10 Stumbling Blocks to Obtaining an Accurate French Translation

1st Stumble: Using Computer French Translation Software and thinking it will do the original justice.

Some people use translation companies that use automated French translation software because of the lower cost and extreme speed. However, these cheap translations often come will cost you more in terms of your image projection and the respect of your audience. When you use a French translation company that uses automated French translation software, you cannot guarantee that your sentences will flow as they did in the original –sometimes it gives a complete irrelevant meaning not even close to the original. The input does not always equal the output. French translation, like all writing, is not something that a computer could do as well as a human French Translator. Even when translating a very simple sentence, an automated French translation could not only fail to present the original message, it could actually cause it to present very embarrassing word structures –and many very large organizations don’t even know about it until a caring potential client may bring it up – in the meantime, literally thousands could have passed the organization by due to its disrespect of their language.

2nd Stumble: Not using a professional French Translation Service.

Depending on where your organization is operating, you might have to translate a document into several different languages. If you choose not to use a professional language translation service, your organization may have to spend countless hours looking for people to translate each language that you require. With a reputable translation company, there is a single point of contact –which means you won’t have to worry about keeping track of each language and each translator, and more importantly, you won’t have to worry about security.

3rd Stumble: Trusting French translation agencies that use deceptive advertising.

Some French translators and french translation companies offer low rates, but don’t include proofreading, and there are others who base word counts on the unknown, but hugely increased, target language. French Translators who charge by the word count in the target language may add “filler” words to increase the number of words. Not only will it end up costing you more money, it will also take away from the original message you intended.

4th Stumble: Using someone you found on anonymous type Classifieds.

These areas are loaded with people pretending to be French translators – some even using forged French Translator credentials. We have heard many stories of customers getting cheated. We could not fathom sending important business information to a “hotmail” or “gmail” account –but it happens all the time –we hear about consequences; ranging from outright theft to making jokes within their poor translations to embarrass the organization. Any reputable organization using these types of classifieds will get you burned eventually!

5th Stumble: Not getting material translated into French properly and hoping the intended audience will still understand.

It would be insulting to your target audience (business partners, intranet, general public, etc.) to present them with a translation that doesn’t correctly reflect the meanings of the source language. Not only do you run the risk of appearing arrogant, lazy and insensitive, it also makes you look extremely unprofessional. If your target audience can’t trust the language and content they’re reading, how do you think they feel about trusting you and your organization?

6th Stumble: Using someone who is not a French translator.

There are many people who believe that anyone who speaks French is automatically capable of translating French properly. However, French translation requires a specialized set of skills that is not very easy to find. French Translators must have an excellent knowledge of both the source and target languages. When choosing a French translator look for specific translation qualifications (not just a French language degree) and solid experience translating French. Before you give your trusted documents to an individual or company, ask them about their industry certifications. There are two that are often used as a defining factor if you are using a trusted source. First is EN15038 and the second is CGSB131.10 2008. Both of these will prove that the French Translation company has the correct processes to handle the translation of documents.

7th Stumble: Using someone translating into his/her second language –that being French!

This is a BIG mistake. Great French translation requires excellent writing skills which are first developed in the education system and then polished with experience. It is very rare for someone to become a talented French writer if his/her education wasn't conducted in the French language.

8th Stumble: Ignoring the French dialect of the intended audience

People often overlook the different dialects that are used within the French language. Written French varies considerably throughout the French speaking world. You need to ensure the French translator won't produce a text that is going to sound 'foreign' to the target audience.

9th Stumble: Inadequate checking and editing of the French translation.

It's not easy to read a sentence in one language and then accurately and naturally express that content in another language. Because of the complexity involved when translating French, thorough checking procedures are crucial. Inexperienced French translators or even French translation companies will sometimes hand over their first attempt as a final French translation. The result is an unnatural French translation that likely contains mistakes. That is why professional French translation companies will use a second French translator to thoroughly proofread the initial translator's 'final' text. This is a requirement for many Translation Services Certifications like EN15038.

10th Stumble: Imposing a time frame that is too tight.

People often underestimate the time required to translate a document into French. As a guideline, allow 1 hour translation time per 200 word page of English (more for technically difficult texts), then allow time for the second French translator’s proofreading. The tighter the deadline the less time there is for checking, which dramatically increases the chances of omission and/or error and is much more likely to produce a somewhat stilted final text. A great translation takes time! french translate