When dealing with a global audience, there are two ways to handle your content: translating it or transcreating it. Both approaches have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Translation is the process of converting written or spoken words from one language to another. This process involves understanding the meaning of the source text and accurately conveying it in the target language.
Transcreation, on the other hand, is the process of adapting a message from one language to another while maintaining its intent, style and tone. It goes beyond just translating the words and requires a deep understanding of the cultural context and nuances of both the source and target languages.
While both translation and transcreation involve working with languages, there are significant differences between the two. Understanding these differences is key to choosing the right approach for your needs.
Let’s have a closer look at both.
Explained: Translation
Translation can be seen as a bridge between two cultures, allowing people who don’t speak the same language to communicate with each other. The first step in the translation process is to carefully read the source text and understand its meaning. The translator must then determine how best to convey this meaning in the target language, taking into account cultural differences and linguistic nuances.
Translation requires not only a deep understanding of the two languages involved, but also an appreciation for the context and intended audience of the text. It is a complex and creative process that involves much more than simply replacing words with their equivalents in another language.
Translation has many benefits, chief among them being the ability to communicate with people who would otherwise not be able to understand each other. This is particularly important in today’s globalized world, where businesses, organizations, and individuals often need to communicate with people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Translation can also help to bridge cultural divides and promote mutual understanding between different groups.
However, there are also some drawbacks to translation. One is that it can be difficult to capture the full meaning and nuance of a source text when translating it into another language, especially when dealing with idiomatic expressions or concepts that are unique to a particular culture. Another potential drawback is that translation can be time-consuming and expensive, particularly if a high level of accuracy and quality is required.
Explained: Transcreation
Transcreation on the other hand is more than just translation as it involves creative writing, cultural knowledge and localization skills. Transcreation requires a deep understanding of the target audience, their culture, behavior and perception. One key difference between translation and transcreation is that in translation, the focus is on accurately translating words and expressions, while in transcreation, the focus is on effectively communicating a message that resonates with the target audience.
The process of transcreation involves several stages.
- First, the source material is reviewed and the intent, tone and message are analyzed.
- Secondly, the transcreator researches the target language and culture, and identifies the cultural nuances, language expressions and idioms that will best resonate with the target audience.
- Thirdly, the transcreator adapts the source material, considers style, length, format and overall presentation of the content.
- Finally, the transcreated content is reviewed by the brand or client to ensure it is on-brand and impactful.
One of the benefits of transcreation is that it allows for effective communication of a message across cultures, which can lead to increased brand awareness, engagement and ROI. Transcreation also ensures that a message is culturally appropriate and sensitive to local norms and values.
One potential drawback is that it can be more expensive and time-consuming than translation or localization. Additionally, not all content is suitable for transcreation, and some messages may not resonate as well in another language or culture.
Overall, transcreation is a valuable tool for global businesses looking to effectively communicate with their target audience across cultures. By combining creative writing, cultural knowledge and localization skills, transcreation allows brands to effectively engage with their audience and achieve their marketing goals.
Conclusion
Choosing between translation and transcreation requires careful consideration of the content’s intended audience and purpose. For instance, if the content is technical or legal, it may require a more literal translation approach to ensure accuracy and consistency in meaning. If the content is marketing material or creative content, transcreation may be the better approach because it can effectively convey the intended tone and impact through creative adaptation.
Another factor to consider when choosing between translation and transcreation is the cultural context of the target audience. Certain expressions and cultural references may not be appropriate or well-understood in the target audience’s culture, so transcreation may be necessary to effectively convey the intended message.
In essence, choosing between translation and transcreation depends on various factors, including the intended audience, purpose, and cultural context of the content. It is essential to work with experts in the field to determine the best approach to take and ensure that the content resonates well with the target audience.
Further reading
Get in touch
If you are interested in more information, contact me on LinkedIn or send me an email to jan@contentmeister.com
I am looking forward to hearing from you!