| If you are involved in writing texts that will (or might) | | | | are so common as to be taken for granted. Do not |
| eventually be translated into other languages, there | | | | sprinkle your writing with acronyms and abbreviations |
| are a number of pitfalls to avoid. Just because you | | | | without giving explanations (at least in a separate |
| wrote your article, user's manual or website in good, | | | | document for the translator). Yes, there are acronym |
| grammatical English does not mean it is suitable for | | | | dictionaries and websites, but in many cases there |
| the global marketplace. I have often seen it in my | | | | are multiple possible meanings - does ATM stand for |
| years in technical translation and software localization | | | | Adobe Type Manager, Automated Teller Machine, or |
| - texts that sounded fine in English, but caused all | | | | Asynchronous Transfer Mode? |
| kinds of problems in translation. | | | | Popular culture might not translate. I once had to |
| Here are some of the issues you should consider: | | | | translate a loudspeaker manual that managed to |
| Watch your baseball metaphors: Even technical and | | | | mention Judge Judy, NASCAR racing and White |
| business writing is often full of references to sports, | | | | Castle hamburgers ("sliders") within a few pages - all |
| from "home runs" and "ninth innings" to | | | | in an attempt to be funny and trendy. Needless to |
| "Monday-morning quarterbacking". As these sports | | | | say, all that had little or no meaning for the German |
| might not be popular in the target culture, the | | | | reader. |
| metaphors will be difficult to translate. | | | | Think about it: your text might end up on the |
| Puns are funny, but they rarely work in another | | | | computer of a translator in country X, who works |
| language. Robert Frost once stated that "Poetry is | | | | for an agency in country Y that was hired by a |
| what gets lost in translation", but the same might be | | | | subsidiary of your company in country Z. Of course |
| said about puns. Puns work on the similarity of sound, | | | | this translator will work under a tight deadline, so |
| as when Shakespeare in Richard III plays with son | | | | there might be no chance for him or her to ask |
| sun ("made glorious summer by this son of York"). If | | | | questions. The result could be embarrassing, but it still |
| you are very lucky, the translator might find a similar | | | | would be associated with your company, or even |
| pun in the target language, but that is rare. More | | | | your own name. Therefore, think globally and keep |
| likely, the pun will fall flat, be lost, or even be | | | | the text as culturally neutral as you can. You might |
| translated as something nonsensical. | | | | also contact your subsidiary in the target county to |
| Explain yourself! You might be working in an | | | | look over the text before it is sent out for |
| environment where certain terms and abbreviations | | | | translation. |