Software Translations are still wrong. Here’s how.
With the advent of new bots and new methods, many companies still rely on translation software to convey their messages to global audiences. Machine Translation (MT), as it’s officially called, can work well in some languages such as French and Spanish when the subject is very technical. BUT it’s still not perfect.
Please see these examples of how technical MT even into French and German lacks precision and accuracy.
But when you use MT for Marketing messages – websites, videos, brochures, etc. – it falls very short because MT does not acculturate. Benefits and appeals that work for one country probably do not resonate in another. Are you talking about price? Latin America prefers a focus how your product benefits the family. Are you talking about discounts? Germany often prefers to know how your product will help the environment. Are you talking about the uniqueness of your company? Your wording may appear too boastful in Asia and most of the rest of the world.
Please see the examples presented in the introductory slides of this quick-read link: Summary of Client Services.
The best use of MT is to get the sense of what something says from another language into your own.
If you do use MT to go into other languages, it is essential to ask a professional language agency to edit it. This not only avoids mistakes in grammar and word usage but also ensures that it appeals to your market.
In a country like Japan, you have one chance to make a positive impression. Even if other countries are more forgiving, for what reason should a prospect trust you if your MT marketing contains comical mistakes, grammar errors or wrong word usage? If your products are precise and excellent and your MT marketing conveys the opposite impression, you are showing a huge disconnect.
While MT has greatly improved, I am still amused by earlier examples when the sentence, “Next Tuesday we will have a board meeting” was translated as “Next Tuesday we will have a collection of planks of wood.”
To ensure that your messages resonate with precision and cultural accuracy, please rely on Auerbach International to make you shine. For a free quote, please contact us.
In gratitude and appreciation,
Philip Auerbach
Founder, President & CEO
Auerbach International
Headquarters – 415-592-0042 x107
philip@auerbach-intl.com
www.auerbach-intl.com
translations@auerbach-intl.com
“3 Decades. 2 Billion Words. A+ Accuracy. Superior Translation Services.”