Why bother? To translate or not to translate
We often hear the following sentiment expressed by native English speakers
(in particular in the United States, but also in other English-speaking countries of the world):
Why should I translate my (marketing materials / website /
product manuals / help documentation / engineering documents / local hire contracts)?
After all, (executive XXX / customer AAA /
target market / service department) all speak English just fine ...
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Are you uncertain about the return on investment in translation of your website, marketing materials,
or help documentation?
Our consultants are experts in helping you to understand the ROI of translation, and in
helping you prioritize languages and set a priority schedule.
Based on an assessment of your
market situation, the countries you intend to expand into or are operating in, and
the materials you are working with, we can
give you an expert opinion on the likely cost, and the likely return.
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The short answer is: yes, you should translate - since English is the native language of
only about 350 million people (out of 6 billion on the planet), and addressing a person
in their native language is both a sign of respect (which will win you more customers / loyalty / interest
/ differentiation), but also a practical advantage to you, since miscommunications cost money and time.
The long answer is obviously more complex. Some countries train their non-English speaking populations to
speak English far better than others. Some cultures are much more open to working in English than others.
Some countries put English-speaking cultures such as that of the US on a pedestal, such that working with English
can actually be an advantage! And of course, translation costs are not insignificant - and vary widely from
language to language, based on supply / demand / varying costs of living of translators.
Technorati blog posts by language, March 2006:
Japanese overtakes English as most common
The correct answer is therefore specific to you, and based on your needs:
- Which countries will you be
operating in? (... translation needs can be prioritized by country)
- What are your future expansion plans? (... if future needs will overlap that can bring expected cost down)
- What types of material are you working with? (... technical material lends itself to the application of
translation memory and other cost-reducing technologies, but marketing material less so)
- What is your budget? (... the translation schedule can be tailored to your budget, with
higher-impact materials given higher priority)