factors in chosing the right person for your important work.

Being bilingual is a given, but not all bilinguals make good interpreters and translators

Obviously, to succeed, an interpreter/translator must be bilingual, however, the opposite is not necessarily true: a born and bred bilingual will still need two things to become a translator. First, the skills and experience necessary for translation and interpreting, and second, the knowledge of the field in which he or she will work. In addition an understanding of the nuances and subtleties of language and cultural awareness (two cultures). People assume that any bilingual person can undertake translation or interpreting, indeed this idea permeates even the highest levels of government. Many organisations use bilingual personnel as interpreters or translators even though these people have no formal training in the area. The belief that translation and interpretation are synonymous and readily performed by any willing bilingual person is a misconception.

Translation - Local Experience Counts

Translation is both a science and an art and translations will certainly affect your image and the success of your business and thus should be entrusted to experienced professionals. Because a lot of translation is country-specific, an experienced  translator resident in your country will already have the relevant terminology, sector specific knowledge, and cultural familiarity to produce the best quality translation. The translator will build up expertise related to your business leading to a smoother relationship and improving the likelihood of success.

Like linguists, translators have to be capable of discerning subtleties and nuances in their languages, researching terminology and colloquialisms, and handling new developments in their languages; they also have to be sensitive to the cultural and social differences which exist in their languages.

Local experience is all important when, as frequently happens, there is something in one language that doesn't exist in the other. Financial instruments, legal procedures, government and business structures, and so on vary from nation to nation and culture to culture. Translators are always dealing with new material and information, so an experienced translator will find a way to create the desired meaning.   A translator who is local will overcome many such gaps in understanding.

With a team of qualified, full time, Chinese translators Chin Communications is equipped to deliver what you need: we translate all day every day, are fast and can utilise the latest technology to generate what you need, when you need it. We build up expertise in your business and terminology and preferences, and can be relied on for consistency.  Your documents are backed up, glossaries produced and when a change is needed urgently or a new task arises, we are ready to help you without you having to go back to square one and lose momentum and message.

How to Make Sure Your Translation Says What it is Supposed to and Won't Offend Anyone

Experience and consultation are really important. As happened above: dealing with a large, impersonal translation company which doesn't know the first thing about you and your plans - a translator out there in cyberspace - has no idea what the translation is for – even for what country – so something as Australian as football can be totally misunderstood and put a whole venture at risk.

You need to consider the purpose of the translation and the intended audience. You need a translator who will talk to you and ask you important questions and offer helpful suggestions. The first one might be – how do you want to use this translation – where are you going? For example, there are two versions of written Chinese and the audience will provide a key to the translator as to which version to use.

We also need to know about any previous or old translations and resources that are available. We'll ask you about style and formatting and discuss particular requirements or make suggestions, for example a web page or a brochure necessitate different skills and software to a word document. And of course we'll ask you about your deadline. Be aware that without Chinese software or fonts installed on your system, you may not be able to read Chinese characters, however we can generate other file types which will display. We'll work with you every step as your partner in Translation Chinese to English or English to Chinese.

We'll ask you to pay attention to the source document. A translation can only be as good as the source document. Translators render information from one language to another. They do not rewrite the original, they do not change its style or content, they do not insert their own clever ideas. They translate! In particular check spelling and punctuation; avoid colloquialisms and puns, amplify abbreviations and acronyms; re-read the source document and remove any ambiguities.

Translators/Interpreters are often privy to secret information, be it financial plans of a company, a new trademark, or sensitive diplomatic discussions. Professional translators have to keep this kind of information to themselves. Choosing the right translation company in the first place will put your mind at ease.

Recapping what you need to consider for a good outcome: the right translation company and translator with solid experience, qualifications, high-standard of English, local experience; consultation - discussions about audience, aims; reference materials - previous translations, background information; explanation about how you want to present the final product, a carefully created and checked source document free from errors, and the deadline. From there we'll raise any other important issues and advise you; we'll take the project on and deliver what you want, ready to use and on time.

Some Terminology

Source language: the language of the original text being translated.
Target language: the language that the text is being translated into.
NAATI: The National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters. In Australia, the only accepted professional qualification for practising interpreters and translators is NAATI accreditation. This may be obtained by completing a NAATI-approved course at an Australian institution or by passing an examination through the NAATI testing system. NAATI accredits translators in one or both directions, for example translating from Chinese into English; from English into Chinese, or both. Two separate examinations must be passed to achieve both directions. For most languages Professional Level (previously level 3) accreditation is the minimum standard required.
AUSIT: The Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators. This is the national association for the Interpreting and Translating profession. It is fully independent and sets standards for the profession having established a code of ethics; it also runs professional development training and works to advance the status of the profession in Australia.

AIIC: The peak body for professional conference interpreters worldwide that only the best practitioners can enter.  Entry requirements are very tough. 90 countries and 2800 professional conference interpreters have been admitted, including Chin Communications Managing Director, Charles Qin, the only Australian Mandarin Interpreter to have been honoured.

You will laugh and maybe breathe a sigh of relief, but see what happens when a translation does not go according to plan, see Chinese Translation Bloopers;

For more information and to make arrangements: translation chinese to english and english to chinese

What else do I need to know about working with interpreters and translators?

Chin Communications is a specialist Chinese interpreting and translating company established in Australia in 1992. Managing Director, Charles Qin, works at senior levels as a Mandarin Conference Interpreter and Chinese Translator for government and business in Australia and China.

For anything at all relating to Chinese translation call us now and save time and money by getting it right. Tel: 1300 792 446 or + 61 3 9188 3621 or

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Chin Communications

CHINESE TRANSLATION SPECIALISTS

1300 792 446

Our translations
will be: accurate; culturally appropriate; inclusive of feedback to help you communicate better; and, in most cases, within
24 hours.