From Journals to Official Documents: Why Some Translations Require Professional Expertise

Translation is often viewed as a simple substitution of words from one language to another. In reality, it could be much more complex depending on the text in question and its content and function. A post for social media could have more freedom in language, while a scientific article or an official document would be subject to much stricter rules of accuracy, terminology, etc

That is why not every document could be translated in the exact same way. Different types of content bring different requirements, and some of them would require special knowledge from a translator both in the source and target languages as well as in the area the text deals with. Such translations as scientific article translation and sworn translation are among examples where accuracy is especially important.

Translating Scientific Articles Is Not Only About Translating Technical Terminology

Scientific articles contain information that has to be translated with accuracy. It could be results of research, scientific concepts, methods, data, theories, etc. And even the slightest change in meaning could lead to a completely different interpretation of the research conducted.

The first difficulty that arises in scientific articles’ translation is the terminology. Every scientific sphere has its unique terms which sometimes cannot be translated based on usual linguistic rules. A translator has to understand the context and use terms accepted in the particular scientific field. The other aspect of terminology to be taken into consideration is consistency. Different translations of the same term in one article might lead to the conclusion that the terms are describing different concepts.

The structure of the article is another thing that has to be treated with special attention. The abstract, introduction, methodology, results, and discussion sections all have their individual functions, and a translator should maintain the relation between them and make the resulting translation sound natural in the target language.

This is where professional translation becomes particularly valuable. Not only should a good translation reproduce sentences from the original article, but it should also communicate the same information in an accurate way to readers with other linguistic and educational background.

Why Human Understanding Still Matters

Thanks to technology translation became faster and more accessible. Machine translation could help with understanding the main idea of the text or creating the draft version. However, translation of specialized documents requires human review anyway.

What a human translator can do while machine cannot is take into account context, terminology, sentences’ structure and the audience at the same time. This is especially important when the source text uses the expressions which cannot be translated word-for-word.

And when we talk about scientific translation, the translator has to be especially careful about numbers, units, technical terms, references and results presented. All of this seems to be small details, but it affects the final result significantly.

This is applicable to other projects of professional translation as well. For example, Licolize mentions translation as a part of language service which includes localization, editing and proofreading, MTPE, subtitling, voice-over and linguistic quality assurance. Thus, a very important point to remember is that production of good translated documents often requires more than just translation itself.

Sworn Translation: When Accuracy Has an Official Function

Another type of translation which needs special treatment is sworn translation. Unlike usual translation, sworn translation is typically required for official documents which may have to be submitted to some institution or authority. Among such documents there could be academic certificates, transcripts, birth certificates, marriage certificates, legal documents and others, depending on the requirements of the receiving institution.

Accuracy is especially important in the case of sworn translation because the document could be used in some administrative or legal process. Names, dates, document numbers, titles, stamps and other details have to be treated very carefully. A translator cannot just rewrite the document to make it more beautiful it has to faithfully represent information in the original.

At the same time, the format of the document has to be considered as well. When translating an official document, the translator has to understand what information should be included in the translation and how it should be represented.

Therefore, those who need to get sworn translation should find out the requirements of the receiving institution. Different institutions or countries could have different requirements regarding the translator, certificate, formatting, additional documents, etc.

One Goal, Different Approaches

So, scientific translation and sworn translation could differ significantly, but they have one very important thing in common accuracy is important.

For a scientific article accuracy is needed in order for the readers to understand the research correctly. For an official document accuracy is needed in order to reflect personal and administrative information correctly. In both cases the translator has to take care of details which might not be noticeable to an ordinary reader.

Another reason professional translation matters is that each document has its own expectations and level of responsibility. Understanding these differences allows translators to choose appropriate language and ensure that the final translation serves its intended purpose effectively.

This is also why professional translation services are not only about translating words from one language to another. The emphasis on translation, localization and other language services made by Licolize shows one very important thing efficient communication in different languages involves considering the context and purpose of the content.

A professional translator, therefore, needs more than linguistic skills. Depending on the project, he or she may need knowledge in some area, good research skills, attention to details and ability to make proper decisions in case of lacking direct translation of the original wording.

The Importance of Audience, Purpose, and Consistency

Finally, another important aspect which makes professional translation essential is the intended audience. It is necessary to know precisely what kind of people will be reading the translated document and what information they need. For instance, let us consider scientific information it can be accessed by researchers, students, academics, or professionals. Every one of those groups of readers will be familiar with some particular terminology and conventions; therefore, the translation should be detailed enough and clear at the same time.

The purpose of translation is also a very important point in this regard. The purpose of a scientific article can be to translate it for an international readership, to publish in another language or for researchers from other countries. In such case, the translation should include all the findings of the original paper and make it clear for the target audience.

Another important point in the translation is consistency throughout the document. Long text may contain a lot of repetitions of the same terms, names, concepts and references. If those repetitions are inconsistent, the quality of the document will be affected, and the readers will get confused. Therefore, professional translators should pay attention not only to the individual sentences, but to the whole document as well.

Research and Attention to Detail

Another important point in the translation is research. Sometimes, while translating a text, a translator encounters an unknown term which should be translated. In such case, it is not always enough to find the first available translation of this word. It is necessary to consult the appropriate sources, check the terminology in use, the way the term is used by the professionals in this field. This work takes time, but prevents from wrong or unnatural translation.

Finally, the careful attention to details is also needed while working with official documents. Even apparently simple information requires careful translation, because names, institutional terms, dates, identification numbers should be translated correctly. Small mistakes in translation may cause unnecessary misunderstanding for the person who uses the translated document.

More Than Just Language

Professional translation allows organizations to communicate confidently with people of other linguistic background. No matter whether the text is academic, legal, technical or commercial, the readers want to get clear and trustworthy information. Translation that sounds natural and includes the meaning of the original text, will help to establish the confident communication.

Therefore, the translation process should be considered as the process involving judgment, research and responsibility. Translators do not only work with the words on a page, they transfer the information from one context into another. This process becomes particularly important, when the translated document will be used in academic, professional, administrative or legal purposes.

In such cases, readers will require to be sure that the translation reflects exactly what the original document says. This trust is the major reason of necessity of the careful human participation in the whole translation process.

That is why professional translation services remain an essential element of translation despite the progress in translation technologies. Technology could help with translation, but human expertise still has its value when accuracy, context and purpose cannot be sacrificed.

From a research paper to an official document the main question here is not whether the words have been translated. The more important question is whether the meaning, information and purpose of the original have been conveyed into the new language.