Mistakes that need to be avoided in French to English translation

Summary: Translation from French to English is a very trickery job which needs to be dealt with complete precision and accuracy because “Seeing is Believing” doesn’t go true in every situation.

Translation has evolved from a purely linguistic activity to an outright commercial business after globalisation of trade and services in the international market. Though it is known as one of the oldest professions of the world, it becomes an organised industry only after the formation of WTO in the mid-90s and the rise of internet further fuelled the growth of translation industry. Now, any multi-national company cannot survive in the highly competitive global market without the presence or support of proficient and experienced translators and interpreters.

India and France have a great business relationship since the colonial era and in the present time; many French brands occupy the top position in the fashion and lifestyle market of India. Unlike Canada and Europe, Indians are not familiar with the French language. It is English, Hindi, or vernacular languages that help foreign brands to communicate with their target audience in India. Here comes the invaluable presence of professional translation agencies in Delhi and rest of the country which translate all types of marketing and business messages/documents from French to English and vice versa.

It is a blunt fact that Knowledge of the French and English languages is one thing, but having command over the translation of these two languages is an absolutely different expertise which can be expected only from the professional translators. Non-professional translators often rely on traditional and hackneyed practices. Consequently, some small mistakes result in big blunders in the translated document. Here are some of the frequently committed mistakes that need to be addressed while translating a document from French to the English language.

Wrong interpretation of quotes and poetry

Quotes and poetry often contain metaphors, similes, and phrases. The wrong interpretation of these words and phrases totally changes the actual meaning which may result in a great business loss.

Unwittingly translating the name of a person

English and French surnames like Goldsmith, Boycott, and Bird are sometimes unintentionally translated by the native translators of foreign languages. Now, you can assume how embarrassing would be the situation for a person of any of the above surnames when a translator mentions him in the Hindi language.

Wrong assessment of the context

Translation is a serious work and one need to be very thoughtful in the right comprehension of the words. A translator, first of all, needs to understand the context of a communication, the purpose of the message, sender of the message and the target audience. After analysing all such factors one can truly assess that what the addresser want to say and what should be the words that natives of a foreign language may easily understand.

Inappropriate Style

The flow, rhythm, and selection of words vary from one subject to another, for example, the style and flow of a fashion article will be remarkably different from a sports article or a publication in a science journal. Therefore, a translator must understand the subject and style of the original content while translating the same in the other language. In an article on science, the focus of the writer will be more on facts and figures rather exhibiting the flowery and classy words. Corollary a press release about the launch of luxurious jewellery shall focus more on aesthetics than rather defining the technical aspects of gold and diamond ensembles.