It’s tricky – why translating technical texts is not so easy
3 Dos and Don’ts for your technical translations
Construction manuals, operating instructions, assembly instructions, online help, process descriptions, QM manuals, training documents, tutorials – there are many types of texts that contain technical information.
In our technologized world, there are more and more of them all the time. Numerous laws, directives and standards also ensure that manufacturers of technical equipment have to fulfill increasingly complex information obligations – and this also increases the demand and quality requirements for translations of technical documentation.
In Europe, product information is translated into an average of twelve different languages. But can the meticulously prepared technical texts simply be handed over to any translation agency? Definitely not! The technical authors themselves know this best. After all, there are set rules for technical communication, and quite a few of them.
Technical Documentation – Precise and Unambiguous
The rules in technical communication are intended to ensure that content is never ambiguous, leaves no room for interpretation, and is therefore unambiguous.
By way of comparison: product advertising has the task of convincing potential buyers – and often succeeds with coherent content AND at the meta level. In addition to the pure information, it also contains promises that are intended to trigger the exact feelings that encourage people to buy.
Product information, on the other hand, should be as factual as possible. It must clearly explain the exact use to the user. The main task of technical documentation is to exclude as far as possible any form of ambiguity so that application errors do not occur.
Correct Application Can Save Lives
While an imprecise operating manual for a car toy may “only” cause frustration, a series of incorrectly assembled motor vehicles can lead to consequential costs worth millions. And apart from one-off financial damage or medium-term image loss, incorrect use due to misleadingly formulated technical documentation can also lead to personal injury, which in the worst case can even be life-threatening.
Technical communication is an important aspect of product safety, among other things due to the description of protective measures, warnings and durability instructions, and is therefore part of the legal duty of care of companies to prevent damage to end consumers.
Technical Documentation – Consistency Is the Key
Consistency, the uniform use of consistent linguistic terms, is the key to texts that are as unambiguous as possible. It is the ultimate goal in technical communication. This means that all terms and phrases introduced in the documentation should always be used in the same form without exception – within a text and, as a rule, across documents and media.
Varied synonyms and paraphrases would have a negative impact on quality here. An example of this are instructions that frequently occur in technical documentation such as manuals and user guides: Click the button or Select the button are synonymous in terms of content, but should not be used interchangeably, as this would only cause unnecessary confusion.
Consistency, Consistency, Consistency
This “principle of consistency” in technical communication applies equally to the choice of words and also to sentence structure, document structure and formatting. In addition, instructions for action should generally be formulated chronologically and in such a way that the What? is clarified first in the sentence, then the Where? if applicable, and finally the How?
Example: to complete registration (What), click the activation link (How) in the email (Where). And not about: Click the activation link in the email, then the registration will be completed.
If the linguistics and layout follow the established guidelines, technical documentation functions like traffic signs: it can be quickly grasped by participants, is easy to understand, and provides them with helpful orientation.
Technical Translation – Same Same, But Different
Very similar rules apply to the translation of these types of text. Technical translation is a discipline of its own in technical communication. This is because, by their very nature, the rules applied in one language cannot always be transferred 1:1 into every other language without appearing strange or even becoming misleading.
The following Dos and Don’ts should therefore be kept in mind by clients of technical translations:
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Technical Translations – 3 Dos and Don’ts
Dos
- Find Suitable Specialists
Claimed or Proven?
When it comes to technical documentation, it’s logical to call in translation professionals – technical translators. The problem is that the job title is not protected. And many paths lead to this profession: studies, traineeships, further training, lateral entry – the technical translator with a degree is not necessarily better suited than the engineer who translates.
In addition, translation agencies can easily claim that they are also proficient in technical translations. It is advisable to ask more precisely whether and how the translation agency demonstrably ensures the suitability and quality of its native-speaker technical translators.
- Rely on the Right Knowledge
Broad or Deep? Focus on the Right Knowledge
Who is better suited to translate your technical documentation? Technical writers with a broad knowledge of different industries or engineers with an in-depth specialization in your field? A linguist specialized in technology? A technician with advanced training in translation? Or could even a tech-savvy copywriter be the ideal translator for your project?
They can all be more or less suitable for the technical translation of your content. The more details you include in your briefing, the better the translation agency will be able to find the most suitable translator for your project!
- Create a Glossary
Invest for the Longer Run
Also logical: the translation agency pays attention to strict terminological consistency. This is done automatically, if possible, using your existing glossary or a new one created for your purposes. Ideally, your glossary should contain all technical terms in the desired translation, including a description or definition, rules for use, and also so-called forbidden terms that should not be used. You can either maintain it yourself or leave the terminology management to your translation agency – this service costs money but saves you time and money in the long run. A well-maintained glossary is worth its weight in gold for consistent technical translation. It is worth comparing the details of the offer.
Another tip: You should be aware that some technical translation agencies will not hand over your glossary if you want to take it with you when you switch to another service provider. However, the ownership rights remain with you or your company.
Don’ts
- Do not Trust all Reference Documents
Still Good or out of Date? Do not Blindly Trust Old Reference Documents
Popular mistake: It feels like the best reference document or material was created not so recently and you have had the very best experience with it. But in fact it is already outdated. Technical terms have already changed with the advent of new technologies and the transformation of languages – the world simply spins faster than it used to.
Look carefully at what you send to your translation agency as reference material for your technical communication. If these texts are outdated in many places, there is a risk of an undesirable copycat effect in the translated document. A professional translator would seek good briefing and up-to-date references.
2. Not Being Consistent
Be Consistent without Exception?
If you’ve mastered the rules, you’re allowed to break them – if necessary. Actually, consistency is the ultimate goal of technical communication. But increasingly, “hard” technical documentation is being mixed with “soft” user information for the end consumer. Documentation should no longer just be unambiguous, but also represent the brand. Many companies want their brands to reflect their specific tone of voice in manuals, online help and tutorials.
This is where unambiguous terminology meets synonymous wordings. And solutions and compromises have to be found: Which term may stand where and when, and how does this work in each case in other languages? You can establish a sensible arrangement for professional translation in advance in cooperation with your translation agency.
3. Do Not Always Rely on the Same Solution
Man or Machine? Don’t Always Go for the Same Solution
Machine translation has the reputation of being better than human translation, especially for technical documentation. With machine translation, there are no careless mistakes such as typos, measurements are converted correctly, and the machine does not forget even the smallest point. However, proofreading assistance, i.e. post editing by the (technically skilled) human, is actually always required for an actually error-free text.
The combination of both types of translation can be unbeatable. But in quite a few cases, human translation is the smarter solution. It always depends on the specific text type and its specifications. You should have your translation agency test in advance which translation solution is the right one for your texts. For different types of texts, these can be different methods and by choosing wisely, you can save time and money.
Conclusion
The amount of technical documentation is growing, both in terms of the volume of its (mandatory) media and in terms of the languages required. Precisely because they should make things as easy as possible for users, technical texts are demanding to produce. Professional documentation follows a number of rules and must comply with legal requirements, guidelines and standards.
As a rule, technical communication is part of product safety and must increasingly master the balancing act with promotional product information, even in the case of operating instructions. The demand for quality in technical translation is extremely high. Translations should therefore only be carried out by qualified translators – or more precisely, by experienced native-speaker industry or technical translators.