Translator’s qualifications and features of translation of advertising texts: presentations, slogans, descriptions, documentation
Why didn’t the ad work? One of the common reasons is the content and quality of text content. It happens that an inexperienced website owner or an unscrupulous copywriter takes information in a foreign language and uses a simple technique: copy-paste to an online translator, lightly smooth the result and voila – the site page seems to be full. But even if such an article succeeds in reaching an acceptable level of uniqueness (about 90%), neither search engines, let alone readers, will treat it favorably. Why?
Always keep in mind the goals of advertising translation
Translation of advertising content has its own laws and regulations, and translators must take into account several principles, following which the main goals of advertising can be achieved:
To draw the user’s attention to information, manufacturer, product, service, news.
Accurately convey the essence of the commercial proposal in order to convey to the reader something that will be useful and will contribute to the conclusion of the transaction or the achievement of other desired end result.
Pay attention to the real facts, dignity and advantages of both the product or service itself, and the benefits of cooperation with this company / entrepreneur making an offer.
In addition, each language has its own linguistic characteristics, and people who are native speakers of this language have their own peculiarities of thinking and transmitting information, which we will discuss below.
Approach to translations of promotional products
The first thing to remember: no literal translations or speculation, especially if the translator does not know the exact meaning of the term or phrase. A user who notices falsity or deception will postpone the text or leave the site page without even reading to the end of the phrase.
Second: the numerical correspondence of the information in the translation and the original text. For the accuracy of the numbers, you will need care, and sometimes even accuracy in converting one unit of measurement to another.
Third, conveying meaning is more than just conveying words. An understanding of the nature of the services or goods expressed in the advertisements in the original language is often required. Spending time, understanding, understanding, consulting with specialists – one cannot do without this in high-quality advertising with translation.
The fourth requirement: the reader (who is also a potential buyer or user) must understand and clearly understand what and how he will receive and what is his benefit.
Translator performing advertising translation – expert in language, product and psychology
Knowledge of two languages, the original and the translation, implies the free expression of thoughts, and so that the reader of the final text understands the essence, and does not look for unfamiliar words in the dictionary. Here’s an example: the expression “apple of discord” will not be understood where apples are an exotic fruit.
Peculiarities of psychology and communication in a specific territory: somewhere the standard phrases “should buy” or “the best product” are perceived as excessive pressure on the client. They will have to be replaced with more acceptable ones: “bargain purchase” or “popular product”.
Literacy, accuracy and competence – the translator must always adhere to these rules. After it, the customer of the text should not invite a proofreader. In a good translation, all the data and numbers correspond to the product (service), and the descriptions of the principles of work or the features of the services do not cause the slightest doubt or suspicion among consumers, and even more so among specialists.
Advertising translation is a creative and responsible task
It turns out that translation is more than just copying information. A professional author of an advertising text actually writes it anew, taking into account the specifics of the manufacturer, the advertised product itself and the mentality of people who read the advertising text they understand in their native language. Only then will the advertisement reach the consumer and produce the desired effect when the “strings” characteristic of a given national or ethnic audience are taken into account, prompting them to take active action: ordering, purchasing, using or communicating with the seller.
We must understand that the better the advertising text in the original language, the more difficult it is to translate it into another language. In such texts, double and triple meanings are often encrypted, words and expressions are played out, and sometimes an ironic attitude towards the current situation in the world or a specific country is expressed. It is often simply impossible to say the same thing, with the same meanings, in the same language – let alone a foreign language. Based on this, a translator of advertising texts, and especially slogans, simply creates a new work, relying on existing data. There is more art in this process than just work.