Knowing that the text you’re writing will be translated should affect how you approach it. Writing for translation is a bit different from writing for an audience that shares the same first language as you. Here are a few Tips For Writing For Translation life easier and avoid awkwardness in the translated text.
Tips For Writing For Translation
1. Keep It Simple
The number one rule of writing a text that is going to be translated is to keep things as simple as possible. Whether you’re the one doing both writing and translation or just writing, make sure that your text is easy enough even for a fifth-grader to understand. The simpler it is, the fewer mistakes it will have upon translation. Colorful language, long sentences, metaphors, similes, and humor—all the attributes of “fancy” writing- make translation much more difficult.
2. Minimize Passive Voice
Not all languages are as passive voice friendly as English is. Even more so if you’re going to use online or AI tools to translate your text. You risk ending up with awkward sentences that don’t make much sense to the reader. So it’s better to stick to the active voice:
- Instead: The rules were developed by the Compliance Committee.
- Write: The Compliance Committee developed the rules.
- Instead of: The new medicine was recently tested.
- Write: Researchers have recently tested a new medicine.
3. Avoid Complex Sentences
Too many complex sentences harm even regular writing—it gets challenging to follow, and the reader might lose focus after a paragraph or two. But using short and simple sentences is even more important when writing for translation to avoid ridiculous mistakes in the translated text. Ideally, 90% of sentences should not be longer than 20 words. Otherwise, the readability of your text will suffer.
Also Read: What Does SEO Mean for Translated Content?
4. Be Careful With Culturally Specific References and Jokes
Some references are only understandable to the members of a specific culture. They don’t make much sense to a person who lives in a foreign cultural context and has a different first language than you. For example, most Americans might understand a reference that has to do with New Yorkers’ or Midwesterners’ accents. But an Indian person reading your text in Hindi hardly will.
The same goes for jokes. Humor tends to be interculturally different. In most cases, it requires an understanding of the cultural context. An outsider will hardly get what’s so funny and will only be confused instead of amused. So as tempting as it is to include a few jokes, it’s safer to stay away from humor when you’re writing for translation.
5. Stay Consistent With Terminology
Terminology is another big challenge for translators. When writing a text on a topic you know well, you probably feel comfortable using different terms to denote the same phenomena. It helps avoid repetitions and makes the text seem more professional. However, the translator might struggle with finding the right words for all the terminology you’re using. So it’s better to keep it to a minimum and stay consistent throughout (even if this means using the same terms repeatedly).
6. Limit Your Use of Acronyms- Tips For Writing
Acronyms are similar to terminology, making translating the text much more difficult. The same acronyms might stand for different things. For example, ESL means English as a Second Language and Electronic Sports League. To make the translator’s job easier, spell out each acronym the first time you use them in the text.
7. Avoid Noun Strings- Tips For Writing
A phrase containing a few nouns in a row is referred to as a noun string. Noun strings hurt the readability of any text and should be avoided in general. But they’re a true nightmare for translators. It’s not challenging to rephrase most of them. For example, instead of “workplace conflict management training,” you could use “conflict management training in the workplace” or even “workplace training in conflict management.” The translator of your text will appreciate it.
8. Get Rid of Metaphors- Tips For Writing
Some writers believe that the more metaphors they use, the more beautiful their writing gets. But it’s crucial to remember that there’s a time and place for everything. What belongs in a novel or poetry is unnecessary in non-fiction writing, especially if the number one goal is to make the text readable. So try to keep your creativity under control and avoid phrases akin to “heart of stone” and “[someone] is on fire.”
Also Read: Thrive Quiz – Best WordPress quiz plugin
9. Find Substitutes for Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs are notoriously tricky to translate. First, they require a very high language level from a translator, which is not always the case. Having to check every other verb in a dictionary will only frustrate the translator of your text. Also, most phrasal verbs have a few meanings, and they aren’t always easy to understand from the context alone.
That’s why it’s better to limit phrasal verbs when writing for translation. For example:
- Call off—cancel
- Get [your point] across—communicate
- Set up—arrange
- Carry on—continue
- Turn down—reject
10. If Possible, Triple-Check the Text After the Translation
If you’re both writing and translating the original text, it won’t be a problem to check it multiple times upon translation. But if you’re working with a translator or using technological tools for translation, checking the text afterward may be challenging.
It’s essential, though. No matter how professional your translator is or how good of a tool you use, translation is still tricky. Key points of your text might get lost in it. And no matter how hard you try to keep your writing simple, mistakes are still almost inevitable. If you know the language your text is being translated into, never neglect triple-checking the end product.
Tips For Writing-To Wrap It Up
Overall, writing for translation is about prioritizing readability. Metaphors, complex sentences, jokes, terminology, and other things that complicate your writing should go. They may make the original sound fancier, but they also lead to severe mistakes when translating the text; if you struggle with keeping things simple when writing, use helpful tools, for example, Hemingway Editor.
Interesting Reads:
Top 10 Language Switcher & Translator Plugins to Integrate with your WordPress Website
