With the exception of a manufactured language such as Esperanto, languages do not come from a vacuum, and as many people who have relied on machine translation can attest, sometimes a translated word can have the right definition but the wrong meaning.
There are many cases where having the wrong connotations in your translation is simply unacceptable, and specialist translation services are available to ensure that you say exactly what you mean and mean what you say.
Here are three cases when you need a specialist to look over any translation.
Any Legal Matters
Whether facing a criminal charge or completing the purchase of a house, make sure you have a specialist independent translator well-versed in Polish law to translate the contract and the relevant statutes of the Polish legal system.
Translations and interpretations are difficult, but in courtroom matters, it will almost certainly rely on a definition of a term in a Polish legal dictionary, which through the process of translation can be missed if you do not have a specialist to keep track.
Marketing And Advertising
One of the most famous stories of an advertising blunder was the alleged result of a botched translation.
In the 1960s, Pepsi’s international slogan was “Come Alive! You’re In The Pepsi Generation”, emphasising a new and radical alternative to the ubiquitous Coca-Cola.
Unfortunately, when translated into Chinese, allegedly they literally translated the phrase into one that was interpreted as “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead”.
It is uncertain if this was true, but there are countless cases of brand names and brand iconography that are effective in one nation but deeply offensive in another, and it is important to have a translator and interpreter that can ensure the meaning of your message gets out.
Medical Correspondence
Healthcare matters rely on absolute precision. Mistranslation of symptoms between interpreter and doctor can lead to inappropriate treatment and unnecessary harm being caused.
With the complex lexicon of the typical hospital, however, this is a role that ideally requires a translator specialised in medical matters.