No diplomatic blunders. No exploding translations.

This summer we have presented various solutions to problems that many organizations were not aware of. And as summer closes, we’d like to reprise them here as you plan for the autumn:

EVENT INTERPRETING

Conferences with international participants must rely on simultaneous interpreting to convey speakers’ messages immediately in attendees’ languages.

  • In-person conferences require interpreters who are expert on your technical subject, and need sound booths, participants’ multi-channel headsets and pre- and post-session arrangements.
  • Online conferences, seminars and workshops require remote interpreters who speak your industry terminology.

With all the details and risks, arranging sessions yourself is more expensive. A well-run meeting creates a lasting impression, builds teamwork, drives sales, and achieves a result that translates to the bottom line.

Please click HERE to learn more about Conference Interpreting.

What can possibly go wrong?

While State Department interpreters are supposed to be at the top of the crop, sometimes even they are not vetted properly. During his 1977 trip to Communist Poland, US President Carter’s interpreter made some huge diplomatic blunders. When Carter said he was happy to be in Poland, the interpreter said he was happy to grasp at Poland’s private parts. When the President said he wanted to understand the Polish people’s desires for the future, the interpreter said that Carter “desired the Poles.”

With our 30-year reputation for excellence and A+ accuracy, our interpreters have never made such errors, enormous or minor.

OPI [OVER THE PHONE INTERPRETING]

Clients? Prospects? Employees? Do language barriers create a failure to communicate? With OPI, you can speak to anyone 365/24/7 in 100+ languages through a vetted, confidential telephone interpreter. The cost is cents per minute. No usage = No billing. Very easy!

BACK TRANSLATIONS

Over our 30+ years, we have seen many cases where agents and distributors who “know our product well” translated your corporate information incorrectly. They may:

  1. Rewrite your message to what they think it should say, not what you want it to say. These changes are not cultural; they are about your promises and benefits.
  2. Add or remove important sections of your brochures or manuals.
  3. Add claims for which you, not they, are liable in spite of what their contracts state. If a user dies or is injured, your trusted agent may suddenly disappear. And you are ultimately responsible.

Doug Hartley of Focus Asia Marketing in Calgary, Canada provided this personal example:

“The excavator manufacturing company I worked for in Korea needed to translate our marketing collateral from English into Spanish.
I used a translator from the Spanish embassy down the street. When I got their Spanish translation, I had it back-translated to English. I am glad I did.
We wanted the translation to say that with a new innovation, the firing of the spark plugs would move the engine pistons better and would result in more engine power. The translation we received was that with the new innovation, the firing of the spark plugs would blow up the engine completely, including the excavator driver.”

Action?: Every few months, ask us for a “back translation” into English (or the source language) of your agents’ versions … even if you trust them. It is also critical to use professional translators (as we of course do), not diplomats or amateurs, who speak your industry terminology. This is very inexpensive insurance.

No translation will match exactly because the same concept may be expressed in different ways. But the back translation will reveal any changes, omissions, or mistakes that you at headquarters can rectify immediately. And that is worth having no explosions.

Please contact us at translations@auerbach-intl.com or 415 592 0042 for these services and for documents, videos, websites and more from or into 120 languages.

Thank you.

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.”

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