Accurate Translations and Localization aren’t Possible with Machines. ‘Invest in People.’

The best way to efficiently reach out to your target audience in a foreign market is to speak the language they follow. Consequently, it is extremely necessary that you get the tone, emotions and expressions right.

Here's a sneak peek into understanding why it is a better call for your business to hire translators instead of machines for translating jobs:

Machines are programmed, humans program them: Machines are designed to perform according to the commands installed in them. All you get from them are word-to-word translation for the document where one word can have an entirely different meaning in another language. For example, did you know that the word 'gift' that means 'present' in English, actually means 'poison' in German. Too much for a surprise offering, isn't it? Hence, more often than not, the real message is lost in transition making it a futile effort. On the other hand, expert linguists have the ability to understand the message before translating it into the desired language, ensuring that the message has the right kind of tone, emotions and expressions.

Humans come with cultural backgrounds, machines don't: When it comes to translating a document into various languages, one can only trust machines to have few languages in store. However, you can find talented native language speakers all across the world who can never go wrong with the languages they have grown to realize.

So if your next target destination for a business venture is South America, you should know that 60% of the population there speak Spanish, around 34% speak Portuguese and about 6% speak other languages like Quechua, Mayan, Guarani, Aymara, Nahuatl, English, French, Dutch and Italian.

Humans understand humans, machines can't: It is essential for any business to understand its target audience in order to provide better services and hence, it is always a better option to invest in those who can directly relate to the potential customers. They are able to identify and use local slangs making it easier for the brand to be recognized amongst the target audience. A perfect example for this statement could be the word 'cuélgate', which means 'hang yourself' in Spanish. No wonder 'Colgate' toothpaste had a hard time establishing itself in the Spanish speaking countries for it rhymed with 'cuélgate'. Now, who would want to start their days with that?

People get the intent, machines don't: Expert linguists and professional translators are trained to understand the objective behind each document. Hence, they can decipher the best way of expressing the messages for better results. So, if you plan to get creative and test your sarcasm in a commercial, you need to be well assured that it stays away from all your legal communication.

Decoding content vs. context: When it comes to articulating powerful messages with different tenors, one can never rely on machines. Humans can deliver creativity whereas machines can never differentiate between the content and its context. Hence, a good marketing campaign always requires human intervention. And that's why, it is absolutely necessary that your translator knows that a word as basic as 'air' means 'water' in Indonesia. How about a glass full of icy cold air? Err.. wait, what?

Understand. Customize. Implement. Repeat: It is always better to have an associate on board who can understand your requirements and deliver precisely what your business needs. Expert linguists and native language speaking translators can customize their website localization service to fit your exact business requirements and create the best results for your business.

When in doubt, go for someone you can hold accountable: Lastly, it is always a better option to choose a partner you can later go back to for any alterations. Opt for a professional associate who can understand your business requirements and map out a successful route for your endeavors; because, let's face it, no matter how smart the machines become, they still cannot be as awesome as human brains!

So the next time you have a translation or localization requirement for your business, don't forget to evaluate these tips. Always remember that when it comes to effectively interacting with your target audience, it is always better to invest in the ones who can identify and comprehend with the same expressions.

'Invest in people!'