Challenges of Translation: Localization & Lingo

 

When it comes to converting the language of official documents from one to another, many a translation company in Singapore is familiar with the various hurdles that come with such a task. To translate a document is not only a question of being familiar or fluent in two different languages; to provide certified translation services in Singapore, one must tackle other challenges in addition to needing the standard characteristic of being attentive to details. These can include: understanding the different grammar rules that each language has; being familiar with specialty terms from a particular job or field of study; and more. However, that which has been previously listed has not yet considered another relatively rarer difficulty for translators: Localization.

When providing a PR application translation or notarized translation, one usually works with official documents such as birth certificates or educational degrees, which are important personal papers that those assigned with creating them usually take care in ensuring that personal details are printed or written legibly, or at least make sure that such details are accurate. However, a translator in Singapore may also be assigned with a piece of media using the lingo of a local dialect. It could be a transcription of a video that needs to be translated for international audiences, or it could be part of a certified legal translation service in Singapore, wherein the statements of a person must be translated for the legal matters of another country’s main language.

The challenge in localization (which is also frequently the case in the professional field of translation) is two-fold: understanding the lingo of the source, which may include local terms and phrases unknown to official language databases; and re-phrasing the local term in understandable terms of the target language. For instance, a proverb using four Chinese characters may take a whole sentence to explain, if not more. In the process of providing document translation services, professionals in this field know the importance of not only including all the essential details of a document, but also ensuring that the essential meaning of the text within is included as well.

Hence, if you must translate a document involving dialects and lingo, especially if it is intended for judicial processing or something of equal import, then the only effective path forward is to seek out those who can provide you with the certified legal translation services in Singapore that fit your needs.