You probably know that French has gendered nouns (and have probably wondered why table is feminine!).
Translating il and elle as he and she is one of the most common mistakes I see when non-native English speakers translate into English. This can be quite problematic in terms of meaning.
Here is just one example I came across this week as I was reviewing a website for a client who had translated this sentence:
➡ nous pensons que le producteur doit reprendre sa place au cœur de la chaîne alimentaire
as
➡ we believe that the producer must regain his place at the heart of the food chain
As you can tell it doesn’t quite read right in English. A more natural translation would be, for example:
➡ we believe that producers must return to the heart of the food chain
Your words are a business asset – this is why it is crucial to do them justice and have them translated professionally. Why? Well, the main reason is that it makes you look good (protects your image and reputation). In addition, it will give clients confidence in your product or service (build engagement and trust) and drive business growth.
While machine translation and other AI tools may prove valuable as research methods, they cannot completely replace the combination of technical skills, language fluency and contextual knowledge that a human translator can bring to the table.
Oh, and let’s not forget creating an emotional connection with readers based on why the text is being translated.
For example in French we often see Je m’inscris but in English this is not I sign up – it’s usually Register now.
Want to ensure your communication is effective?
My top 3 tips to stop your multilingual marketing and communication efforts falling flat:
1️⃣ Partner with a translator who understands marketing
2️⃣ Take cultural differences into account
3️⃣ Tell your translator about your SEO strategy
If you’re ready to create texts that really speak to your target, I’d love to assist. Contact me for more information.
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