According to Professor L.L. Neliubin, written translation is a type of professional translation, where the text is perceived visually, and that is performed in writing. It is also believed that written translation can be performed not only by studying the text, but also from oral sources.
What is written translation?
If there is a written translation of any foreign legislative documentation, it is important to legalize the documents. This process is necessary for the official documents of one state to be recognized valid in another state.
Regardless of the variety of written texts, such a translation has the similar sequence of actions, in which the translator:
- Studies the original text;
- Conducts a preliminary analysis, identifying the type of text, its style, subject-matter and genre;
- Begins translation.
When required, the translator uses auxiliary knowledge, that is, various information sources: dictionaries, books, expert advice, etc. Having finished the work on the translation, the translator checks the text for errors, corrects and edits it, and then gives it to the client.
Written translation quality conditions
There are two main criteria for determining the quality of a translated text:
- Accuracy. This condition assumes the exact correspondence of the target text to its source. This criterion is fundamental, because with differences between the source and the target text, one cannot speak of a quality translation.
- The correctness of formatting. This condition assumes that the translation should be perceived naturally; comply with the rules of formatting and spelling, instead of being a meaningless set of phrases.
Sometimes a deep understanding of the cultural parameters of the source document is required from a translator. This is necessary for the expressiveness of the description of certain concepts, traditions, material objects, as well as correct interpretations of action, time and space. In such a circumstance, there has to be a creative approach to work and the correct creation of an equivalent translation for both translatable and non-translatable parts of the text.
The problems that often arise in translation
Text translation problems can be both common and specific. Common problems involve various imperfections in the text, for example, grammatical, punctuation or stylistic errors, loss of meaning, etc. In this case, the translator has to deeply analyse the source document and identify errors, which drags on the process and makes it difficult.
Translation problems of a private nature imply the presence of untranslatable concepts and definitions that have a double meaning (word play) in the text. In order for the translation to be appropriate, it is necessary to preserve the meaning of the text and the infeasibility of its misrepresentation.
In order to perform a high-quality translation, regardless of the above problems, you have to find a qualified specialist. Experience in translation and perfect knowledge of a foreign language are the main criteria for choosing a translator. The best option is to apply to a specialized translation agency, where professional performers will be at the client's service.
