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Subject:Writing for translation From:geoff-h -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA Date:Wed, 10 Sep 1997 12:55:41 -0500
Michele Berkes asked for advice on writing for an
international audience, some of whom speak various dialects
of English and others who will need translations. Michelle,
there are two issues here: translation and localization.
The first is a non-issue, because any _good_ translator
will have no problem with gerunds, figures of speech,
abbreviations, contractions, and the like. The problem, of
course, is to find a good translator.
Localisation is more of a problem because you need to find
someone who can help choose the best words for the local
audience. If you're localizing a document, find good local
editors and ask them to read the documents to be sure that
they work in the local dialect... emphasize that you've
already edited the document (assuming you have), and that
unless they find glaring errors, all you want them to do is
note where the document doesn't sound like it was written
by a local. Much less expensive than a full edit.
Translators can be very good at localisation, provided that
they live(d) in the country you're targeting; if not, they
may miss crucial problems.
Simplified English is far less important than using a
controlled vocabulary (refer to each concept with a single
standard word, and don't use one word for two or more
concepts). Again, good translators can probably figure out
what you mean anyway, but you're making their work harder
than necessary. Nancy Hoft wrote a good book on
international communication; don't have the reference
handy, but it should turn up if you do a search in
www.amazon.com (or Nancy may even be lurking here and ready
to provide full details).
--Geoff Hart @8^{)} geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
Disclaimer: Speaking for myself, not FERIC.
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