Translation, or translator, software is becoming more popular as businesses expand on a global scale. In order to grow internationally, companies need efficient and reliable networks of communication at all levels–for partners, employees, and consumers. Furthermore, this communication must be made possible in not merely one or two languages but in multiple. Translation software is one answer to the increasing volume of information that is transmitted across the world. But is it the best answer?
In order for a translation to properly take an idea expressed in one language and convey it in another, the translation must account for the context, conventions, metaphors, idiomatic phrases, and other characteristics of that language. For example, an English proverb like “a bird in hand is worth two in the bush” may not directly translate into another language. A translator would need to find an equivalent expression, a phrase that contains the same meaning even if the imagery is completely different.
Good translation must also consider the audience for whom the text is intended. The language set used by computer programmers, complete with its own jargon and terminology, is quite different from the one used by people who wish to buy the computers. Ideally, translation should be done by someone who has an extensive knowledge of the cultures, professional field, and languages of the two groups trying to communicate.
Unfortunately, human translation is a painstaking and costly process. Thus, in order to keep up with the staggering number of textual materials that need to be translated every day–including web sites, training manuals, memos, emails, presentations, and other documents–many companies are turning to translation software. Machine translation can be done in a far shorter time than human translation can, allowing for a greater production quantity at a much lower cost (independent of the amount translated).
However, there are disadvantages to using translation software. Unless you speak the language, you cannot double check the accuracy of the text. Furthermore, the software often provides a very literal translation–sometimes to such an extent that the translation becomes incomprehensible to the person reading it. A happy medium is to employ a translator (or someone who is at least familiar with that language) to check and correct the translations, and, in fact, many translators do use translation software to help with the brunt of the work. Still, few translators are fluent in more than two or three languages, requiring more people to check the documents if they are being transmitted in several languages.
Whether or not a business should use translation software or not depends on its budget and emphasis on accuracy. If a company relies heavily on precise instructions, translation software could prove disastrous. On the other hand, if a company merely needs to send out informative emails, a machine translation may be the smarter choice.
