Forums about proz.com » Translation news »
Translation Part II: The case for transcreation

This discussion belongs to Translation news » "Translation Part II: The case for transcreation".
You can see the translation news page and participate in this discussion from there.

susan rose (X)
susan rose (X)  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 13:50
German to English
Mar 5, 2010

This is absolutely true. There is a huge difference between translating a technical manual and translating an ad campaign with pictures.
 
Álvaro Degives-Más
Álvaro Degives-Más  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 13:50
English to Spanish
+ ...
Mar 8, 2010

Exactly... Should not even be a point for debate, other than on where to draw the line between "transcreating" and going one nudge further still: adaption which I loosely define as reshaping the message to match the equivalent target audience using the same core incentives, rather than rephrasing the message to match the source more suitably.

Thing is, it's becoming increasingly rare to be in the secure (and validated) position of having a communication pl... See more
Exactly... Should not even be a point for debate, other than on where to draw the line between "transcreating" and going one nudge further still: adaption which I loosely define as reshaping the message to match the equivalent target audience using the same core incentives, rather than rephrasing the message to match the source more suitably.

Thing is, it's becoming increasingly rare to be in the secure (and validated) position of having a communication plan to work with, where communication strategy (and its objectives) dictate the campaign parameters, including the limits that separate adaption from "transcreation" and in turn (more or less rectilinear) translation, on the other extreme.

In case of stubborn disbelief, or arguably even rejection, it helps to compare and relate the typical Venn diagrams of the universe > potential audience > target > prospect > consumer to the pertinent cultural modifiers. People have to see the bottom line dollar value of the exercise to "get it."

There are of course occasionally also some products that hardly translate, no matter how you put it, but that's not the translator's problem - that's what the fields of marketing and consumer behavior sciences are there for. The issue here is simply that a marketing communication translation specialist is not a word spigot, but an ambassador. And those deserve professional respect, too. ▲ Collapse
 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

Moderator(s) of this forum
Jared Tabor[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Translation Part II: The case for transcreation







Anycount & Translation Office 3000
Translation Office 3000

Translation Office 3000 is an advanced accounting tool for freelance translators and small agencies. TO3000 easily and seamlessly integrates with the business life of professional freelance translators.

More info »
TM-Town
Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business

Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.

More info »