Common Translation Mistakes
4th October 2021
Translation requires an in-depth knowledge of the language, intellectual precision, skill, and an extensive experience in the chosen field (i.e., medical). Professional translation takes much more than simply changing words from origin to target language. Translators need to know everything from terminology, grammar, syntax, idioms, and the culture of the region where the specific language is being used.
It is not uncommon to see translation mistakes, especially while travelling abroad. We have all seen a billboard, a road sign or food menu that makes no sense at all.
In this article we’ve listed the most common translation mistakes and reasons they occur in the first place.
Literal translation – translating word for word
Word-for-word translation entails translating every single word and overlooking grammatical, structural, and cultural differences. Word-for-word translation distorts the meaning of the content and often makes no sense at all.
Lack of language knowledge
Lacking knowledge of the target language can be very easy to spot. This includes using incorrect words, tone of voice, punctuation and style of scripting.
To ensure high levels of accuracy, translators need to be fully proficient in the language they are translating from and to.
Ignoring measurement units
This is a common error we come across often, neglecting measurement units. These include date and time formats, weight, currency and distance.
In the UK we use stones to measure our weight, in Europe people use kilos. We use miles to describe the distance while Europeans use kilometres.
A translator should be aware of target audience preferences and make all necessary conversions in measurement units within the translated text.
Word order
Word order mistakes are typically seen in translation with ungrammatical sentence structure.
These can include incorrect placement of adjectives or adverbs or verbs preceding subjects in English.
Undertranslation
Undertranslation means that certain words are omitted or, in other words, translation is simplified. This may work in some languages, if the audience is biased to short, to the point, messaging but in most cases, it leads to a loss in the meaning of the translated text.
Overtranslation
This occurs when text has been added, that wasn’t present in the source document. This is less common but can cause issues if the source text is ‘sensitive’ or if the author doesn’t want to say anything more bar the original text provided.
Using idioms and catchy taglines
English language is full of idioms. From biting the bullet to breaking a leg, the list is endless.
These idioms often don’t have the same meaning in other languages and translate to a completely different text.
Bite the bullet in Polish means literary pick up a bullet and bite. Using it in a sentence would make no sense to a Polish person.
Using out-of-date language
Languages constantly evolve with new words added to the dictionary regularly. Language professionals need to stay up to date with new words and language trends and use them in their translations.
Summary
Mistakes happen, but a lot of them can be easily avoided. One way to avoid translation mistakes is by working with a long standing, reputable and trustworthy translation agency like Foreign Tongues.
