Essential Steps for Accurate Italian Translation

Businesses everywhere need to translate documents and materials into other languages. Several European languages are some of the most popular, and Italian is no exception. If you need to translate any article into Italian, you shouldn't just dive straight in. There are some important considerations to take into account to make sure you get the job done. There's more to an accurate Italian translation than using a machine translator or having someone go over the text. There are a number of steps you should take to ensure the accuracy of your translation to or from Italian. Follow these rules to get it right.

Understand the Local Culture

Before you start producing texts in another language, you should know the country. You're not just translating into a different language but a different culture too. So you might produce a different source document for Italy than the one you use for the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland. Swiss Italian is strongly influenced by German and French, from which it copies several expressions (from "driving license" to "bus", for example). It is one of the three official languages of Switzerland (350,000 speakers approximately). Any business going into a new international market needs to understand the potential pitfalls. For example, could your brand name mean something rude in Italian? Might it be offensive to use a particular tone of voice that's funny in English? These things are essential to understand. Remember Italian is spoken not only in Italy ( 65 million speakers) - there are recognized minorities in Slovenian and Croatia, too. Across the Atlantic, There are some other 20 million Italian speakers in large immigrant communities around the world, particularly in the US, Argentina, Brazil and Chile.

Use a Professional Translation Service with tested and native Italian translators and Italian proofreaders

To get accurate translations for your materials, you should select the best translation service. Choosing the right Italian translation services means having to look at what they can deliver. The first thing you want to see is that they use native speakers to translate their documents. A translator should translate back into their native language. A professional translator has many benefits. They include having an eye for detail that a machine can't possess. They can pick up on the smallest mistakes and produce accurate work that will impress any Italian.

Ensure Materials Are Edited

After the initial translation, your materials should go through further checks. This is known as proofreading by translation professionals. Starting with a professional translator is a good beginning. But you have to ensure their accuracy. A decent translation service will have a piece of text go through at least two stages. There should be another native Italian speaker to check your document. They can spot any mistakes or suggest more accurate translations. When you select services, make sure that they perform rigorous checks.

Go Beyond Individual Translations

What else should you look for in translation services? Another step they should be taking is to go beyond translating individual materials. When you select your service, you should see how they keep their translations high-quality across the board. One of the ways they might do this is to have a style guide. They might have their own or create one for your business to maintain your voice. They can also have glossaries to ensure proper use of technical or colloquial language. You can also take a further step by having an in-house native speaker to check any work. These vital things must be done to ensure your Italian translation is as accurate as possible. Choosing the best translation service is the most important factor.

Carla Estefanía

04/14/16