Translation is becoming a massive industry and niche, as the world becomes more and more interconnected every day. Businesses need a helping hand reaching out to different areas of the globe. Translation is a skill and although it does on a basic level mean translating one language into another language, creativity often comes with that skill to create something much more specialised and relevant to the needs of the client.
Creative translation is where translators are looking to not only translate, but to find the right words for a given project or task.
So, What Exactly Creative Translation?
Whereas translation refers to words and phrases, which are carefully translated in order to retain their meaning as much as is possible, creative translation extends beyond that skill. Creative translation (or sometimes known as Transcreation) is flexible and very much relates to the project or target audience. So a creative translator might work on projects where marketing for a given area across the globe requires a headline that will grab the attention of locals. Purely literal translation will not work, but creative translation will ensure that the text is not only literally correct, but it is able to have the same effectiveness and meaning as the comparable headline in its original context.
The Challenges Of Creative Translation
Although there are many great translators out there who can easily translate even the most detailed text, there aren’t as many who are also good at creative translation. The language at hand is important, but so is the ability to have a greater understanding of the culture and the project, as well as the ability to be expressive and creative at the same time. A general translator may not have all of these skills, which is what makes creative translation so specialist.
The Benefits Of Creative Translation Services
If a product or marketing campaigns wording is already established in the UK and a business wants to extend it outside of the UK, with translation, the copy will be accurately translated and reproduced in the different target languages. With creative translation, the words are not only copied, but the meaning and expression is a high consideration to ensure the copy is as effective in its new target market as it is in its country of origin. The difference is: With “normal” translation if you have one product in the UK and want to sell it in France, you can hire a translator to translate the words, and then you can sell the product in France.
With creative translation, the words are not merely copied from your UK product to sell in France. A translation expert can be creative with the wording to ensure the expression and meaning make sense in France and will have the same successful impact as they do here. The benefits are quite clear – audiences are not only going to be able to read the message, but they will be impacted by it and notice it – this brings a much deeper understanding of your brand message and an increase in sales within your target area.
Invest In Creative Translation Today
Creative translation is the best way for your business to extend itself internationally. Your business may need these kinds of services if:
- Standard translation has been unsuccessful
- You need a full marketing and sales campaign translating, not just the words on a product
- You really want to establish yourselves as market leaders in a specific area or country
- You understand that your knowledge of marketing and sales in another market is minimal and you need expert advice and help
A creative translation service could be the difference between the success and failure within any given international market. If your business and company is willing to invest in these services to successfully expand across the globe – the possibilities are endless and the markets you could end up penetrating are literally unknown.
This article has been written and provided by Neil Gauld, the owner and director of Brightlines Translation, based in the UK and offering a wide range of services, including document, website, audio and video translation, for a wide range of companies across the globe.